Names That Mean Ruler
Across 9 pages
of 9
Harto
Finnish diminutive of Harald, Scandinavian
"army ruler"
A cool and wearable option for honoring an ancestral Harold.
Vlad
Diminutive of Vladimir, Slavic
"great ruler, peaceful ruler, ruler of the world"
The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said.
Henzo
Galician diminutive of Henrique, Portuguese
"estate ruler"
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…
Rurik
Russian variation of Roderick, German
"famous ruler"
Russian form of Roderick given to a small number of American boys each year.
Manraj
Sikh, Punjabi
"ruler of the heart"
One of the many long forms of the popular Indian name Raj.
Jerry
Short feminine form of Gerald or Jerome, German or Greek
"ruler with the spear or sacred name"
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…
Rui
Portuguese diminutive of Rodrigo
"famous ruler"
This charming mini name began life as a nickname for Rodrigo but has since taken on a life of its own, ranking as an independent name in Portugal, it’s country of origin. If you’re looking to honor a…
Henri
French from German
"estate ruler"
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.
Hendrix
Dutch and German, from first name Hendrik
"estate ruler"
Hendrix is a trendy first name, complete with cool letter X and the familiar sounds of Henry. Likely inspired by guitar great, Jimi Hendrix, the name is predominantly used for boys, with 1130…
Wouter
Dutch, variation of Walter
"army ruler"
This Dutch variation of Walter is pronounced vow-ter, although Americans will likely default to wooter or wowter.
Heike
German, Frisian and Dutch
"home ruler"
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…
Etheridge
Englsh
"wealthy ruler"
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.
Frederieke
Dutch
"peaceful ruler"
Variant of Frederika
Haumea
Hawaiian
"red ruler"
Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of childbirth, said to have created a potion to allow humans to be able to give birth naturally. The meaning of the name is likely related to the blood shed in…
Henna
Color name, Finnish feminization of Henry, English from German
"estate ruler"
Reddish dye that sounds as if it could be a real name — of the outdated, Old World, Yetta-Hedda variety.
Frederikke
Danish
"peaceful ruler"
Danish form of Frederika
Frieda
German
"peace"
This traditional Germanic name hasn't been on the U.S. list since 1958, but perhaps due to the mythic power of painter Frida Kahlo, parents are beginning to show some interest in it.
Rika
Japanese, or diminutive of names that end in -rika
"beautiful village; peaceful ruler; estate ruler"
Rika is most common as a Japanese name, when it means "beautiful village" in one kanji combination. It is also seen as a nickname and given name in Scandinavia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, where…
Erica
Norse feminization of Eric or Italian word name
"eternal ruler; heather"
The straightforward Erica is a Norse feminization that was long associated with the complex, mega-popular character Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci for decades on the soap opera All My Children .…
Federica
Italian, feminine variation of Frederick, German
"peaceful ruler"
Federica is the Latin version of Frederica, one of those formerly stuffy female names -- think Josephine and Eleanor -- that feels fresh and elegant again. And Federica has more energy without that…