Meaning: Its source is Cerdic, a Welsh name meaning "Kindly and loved."

Nicknames: Rick, Rickey and Ricky

Alternative Spellings: Cedrick

Source Forms: Cerdic

Popularity: The name Cedric ranked 482nd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 390th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: This name was created by Sir Walter Scott for a character in the book Ivanhoe (1819).

It is unclear whether the derivation from Cerdic was an intentional alteration, or merely a matter of misremembering the original. Also, there are authorities who believe Scott had another Welsh name in mind -- Cedrych, which means ''spectacular bounty.''