Names That Mean Chief
Across 2 pages
of 2
About this list
The names
Ailany
Variation of Ailani, Ailyn, Aileen, or Aylin, Hispanic, Hawaiian, Irish, Turkish
"high chief; shining light; of the moon"
Fun, bright, and melodic, Ailany is a modern Hispanic name with multicultural influences. It broke into the US top 1000 for the first time in 2023 and by 2024, it had risen over 750 places to sit…
Ailani
Hawaiian, Hispanic variation of Aileen or Aylin, "high chief; shining light; of the moon"
"high chief; shining light; of the moon"
Lilting and lovely, Ailani entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016 and was a fast climbing choice in 2024 and 2025 when it climbed more than 400 places up the charts to rank in the Top 200…
Quinn
Irish
"descendant of Conn, chief leader, intelligence"
Quinn is an engaging Celtic surname, zippy, concise and strong. While it may now lean feminine in the US, given to girls about 80% of the time, it is still given to a substantial number of boys: 615…
Donald
Scottish
"proud chief"
Donald has been used for centuries in Scotland, where the Macdonald clan is one of the most ancient and where there have been six early Scottish kings by that name. Donald was a Top 20 name…
Keilani
Hawaiian
"heaven, sky, glorious chief"
Keilani is among the fastest rising girls' names in some US states, a once- unusual name perhaps popularized by its similarity to both Leilani and Kayla. Its rhythmic appeal cannot be denied.
Donia
Scottish, feminine variation of Donald
"proud chief"
Donia is a name with many possible origins. Besides a short female form of Donald, it may also be a form of the Italian Donna meaning lady, a variation on the Arabic Donya meaning world, or a Celtic…
Kimball
Welsh
"warrior chief"
Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.
Meredith
Welsh
"great ruler"
Meredith has been considered primarily a girl's name since the fifties, before which it was more commonly used for boys. Comic actor Jay Mohr recently named his son Meredith, which might help it…
Mael
French or Breton
"chief or prince"
The name of a fifth century Breton saint, Mael is a popular boys' name in contemporary France, though it is usually spelled with a diaeresis or umlaut - Maël. Mael is the Breton spelling, and the…
Torin
Irish, Spanish, French
"little chief, little hill, mound; holding fast; bull"
Though it has a Scandinavian ring (a la Thorfinn), Torin is in fact a multicultural choice, an occasional feature in the UK Top 1000, and given to around 150 boys in the US each year. Connected to…
Erling
Norwegian
"descendant of the chief"
This old-school Nordic name derives from the Old Norse word jarl , meaning "leader, chief". A notable bearer is footballer Erling Haaland.
Don
Diminutive of Donald, Scottish
"proud chief"
Short form of Donald -- or more stylishly, Donahue or Donovan -- that's acquired a new sixties-era suaveness thanks to Mad Man Don Draper. The name also carries a Sopranos or Godfather-style double…
Keliʻi
Hawaiian
"the chief"
This lovely Hawaiian name can also be spelled Keali'i.
Ariki
Maori
"chief"
An ariki is a member of a hereditary noble rank in Māori culture, the highest in status and seniority. Ariki, and its variant Te Ariki, were the most popular Māori names for baby boys in Aotearoa…
Minco
Choctaw, Native American
"chief"
Kenver
Cornish
"great chief"
Kenver is derived from the ancient British name Cunmorus, meaning "great chief." We much prefer this newer iteration. A pronunciation note: the R in Kenver is not enunciated.
Toryn
Variation of Torin, Irish
"chief"
The original Torin is overwhelmingly male, but this variation is almost equally split between the sexes.
Toryn
Variation of Torin, Irish
"chief"
The hard initial T gives Toryn and Torin a harsh, rather masculine sound, yet the Y softens Toryn visually. Parents embrace Toryn equally for girls and boys.
Maelle
French or Breton
"chief or prince"
This feminine form of Mael has the distinctive "aelle" ending found in Brittany. In the French spelling Maëlle, it is a Top 100 girls' name in France.
Chancellor
English
"chief secretary"
Of the names derived from titles, this is one of the least obvious (unless you are of German extraction). Chancellor also has the attraction of offering the exciting - and very on-trend - nickname…
