Names That Mean King
Across 4 pages
of 4
Kende
Hungarian
"king"
Kende is derived from the Hungarian title kende , referring to the king of Magyar, the nation that predated Hungary. Kende has a modern, internationally-appealing sound and is a Top 100 name in…
Nana
Ghanaian
"king"
Nana, most often used for girls as a a short form of Anna or Nancy, is an African name for boys meaning king or in some translations, "born on Tuesday." Isaac Hayes used the name for his son. It may…
Fauntleroy
French
"child king"
An aristocratic French surname which is synonymous with the indulged child created by Frances Hodgson Burnett in her book Little Lord Fauntleroy . Fauntleroy is also Donald Duck's middle name.
Ashkan
Persian
"Parthian king"
Ashkan, also spelled Ashkahn, is derived from Ashk, the name of an ancient Persian king. The Ashkan or Parthian empire was in what is now central Iran.
Brenin
Welsh
"king"
A Welsh take on the trend for royalty names, which a few parents in Wales have started to use in recent years.
Rían
Irish
"little king"
The origin of the Anglicized Ryan, this Irish name feels like a brighter and fresher alternative.
Makaveli
American variation of Machiavelli, Italian
"bad nail; king of light"
Makaveli was an alias of Tupac Shakur — his posthumous album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory , was released under the pseudonym. The album was released in 1996, following his death, and the…
Indrek
Estonian variation of Heinrich, German
"home of the king"
The Estonian form on Heinrich would make a one-of-a-kind choice in the US — it's never placed on the American charts.
Ovie
Nigerian
"king"
Ovie entered the British Top 1000 in 2020, following the appearance of contestant Ovie Soko on Love Island in 2019.
Aariv
Sanskrit
"king of wisdom"
Aariv is connected to the Hindu god Krisha, who represents wisdom.
Rian
Irish
"little king"
As Ryan quickly becomes a plausible option for a girl, some parents may be interested in the spelling Rian — the more authentic and original form of the name.
Minea
Finnish feminization of Minos, Greek
"king"
The Finnish writer Mika Waltari invented the name Minea from the Greek Minos for a character in his 1945 novel The Egyptian . It's become a popular Finnish name in the 21st century.
Ara
Armenian
"king"
Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls. Ara was…
Basel
Swiss place name
"king"
The Swiss city of Basel was first Basilia, thought to have been dubbed in honor of the Roman castle of the same name. The castle's name would have derived from Basilius, a Roman personal name from…
Jovita
Spanish, feminine variation of Jove, Roman king of the gods
Lively and joyful. Jovie could be a cute short form.
Regan
Irish
"little king"
Like somewhat more popular twin sister Reagan, this vibrant last-name-first Irish choice makes a strong, straightforward option. She does have a couple of downsides though. Regan entered the girls'…
Royce
English
"son of the king"
Royce is a grandpa name with an upscale link to Rolls Royce, and a surprising rise for girls since the early noughties. Rebel Wilson has a daughter named Royce Lillian.
Sigourney
French
"daring king"
Actress Sigourney -- born Susan -- Weaver made this unusual name (which she found in The Great Gatsby ) famous, if not popular.
Ara
Armenian
"king"
Ara is a unique boys' name that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a…
Balthasar
Greek
"God protects the king"
Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally…