indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Meaning & History
West Frisian form of Rijklof, though this can also be a different name. In that case, the first element is derived from the Germanic element rîcja "powerful, strong, mighty." This element is also closely related to Celtic rîg or rix and Gothic reiks, which all mean "king, ruler." The second element comes from laifa, which in turn is derived from Gothic laiba (leiba in Old High German and leifr in Old Norse) "remnant, remains." By that, they actually meant the person that is left behind after one's death, so laifa is best translated (depending on the context) as "heir" or "survivor."