Names That Mean Ruler

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

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

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

Think Harry with a go-getter ending.

Variant of Heinrich

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.

Alternate Anglicization of Rurik, a powerful name related to Roderick with a meaning to match. This spelling shortens naturally to cool nickname Rory.

Zolten is a variant spelling of Zoltan, which is currently in the Top 50 in Hungary, its country of origin. We recommend you stick with the original spelling, which remains extremely rare.

Volodymyr, once a name unknown to most Americans, is now on everyone's lips due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy bears a common Ukrainian name for his generation. Currently in Ukraine, the most popular baby names for boys are Maksym (Максим), Ivan (Іван), and Matviy (Матвій). The more fashionable Vlad- name for babies is Vladyslav, although President Zelenskyy may soon be a namesake for an influx of infants named in honor of his heroism.

Not an adverb baby name, but an international nickname for Hans and Heinrich.

With its dramatic nature meaning (blaidd "wolf" + rhi "ruler"), Bledri looks and sounds pretty distinctive. It's rare even in Wales. But the WYSIWYG spelling makes it perfectly viable.

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 childbirth. A dwarf planet beyond Neptune's orbit is named in Haumea's honor.

Scottish Gaelic form of Richard, also found as Risteard.

Popular in the 1940s and 50s, this strong-sounding name has since fallen out of style in Norway.

An old-timey nickname for Derrick that has since been forgotten.

Rare form of Romaric

Where's Walda? Out of the running.

Frederique, the soigne name of Dutch-born model Frederique Van der Wal, is a lot more sophisticated than the dated MONIQUE. Still, as feminine forms of the Fred names go, we prefer the Italian Federica or the distant Spanish cousin Fernanda.