Meaning and history
Burkhard is a German masculine name composed of burg, “fortress” or “protection,” and hard, “brave,” “hardy,” or “strong.” It was borne by medieval nobles, bishops, and saints and has variants including Burchard and Burkhart. Saint Burchard of Würzburg helped establish the name in German Christian history. Notable modern bearers include German physicist Burkhard Heim and German actor and director Burkhard Driest. The traditional sense is approximately “strong protector.”