Names That Mean King, Queen, Ruler or Royal

Baseball player Ryne Sandberg's nickname is RYNO.  Need we say more?  

Ryne

Rey, a Ray-soundalike that has ranked on the boys' side for the past 15 years, is about to get more popular for girls too, now that it's the name of the new heroine of the latest Star Wars movie. While the sound of the name is nothing new, the royal connection is, joining names such as Reign (Kardashian) and Charlotte (the new Princess) in an expansive definition of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/453/royal-baby-names">royal baby names</a>.

Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of Iseult, Yseut, Yseult, and Ysolt, however, it wasn't until the 19th-century that this form began to catch on, after the composer Richard Wagner used it for his 1865 opera (and for his own daughter!)
 
Seen as a symbol of undying love, Isolde was an Irish princess who accidentally drinks a love potion and falls in love with the nephew of the king she was betrothed to. The story ends in tragedy, but with Tristan, Romeo, and Juliet all familiar choices, this connection doesn't need to hold you back.
 
The exact etymology of the name is unknown but one suggestion is that it comes from Germanic elements to mean "ice ruler" or "ice battle" giving it a strong, wintery feel. Alternatively, it may have Brythonic origins, in which case it could mean "she who is gazed upon."
 
More likely to be used in the Netherlands or in Germany than in the US, it could appeal more widely as an intriguing alternative to Isabel, Iris, Ines, and Imogene. Given to 15 American girls in a recent year, it comes with user-friendly nicknames Izzy and Sol, though Iso is the one used in Marilyn French's novel The Women's Room.
 
Variations of Isolde include Iseult, Isolt, Isoud, Isolda, Izolda, Isotta,and Yseult.

Isolde

Sera is a truly international variation heard in Hebrew-speaking, Spanish and Italian cultures. Sera can also spelled Serah. Sera might also be a short form of Seraphina.
 
While Sera may rightly be considered a fresh spin on Sarah or Sara, it will often be misunderstood as one of those more <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a>. Another similar idea: the Welsh Seren.

Sera

Saina is related to many other international princess-related names, such as the Arabic Sana and the Hebrew Sarah. It was introduced to the wider world by the Indian Olympic badminton player Saina Nehwal.

Saina

Sarita is a delicately pretty name all but unknown in the US, where it can make an original honor name for an ancestral Sara....or Rita. Rita is a midcentury favorite tiptoeing back into style among adventurous parents.

Sarita

This Welsh name, also used in France, is the name of a 6th century saint who went to Brittany and established abbeys. Armel has a pleasant and familiar sound, making it easily used outside of Wales and France.

Armel

One way to set up a superiority complex in your child is to call your child Czar as American actor Rockmond Dunbar did in 2016.

Czar

Ericson, also spelled Erickson and Erikson (and with -sen endings too), is a Nordic surname that makes a strong choice.  Ericson may continue the trend Harrison, Jefferson and Jackson started.

Ericson

A familiar and usable last name turned first. Or you could look at it as a homophone of the verb howl, which gives it a wilder feel.

Howell

Has a legitimate first name history in its native land and an appealing meaning, but pronunciation is far from obvious. 

Riordan

This regal French name is a descendant of the Latin Regina, as is the Spanish Reina. Reine is also a male name in Scandinavia.

Reine

Tyreese Williams, the Walking Dead character, has brought this name to some attention.

Tyreese

Alternative form of Basil that might suit the adventurous. 

Vasili

Ara is a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">unique boys' name</a> 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 rival queen went to war in order to make him her own. The name Ara is also known in the Arabic and Hebrew cultures.

Alluring place-name that could find its place here. 

Niani

Creative gem perfect for an architect's son, in tribute to modern Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. 

Eero

Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility. 

Osric

Completely undiscovered double-l name with an abundance of rhythmic charm. 

Lalia

An English surname originally given to the illegitimate sons of a monarch.  It might be a nice middle name choice to honor an ancestral Roy, though as a first, it does have a cool meaning.

Fitzroy

Names that mean ruler or royal are not necessarily actual 

, such as George and Charlotte, but names that mean king, prince, queen, princess, royal, or ruler. There can be some overlap — Henry, the birth name of Prince Harry, has the royal meaning "estate ruler."

Girl names that mean ruler or royal in the US Top 1000

 include Aubrey, Mira, and Zara. Girl names that mean princess and names that mean queen include Sadie, Juno, Orla, and Queen itself.

male names that mean ruler or royal in the US Top 1000

 include Frederick, Derek, Rex, and Eric. Boy names that mean king include Balthasar, Kingsley, Malik, and Rory.

 — yes, that's a thing — include Kinsey, Rory, and Reagan. There is even a prince name for girls, Maella.

Unusual but fashionable names with royal meanings

 include Eulalia, Rhiannon, Laszlo, and Riordan.

 is one of the many positive ways you can give your child a name to live up to. There are names that mean ruler or royal in every style, from a range of cultures, for girls and for boys.

A complete list of our names that mean royal or ruler is here.

Names that mean king, queen, ruler or royal include fashionable choices such as Henry and Zara, with meaning and popularity (Page 6)