the king of Castile and Aragon who ruled jointly with his wife Isabella; his marriage to Isabella I in 1469 marked the beginning of the modern state of Spain and their capture of Granada from the Moors in 1492 united Spain as one country; they instituted the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 and supported the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492 (1452-1516)
"Ferdinand, who ruled jointly with Isabella to unite Spain under a single crown after capturing Granada from the Moors, is remembered for supporting Columbus's historic voyage."
A male given name from the Germanic languages, best known for a 13th century king of Spain, but never popular in English.
"Ferdinand is an uncommon first name for boys that rarely appears on modern lists despite its historical fame."
The name Ferdinand comes from Spanish Ferdinando, which combines elements meaning "journey" and "daring." It entered English as a personal name that has been used for centuries to describe men with adventurous spirits.