Names That Mean Nobleman

Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, could make a creative artist-hero choice. For Adams it was a family name – he was named after his uncle, Ansel Easton. And, in turn, Adams was the namesake of young heartthrob Ansel Elgort, son of a photographer.

Irish spelling of Paddy, the traditional short form of Pádraig (Patrick) that was so common once upon a time that it became a byname for an Irishman. Páidí is gaining in popularity in Ireland once again as part of the trend for vintage nicknames on the birth certificate.

Nobility names like Duke and Count seem to be forming a minitrend: actor Danny Bonaduce named his son Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino. Beat that. Or wait: don't.

There are ordinary folk named Prince, Earl, and Duke, so why not this rank of nobility as well? Many spellings compete, the most common being Marquis, Marquise, and Marquez. Rapper 50 Cent chose the Marquise version for his son; David Caruso chose Marquez.

Hidalgo is the name of a minor planet, and, on Earth, the Spanish word for a nobleman, but we don't see much crossover potential.

This Spanish spelling of Marquis is popular in its own right.

Just as in English, the name Jarl is a noble title. Jarl was also the name of a figure in Norse mythology who, along with his wife Erna, raised a brood of eleven sons, who all became warriors.

Part of the name nobility that includes Prince, Earl, and Duke -- though none of these guys are very classy.

Duke has recently been seen on the TV show Better Things as the name of the youngest of three sisters, the other two being named Max and Frankie.

There isn't much information out there about this vanishingly rare name, but its posited meaning of "nobleman" suggests that it may derive from the same Old English route as the word Earl, eorl. It is also sometimes listed as an Irish name, possibly a form of Ardghal/Ardal, meaning "high valor".

This lovely Hawaiian name can also be spelled Keli'i.