Names That Mean Ruler

An old Estonian cognate of Theodoric. The common nickname is TIit, so probably best avoided in the US.

Tiidrik

Eiro

Vladko

Properly written with a Turkish dotted I, this handsome Turkish name derives from two elements both with regal meanings. 

Emirhan

Hatty is an old school nickname for Harriet, itself an old-fashioned choice. The more usual spelling historically is Hattie, with was given to more than 750 baby girls last year in the US, three times as many as were named Harriet. Hatty, by contrast, was used for fewer than five babies -- quite a contrast!

Hatty

Vladimyr

Rarely given as a full name for baby girls, but occasionally used as a nickname for names such as Harriet and Henrietta.

Harry

It may take another generation or so, but this category of Hettie-Lettie-Lottie names could make a comeback. 

Hettie

The Dutch equivalent of Walt makes the Top 100 in Belgium, where Flemish parents love short, sweet names.

Wout

A classic short form of Henrietta, also seen as a nickname for Mehetabel.

Hetty

Watt

Vladi

A cool and wearable option for honoring an ancestral Harold.

Harto

With names like Henry, Henrik, and Enzo rising up the charts, it's about time parents discover Henzo. It's a short form of Henrique traditionally used in Galicia, Spain, but some may be familiar with Henzo via the anime <em>One Piece</em>.

Henzo

The J spelling of this nickname name has always skewed more masculine, perhaps because it relates directly to Jerome but not to Geraldine. But supermodel Jerry Hall, whose full name is Jerry and who has a twin sister named Terry, pulls it off in glamorous style.

Jerry

Despite its long history as a male name, Henry is a name that could be adopted for a baby girl — the French spelling makes it a bit more feminine.

Henri

This Dutch variation of Walter is pronounced vow-ter, although Americans will likely default to wooter or wowter. 

Wouter

A form of Heinrich or Henrike (Henry in English), as well as of their feminine counterparts. Now most commonly feminine, and especially popular for girls in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s. Famous bearers include German actress Heike Makatsch and athlete Heike Drechsler.

Heike

Etheridge is a surname derived from the English name Edric. As a first name, it's most commonly associated with American poet and civil rights activist Etheridge Knight.