Meaning
Boy names that mean ruler
31 boy names whose dictionary meaning includes ruler. Given most today: Freddie, Enzo, and Amir.
Meanings are glosses from Wiktionary entries and keep any hedge the dictionary gives. A meaning shown as “from X” is inherited from the name it derives from.
“peace king, peaceful ruler”
Say it FRED-ee
Loved in England and Wales. Common in Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and 2 more places. Rare in France, Italy, Poland, and 17 more places.
1 in 108 boys born in England and Wales in 2025. Number 10 there.
from Frederick, “peace king, peaceful ruler” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“home + ruler”
Say it EN-zoh
Loved in Spain and 1 more place. Common in France, England and Wales, Switzerland, and 3 more places. Rare in Italy, Poland, Israel, and 15 more places.
1 in 78 boys born in Catalonia in 2025. Number 15 there.
“home + ruler” · Italian origin · 2 syllables
“commander, prince”
Say it uh-MEER
Common in France, Italy, Israel, and 11 more places. Rare across the UK, Poland, Switzerland, and 7 more places.
1 in 178 boys born in Catalonia in 2025. Number 33 there.
“commander, prince” · Arabic origin · 2 syllables
“ever ruler”
Say it AIR-ik
Common across three Nordic countries, Austria, five German cities, and 4 more places. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 10 more places.
1 in 210 boys born in Norway in 2025. Number 64 there.
“ever ruler” · Old Norse origin · 2 syllables
“Lord”
Say it DOM-ih-nik
Loved in Hungary. Common in Poland, Austria, and Croatia. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 17 more places.
1 in 167 boys born in Poland in 2025. Number 38 there.
“Lord” · Latin origin · 3 syllables
“always, eternal + ruler”
Say it AIR-ik
Common in Catalonia and Spain. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 123 boys born in Catalonia in 2025. Number 24 there.
“always, eternal + ruler” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“counsel + ruler (via Reginald)”
Say it REJ-ee
Common across the UK. Rare in France, Italy, Poland, and 18 more places.
1 in 207 boys born in England and Wales in 2025. Number 37 there.
“counsel + ruler (via Reginald)” · English and Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“leader”
Say it MAH-lik
Common across Austria, Switzerland, five German cities, and 2 more places. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 10 more places.
1 in 231 boys born in Switzerland in 2025. Number 29 there.
“leader” · Arabic origin · 2 syllables
“peace king, peaceful ruler”
Say it FRED-rik
Common in England and Wales, Victoria, and New South Wales. Rare in France, Italy, Poland, and 20 more places.
1 in 285 boys born in England and Wales in 2025. Number 52 there.
“peace king, peaceful ruler” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“Lord”
Say it DOM-ih-nik
Rare in all 24 places we hold figures for.
1 in 1,105 boys born in England and Wales in 2025. Number 205 there.
“Lord” · Latin origin · 3 syllables
“prince”
Say it mah-EL
Loved in France. Common in Switzerland and Quebec. Rare across the UK, Italy, Poland, and 16 more places.
1 in 106 boys born in France in 2025. Number 10 there.
“prince” · Breton and French origin · 2 syllables
“eagle + ruler”
Say it ar-NOH
Common in Quebec. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 7,567 boys born in France in 2025. Number 920 there.
“eagle + ruler” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“king, ruler + hard, brave”
Say it ree-KAR-doh
Loved in Italy. Rare across France, the UK, Poland, and 18 more places.
1 in 54 boys born in Italy in 2024. Number 9 there.
“king, ruler + hard, brave” · Germanic origin · 3 syllables
“king, ruler + hard, brave”
Say it RICH-erd
Common in Hungary and 1 more place. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 1,186 boys born in Ireland in 2025. Number 232 there.
“king, ruler + hard, brave” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“helmet + to rule”
Say it MAHL-teh
Common in Sweden and 2 more places. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 16 more places.
1 in 12,000 boys born in Switzerland in 2025. Number 1,545 there.
“helmet + to rule” · Germanic and Danish origin · 2 syllables
“lord”
Say it TEER-nun
Common in Northern Ireland. Rare in France, England and Wales, Italy, and 20 more places.
1 in 345 boys born in Northern Ireland in 2025. Number 99 there.
“lord” · Irish origin · 2 syllables
“heritage, homestead + ruler”
Say it UL-rik
Common in Norway. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 90 boys born in Norway in 2025. Number 14 there.
“heritage, homestead + ruler” · German origin · 2 syllables
“dog, hound + prince, chief”
Say it KON-ul
Common in Ireland. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 402 boys born in Ireland in 2025. Number 97 there.
“dog, hound + prince, chief” · Irish origin · 2 syllables
“peaceful ruler”
Say it feh-deh-REE-koh
Common in Italy. Rare across France, the UK, Poland, and 18 more places.
1 in 91 boys born in Italy in 2024. Number 17 there.
“peaceful ruler” · Latin origin · 4 syllables
“name of a Cherusci chieftain”
Say it AR-meen
Common in Hungary and 1 more place. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 976 boys born in Austria in 2025. Number 163 there.
“name of a Cherusci chieftain” · German and Latin origin · 2 syllables
“army + ruler, authority”
Say it HAR-ahld
Rare in all 24 places we hold figures for.
1 in 388 boys born in Norway in 2025. Number 109 there.
“army + ruler, authority” · Scandinavian origin · 2 syllables
“always, eternal + ruler”
Say it EH-rik
Common in Poland. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 312 boys born in Poland in 2025. Number 62 there.
“always, eternal + ruler” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“Lord”
Say it doh-MEH-nee-koh
Common in Italy. Rare across France, the UK, Poland, and 18 more places.
1 in 260 boys born in Italy in 2024. Number 54 there.
“Lord” · Latin origin · 4 syllables
“power, rule”
Say it VAL-deh-mar
Common in Denmark. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 19 more places.
Number 14 in Denmark’s top 50, 2025.
“power, rule” · German origin · 3 syllables
“famous ruler”
Say it roh-DREE-goh
Common in Spain. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 19 more places.
1 in 828 boys born in Catalonia in 2025. Number 171 there.
“famous ruler” · Germanic and Spanish origin · 3 syllables
“sole ruler”
Say it AY-rik
Rare in all 24 places we hold figures for.
1 in 495 boys born in Norway in 2025. Number 122 there.
“sole ruler” · Old Norse origin · 2 syllables
“king, ruler + hard, brave”
Say it RIH-shard
Common in Poland. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 18 more places.
1 in 496 boys born in Poland in 2025. Number 79 there.
“king, ruler + hard, brave” · Germanic origin · 2 syllables
“El is my lord”
Say it el-ee-EL
Common in Finland. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 19 more places.
1 in 3,000 boys born in Switzerland in 2025. Number 577 there.
“El is my lord” · Hebrew origin · 3 syllables
“peace king, peaceful ruler”
Say it frih-DEH-rik
Rare in all 24 places we hold figures for.
1 in 916 boys born in Poland in 2025. Number 114 there.
“peace king, peaceful ruler” · German origin · 3 syllables
“lord, master”
Say it kih-REEL
Common in Moscow. Rare across France, the UK, Italy, and 19 more places.
1 in 14,045 boys born in Poland in 2025. Number 357 there.
“lord, master” · Russian origin · 2 syllables
“army + ruler, authority”
Say it HAH-rahl-dur
Not in the latest lists. Last listed in Iceland in 2022, number 213.
“army + ruler, authority” · Old Norse origin · 3 syllables
Other meanings
Sources
Meanings: Wiktionary entries for Freddie, Enzo, Amir, Erik, Dominik, Eric, Reggie, Malik, Frederick, Dominic, Mael, Arnaud, Riccardo, Richard, Malte, Tiernan, Ulrik, Conall, Federico, Armin, Harald, Eryk, Domenico, Valdemar, Rodrigo, Eirik, Ryszard, Eliel, Fryderyk, Kirill, Haraldur. Wiktionary text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.