Names That Mean King, Queen, Ruler or Royal

  1. Roderica
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "renowned ruler"
    • Description:

      Unfashionably ornate female form of unfashionable Roderick.
  2. Contessa
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "countess"
    • Description:

      There's a craze for royal names right now, including Royal itself, so c'mon down, Contessa, and join Prince, King, Duke, Royalty -- the whole blue-blooded gang. Bonus: Short form Tess or Tessa makes this an almost-ordinary name.
  3. Herrick
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "war ruler"
    • Description:

      When you like Eric, but wish it were longer; also the name of a great early English poet.
  4. Ashanti
    • Origin:

      Place-name, former kingdom of western Africa
    • Description:

      Authentic African name that blipped in popularity a few years ago when hip-hop singer Ashanti first arrived on the scene.
  5. Queen
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "queen"
    • Description:

      Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even further than that. Queen was a noted name among enslaved people in America, along with other royal choices such as Duke, Squire, and Prince.
  6. Saowanee
    • Origin:

      Thai
    • Meaning:

      "Greetings from the Thai Queen"
    • Description:

      This popular Thai name will be familiar to many non-Thais. It is especially appropriate for children born on a Saturday, as Sao means Saturday in Thai.
  7. Queniva
    • Origin:

      Anglo-Saxon
    • Meaning:

      "queen's gift"
    • Description:

      A Latinized (and more wearable) form of the Anglo-Saxon Cwengifu, Queniva is a sparky sounding name that could get you to vintage nickname Queenie, or to the more familiar Evie, Neve, Eva, or even Quin. It's similarity in sound to Jennifer, Guinevere, and Geneva might help this oldy-worldy name fit in.
  8. Bardrick
    • Origin:

      Teutonic
    • Meaning:

      "axe-ruler"
    • Description:

      Sounds like...a Teutonic axe-ruler.
  9. Rasselas
    • Origin:

      Literary name
    • Meaning:

      "prince portrait"
    • Description:

      Samuel Johnson invented the name Rasselas for the title character of his novel, Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia. Rasselas is actually the son of the prince.
  10. Devraj
    • Origin:

      Hindi
    • Meaning:

      "ruler of the gods"
    • Description:

      An imposing meaning, an appealing sound.
  11. Aybüke
    • Origin:

      Turkish
    • Meaning:

      "queen of the moon"
    • Description:

      The Turkish element ay, meaning "moon," is common among girl names. In this case, it is combined with büke, meaning "queen," giving Aybüke a stunning and covetable meaning.
  12. Torvald
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "Thor's ruler"
    • Description:

      Torvald, not to be confused with Torvill of skating fame, is a Norse name which might be of interest to parents looking for Thor-related options. Torvald is most familiar in the English-speaking world as the infuriatingly sexist husband of Nora in Ibsen's play A Doll's House, which may account for its low usage. However, Linus Torvalds, inventor of Linux , might put the name into a more positive light, especially in Silicon Valley.
  13. Arrigo
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Henry and Harry
    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"
    • Description:

      Think Harry with a go-getter ending.
  14. Melech
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "king"
    • Description:

      A strong and regal sounding name that appears in the Old Testament, Melech is also spelled as Meilech and Melek. The name is related to Melchior — one of the three kings said to have visited Jesus — and to the Arabic Malik, as both ultimately derive from Maloka, a royal title used in ancient Assyria and Babylonia.
  15. Ladomir
    • Origin:

      Croatian form of Vladimir
    • Meaning:

      "famous ruler"
    • Description:

      This Croation take on Russian stalwart Vladimir has a softer sound that may appeal to many.
  16. Thailah
    • Origin:

      Thai
    • Meaning:

      "Queen"
    • Description:

      No, not a creative spelling of Tyla - Thailah literally means the Thai Queen.
  17. Sharai
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "princess"
    • Description:

      See SARAI.
  18. Semiramis
    • Origin:

      Queen of Babylon
    • Description:

      Semiramis was the most important Queen of Assyria, who conquered much of Asia. Semiramis restored ancient Babylon and protected it with a high brick wall that completely surrounded the city. Then she built several palaces in Persia, reigned much of Asia Minor effectively and conquered Libya and Ethiopia.
  19. Fritzi
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Frederica
    • Meaning:

      "peaceful ruler"
    • Description:

      Like Mitzi, the bubbly Fritzi shows signs of rising again. Has a bit of a comic-strip feel.
  20. Khari
    • Origin:

      West African
    • Meaning:

      "kingly"
    • Description:

      Traditionally a West African boys' name, Khari is used quite often for girls in the U.S. as well, thanks to its similarity to the more familiar Carrie. Khari is one of the African names that easily bridges cultures.