Names with "leader" in Description

Abd al-Qadir m Arabic
Means "servant of the capable, servant of the powerful" from Arabic عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with قادر (qādir) meaning "capable, powerful". This was the name of a 19th-century Algerian resistance leader.

Abiram m Biblical
Means "my father is exalted" in Hebrew, derived from אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament, Abiram is swallowed by an earthquake after rebelling against the leadership of Moses.

Adolf m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Germanic
From the Old German name Adalwolf, which meant "noble wolf" from the elements adal "noble" and wolf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.

Alikhan m Kazakh
Combination of the name Ali 1 and the Turkic title khan meaning "ruler, leader".

Amaru m Quechua
Means "snake" in Quechua. It was borne by Tupaq Amaru and Tupaq Amaru II, two Inca leaders after the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (in the 16th and 18th centuries).

Amirkhan m Tatar, Kazakh, Chechen, Circassian
From Arabic أمير (ʾamīr) meaning "commander" combined with the Turkic title khan meaning "leader, ruler".

Aslıhan f Turkish
Combination of Turkish aslı meaning "origin, original, essence" and han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".

Attila m History, Hungarian, Turkish
Probably means "little father" from Gothic atta "father" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century leader of the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia who had expanded into Eastern Europe by the 4th century. Attila was likely the name given to him by his Gothic-speaking subjects in Eastern Europe; his real name may have been Avitohol.

Ayhan m & f Turkish
Derived from Turkish ay meaning "moon" and han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".

Babak m Persian
From Middle Persian 𐭯𐭠𐭯𐭪𐭩 (Papak) meaning "little father". This was the name of the father of Ardashir, the founder of the Sasanian Empire in Persia. It was also borne by the 9th-century resistance leader Babak Khorramdin.

Baldwin m English, Germanic
Means "bold friend", derived from the Old German elements bald "bold, brave" and wini "friend". In the Middle Ages this was a popular name in Flanders and among the Normans, who brought it to Britain. It was borne by one of the leaders of the First Crusade, an 11th-century nobleman from Flanders. After the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, he was crowned as the king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Batraz m Ossetian, Caucasian Mythology
Possibly from Turkic bagatur meaning "hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.

Batu m Mongolian
Means "strong, firm" in Mongolian. Batu Khan was a 13th-century Mongol leader, the founder of the Golden Horde.

Batuhan m Turkish
Combination of Batu and Turkish han meaning "khan, ruler, leader", referring to the 13th-century Mongol ruler Batu Khan.

Bello m Fula, Hausa
Possibly from Fula ballo meaning "helper". This name was borne by Muhammad Bello (1781-1837), the second leader of the Sokoto Caliphate.

Bolívar m Spanish (Latin American)
From a surname that was taken from the Basque place name Bolibar, which was derived from bolu "mill" and ibar "riverside". A famous bearer of the surname was Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a South American revolutionary leader, after whom the country of Bolivia is named.

Booker m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.

Brennus m Gaulish (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Celtic name (or title) that possibly meant either "king, prince" or "raven". Brennus was a Gallic leader of the 4th century BC who attacked and sacked Rome.

Bulcsú m Hungarian
Hungarian name of uncertain meaning. This was the name of a 10th-century Hungarian military leader.

Cadwaladr m Welsh
From Old Welsh Catgualatr (also recorded in many other spellings) meaning "leader of the battle", from cat "battle" and gwaladr "leader". This was the name of a 7th-century king of Gwynedd. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth he was the last king of all of the Britons. This name was also borne by a 7th-century Welsh saint.

Calvin m English
Derived from the French surname Cauvin, which was derived from chauve meaning "bald". The surname was borne by Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), a theologian from France who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. His surname was Latinized as Calvinus (based on Latin calvus "bald") and he is known as John Calvin in English. It has been used as a given name in his honour since the 19th century.... [more]

Charles m English, French
French and English form of Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a word meaning "man" (Proto-Germanic *karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *harjaz meaning "army".... [more]

Chavdar m Bulgarian
Derived from a Persian word meaning "leader, dignitary".

Claudius m Ancient Roman
From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin claudus meaning "lame, crippled". This was the name of a patrician family prominent in Roman politics. The ancestor of the family was said to have been a 6th-century BC Sabine leader named Attius Clausus, who adopted the name Appius Claudius upon becoming a Roman citizen. The family produced several Roman emperors of the 1st century, including the emperor known simply as Claudius (birth name Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus). He was poisoned by his wife Agrippina in order to bring her son Nero (Claudius's stepson) to power.... [more]

Dagda m Irish Mythology
Means "the good god" from the Old Irish prefix dag- "good" and día "god". In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.

Doğukan m Turkish
From Turkish doğu "east" combined with either kan "blood" or han "khan, leader".

Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.

Duke m English
From the noble title duke, which was originally derived from Latin dux "leader".

Durai m Tamil
Means "chief, leader" in Tamil.

Duryodhana m Hinduism
Means "difficult to defeat" from the Sanskrit prefix दुस् (dus) meaning "difficult, bad" and योधन (yodhana) meaning "fighting". This is the name of the leader of the Kauravas in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, which tells of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Duryodhana, a powerful warrior, was eventually defeated by the Pandava brother Bhima.

Duuk m Dutch (Modern)
Probably a Dutch form of the English word duke, which was originally derived from Latin dux "leader". The equivalent Dutch word is hertog.

Edmund m English, German, Polish
Means "rich protection", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.... [more]

Emirhan m Turkish
Derived from Turkish emir meaning "amir, prince" and han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".

Emrys m Welsh
Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.

Erhan m Turkish
From Turkish er meaning "man, hero, brave" and han, which is from the title khan meaning "leader".

Erkan m Turkish
From Turkish er "man, hero, brave" combined with either kan "blood" or han "khan, leader".

Fallon f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic Ó Fallamháin, itself derived from the given name Fallamhán meaning "leader". It was popularized in the 1980s by a character on the soap opera Dynasty.

Ferdinand m German, French, Dutch, English, Slovak, Czech, Slovene, Croatian
From Fredenandus, the Latinized form of a Gothic name composed of the elements friþus "peace" (or perhaps farþa "journey") and nanþa "boldness, daring". The Visigoths brought the name to the Iberian Peninsula, where it entered into the royal families of Spain and Portugal. From there it became common among the Habsburg royal family of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria, starting with the Spanish-born Ferdinand I in the 16th century. A notable bearer was Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), called Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese, who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the earth.

Fidel m Spanish
From the Late Latin name Fidelis meaning "faithful", a derivative of fides "faith". A famous bearer was the revolutionary leader and Cuban president Fidel Castro (1926-2016).

Fionn m Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.

Gaius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin gaudere "to rejoice", though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.

Geronimo m History
From Gerónimo, a Spanish form of Hieronymos (see Jerome). This is the better-known name of the Apache leader Goyathlay (1829-1909). It was given to him by the Mexicans, his enemies.

Géza m Hungarian
From Gyeücsa, possibly derived from a diminutive form of the Hungarian noble title gyevü or gyeü, itself from Turkic jabgu. This was the name of a 10th-century leader of the Hungarians, the father of the first king István.

Giselle f French, English (Modern)
Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.... [more]

Giuseppe m Italian
Italian form of Joseph. Two noteworthy bearers were Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), a military leader who united Italy, and Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), a composer of operas.

Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Gökhan m Turkish
From Turkish gök meaning "sky" and han, which is from the title khan meaning "leader".

Gopinatha m Hinduism
Means "leader of the gopis" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, acquired because of his association with the gopis (milkmaids).

Goyaałé m Apache
Means "one who yawns" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the real name of the Apache leader Geronimo (1829-1909), who fought against Mexican and American expansion into his territory.

Gusti m Balinese
From a title meaning "leader" in Balinese.

Gwyn m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "white, blessed" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Gwyn was a king of the Otherworld and the leader of the Wild Hunt. He appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen, where he is one of the many who help Culhwch hunt the monstrous boar Trwyth. The story also tells of his rivalry with Gwythyr for the beautiful Creiddylad.

Hadi m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Indonesian
Means "leader, guide" in Arabic, from the root هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".

Hengist m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Means "stallion" in Old English or Old Saxon. According to medieval histories (recorded by Bede in the 8th century), Hengist and his brother Horsa were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers in Britain. Hengist established a kingdom in Kent in the 5th century.

Hereward m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements here "army" and weard "guard". This was the name of an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon leader who rebelled against Norman rule.

Herla m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Meaning uncertain, though connections to various Germanic words have been proposed. According to the 12th-century author Walter Map, who was likely expanding on older Germanic tales, Herla was a king of the Britons who became the leader of the Wild Hunt.

Hiawatha m History, Iroquois (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, of Iroquois origin, possibly meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy around the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Horea m Romanian
From Romanian horă, a type of circle dance. This was the nickname of Vasile Ursu Nicola (1731-1785), a leader of a peasant rebellion in Romania. He was eventually captured, tortured and executed.

Horsa m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
From Old English or Old Saxon hors meaning "horse". According to medieval chronicles, Horsa and his brother Hengist were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers to arrive in Britain. Horsa was said to have died in battle with the Britons. He is first mentioned in the 8th-century writings of the English historian Bede.

Hyrum m English (Rare)
Variant of Hiram. This name was borne by Hyrum Smith (1800-1844), an early leader within the Mormon Church.

Idwal m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Iudgual derived from iudd "lord" combined with gual "ruler, leader".

Il-Seong m Korean
From Sino-Korean 日 (il) meaning "sun, day" and 成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded". Other hanja character combinations are possible. A notable bearer was Kim Il-sung (1912-1994), the first leader of North Korea.

Imam m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "leader" in Arabic.

Imamu m Swahili
Means "spiritual leader" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic إمام (ʾimām).

Ingomar m German (Rare), Germanic
From the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with Old German mari "famous", making it a cognate of Ingemar. Ingomar (or Inguiomer) was a 1st-century leader of the Cherusci, a Germanic tribe.

Ioseb m Georgian
Georgian form of Joseph. This was the birth name of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (1878-1953).

Jason m English, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), Biblical
From the Greek name Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning "healer", derived from Greek ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father Aeson as king of Iolcos, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.... [more]

Jeroboam m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יָרָבְעָם (Yarovʿam) meaning "the people will contend", derived from the roots רִיב (riv) meaning "to strive, to contend" and עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation". According to the Old Testament, this was the name of the leader of the revolt against King Rehoboam of Israel. The kingdom was split into Judah in the south and Israel in the north, with Jeroboam becoming the first king of the latter.

Joan 1 f English
Medieval English form of Johanne, an Old French form of Iohanna (see Joanna). This was the usual English feminine form of John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by Jane in the 17th century. It again became quite popular in the first half of the 20th century, entering the top ten names for both the United States and the United Kingdom, though it has since faded.... [more]

Johanan m Biblical
Form of Yoḥanan (see John) used in the English Old Testament, where is borne by several people including a military leader in the time of the prophet Jeremiah.

Joshua m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshuaʿ) meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save". As told in the Old Testament, Joshua was a companion of Moses. He went up Mount Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments from God, and later he was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan. After Moses died Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites and he led the conquest of Canaan. His original name was Hoshea.... [more]

Josip m Croatian, Slovene
Croatian and Slovene form of Joseph. A notable bearer was the Yugoslav leader Josip Broz (1892-1980), also known as Tito.

Julius m Ancient Roman, English, German, Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech
From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.... [more]

Kende m Hungarian
From the Hungarian royal title kende or kündü, which referred to the ceremonial Magyar king (who ruled together with the military leader the gyula in the period before the Magyars settled in Hungary).

Khalid m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay, Chechen
Means "eternal" in Arabic, derived from خلد (khalada) meaning "to last forever". This name was borne by a 7th-century Islamic military leader, Khalid ibn al-Walid.

Khanpasha m Chechen
Derived from the Turkic title Khan meaning "ruler, leader" combined with the high Ottoman military rank pasha.

King m English
From the English vocabulary word king, ultimately derived from Old English cyning. This was also a surname, derived from the same source, a famous bearer being the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Krishna m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) meaning "black, dark". This is the name of a Hindu deity believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. According to the Mahabharata and the Puranas he was the youngest of King Vasudeva's eight sons by Devaki, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. However, Krishna and his brother Balarama were saved and he eventually fulfilled the prophecy by slaying the evil king. He then helped the Pandavas defeat the Kauravas in the Mahabharata War. His philosophical conversation with the Pandava leader Arjuna forms the text of the important Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita.... [more]

Lalawethika m Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).

Lautaro m Mapuche (Hispanicized), Spanish (Latin American)
Hispanicized form of Mapuche Lef-Traru meaning "swift hawk", derived from lef "swift" and traru "hawk". This name was borne by a 16th-century Mapuche military leader who fought against the Spanish conquistadors in Chile.

Ljudevit m Croatian
Means "master of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and vitŭ "master, lord". This name was borne by a 9th-century leader of the Slavs in Lower Pannonia who fought against Frankish rule.

Llywelyn m Welsh
Probably a Welsh form of an unattested old Celtic name *Lugubelinos, a combination of the names of the gods Lugus and Belenus, or a compound of Lugus and a Celtic root meaning "strong". Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against the English.

Luther m English
From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Malcolm m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, which means "disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.

Martin m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish
From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.... [more]

Melisizwe m Xhosa
Means "leader of the nation" in Xhosa.

Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, English
Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".... [more]

Metehan m Turkish
Combination of Mete and Turkish han meaning "khan, ruler, leader", referring to the 3rd-century BC Xiongnu ruler Modu Chanyu.

Meyer m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵאִיר (see Meir). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".

Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning "who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi) combined with ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.... [more]

Mikhail m Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian and Belarusian form of Michael, and an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Михаил (see Mihail). This was the name of two Russian tsars. Other notable bearers include the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022), and the Latvian-Russian-American dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948-).

Mohandas m Hindi
Means "servant of Mohana" from the name of the Hindu god Mohana (an epithet of Krishna) combined with Sanskrit दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". A famous bearer of this name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian leader who struggled peacefully for independence from Britain.

Moti 1 m Oromo
Means "leader" in Oromo.

Muammar m Arabic
Means "given long life" in Arabic, from the root عمر (ʿamara) meaning "to live long, to thrive". A famous bearer was the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (1942-2011).

Muhamadkhan m Avar
Combination of Muhamad and the Turkic title khan meaning "ruler, leader".

Narelle f English (Australian)
Meaning unknown. It was borne by the wife of Umbarra, who was a 19th-century leader of the Yuin, an Australian Aboriginal people.

Nehemiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh comforts" in Hebrew, derived from נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. According to the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament he was a leader of the Jews who was responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.

Neslihan f Turkish
From Turkish nesl meaning "lineage" and han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".

Nikita 1 m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian form of Niketas. This form is also used in Ukrainian and Belarusian alongside the more traditional forms Mykyta and Mikita. A notable bearer was the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971).

Odoacer m Gothic (Latinized)
From the Gothic name *Audawakrs meaning "wealthy and vigilant", derived from the elements auds "wealth" and wakrs "vigilant". Odoacer, sometimes called Odovacar, was a 5th-century Gothic leader who overthrew the last Western Roman emperor and became the first barbarian king of Italy.

Oğuzhan m Turkish
From Oğuz, the name of an ancient Turkic people, combined with Turkish han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".

Orhan m Turkish
Derived from Turkish or, of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Turkic root meaning "place", and han meaning "khan, ruler, leader". This was the name of a 14th-century sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Owain m Welsh, Arthurian Cycle
From an Old Welsh name (Ougein, Eugein and other spellings), which was possibly from the Latin name Eugenius. Other theories connect it to the Celtic roots *owi- "sheep", *wesu- "good" or *awi- "desire" combined with the Old Welsh suffix gen "born of". This is the name of several figures from British history, including Owain mab Urien, a 6th-century prince of Rheged who fought against the Angles. The 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes adapted him into Yvain for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Regarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Yvain or Owain has since appeared in many other Arthurian tales, typically being the son of King Urien of Gore, and the errant husband of Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain.... [more]

Partholón m Irish Mythology
Probably from the Biblical Latin name Bartholomeus (see Bartholomew). According to the 11th-century Irish history the Book of Invasions, he was the leader of the first group of settlers to arrive on Ireland after the biblical flood, though they soon all died of disease. Earlier, he briefly appears in the form Partholomus in the 9th-century History of the Britons, written in Latin.

Paul m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Romanian, Biblical
From the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.... [more]

Pranay m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit प्रणय (praṇaya) meaning "leader, guidance, love".

Prochorus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Πρόχορος (Prochoros) meaning "leader of the dance". Saint Prochorus was one of the original seven deacons of the church, as told in Acts in the New Testament.

Rais m Arabic
Means "leader, chief" in Arabic.

Richard m English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Means "brave ruler", derived from the Old German elements rih "ruler, king" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of three early dukes of Normandy. The Normans introduced it to England when they invaded in the 11th century, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including the 12th-century Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade.... [more]

Sardar m Persian, Urdu, Pashto
From a title meaning "chief, leader", derived from Persian سر (sar) meaning "head, authority" and the suffix دار (dār) meaning "possessor".

Selçuk m Turkish
Possibly derived from a diminutive form of the Turkic root sil meaning "clean, pure". Selçuk was the eponymous leader of the Seljuk Turks, who established the Seljuk Empire in the Middle East in the 11th century.

Sergius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name, possibly meaning "servant" in Latin but most likely of unknown Etruscan origin. Saint Sergius was a 4th-century Roman officer who was martyred in Syria with his companion Bacchus. They are the patron saints of Christian desert nomads. Another saint by this name (in the Russian form Sergey) was a 14th-century Russian spiritual leader. The name was also borne by four popes.

Serhan m Turkish
Derived from Turkish ser meaning "head, top" and han, which is from the title khan meaning "leader".

Serkan m Turkish
Means "leader, chief" from Turkish ser "head, top" and kan "blood".

Szabolcs m Hungarian
Meaning unknown, possibly from a Slavic word meaning "marten". It was borne by a leader of the Magyars at the time of Árpád. This is now the name of a region in Hungary.

Tancred m Old Norman
Norman form of the Germanic name Thancrat meaning "thought and counsel", derived from the elements thank meaning "thought, consideration, thanks" (Old High German danc, Old Frankish þank) and rat meaning "counsel, advice". This name was common among the medieval Norman nobility of southern Italy, being the name of the founder of the Hauteville family. It was borne by a leader of the First Crusade, described by Torquato Tasso in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580).

Tasunka m Sioux (Anglicized)
From Lakota Tȟašuŋke meaning "his horse", derived from šuŋg "horse". This forms the first part of the name of Tasunka Witko (1840-1877), translated as Crazy Horse, a Lakota war leader.

Tecumseh m Shawnee
Means "panther passing across" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768-1813), who resisted American expansion along with his brother the spiritual leader Tenskwatawa.

Telman m Azerbaijani
Soviet-era name derived from the usual Azerbaijani spelling of the surname of the German communist party leader Ernst Thälmann (1886-1944; see Thälmann).

Temujin m History
Means "of iron" in Mongolian, derived ultimately from the Turkic word temür "iron". This was the original name of the Mongolian leader better known by the title Genghis Khan. Born in the 12th century, he managed to unite the tribes of Mongolia and then conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.

Timur m Tatar, Chechen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkish, Russian, History
From the Turkic and Mongol name Temür meaning "iron". This was the name of several Mongol, Turkic and Yuan leaders. A notable bearer was Timur, also known as Tamerlane (from Persian تیمور لنگ (Tīmūr e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of western Asia.

Tudwal m Welsh (Rare)
From the Old Welsh and Breton name Tutgual, derived from tut "people, country" and gual "ruler, leader". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton saint.

Ulrich m German, Germanic
From the Old German name Odalric, derived from the element uodil "heritage" combined with rih "ruler, king". This was the name of two German saints. Another famous bearer was Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), also known as Huldrych, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland.

Vadim m Russian
Meaning uncertain. It is used as a Russian form of the saintly name Bademus. Alternatively it may be derived from Slavic vaditi "to accuse, to argue" or from an Old Norse source. According to legend, this was the name of a legendary leader of the Ilmen Slavs who fought against the Varangians.

Viriato m Portuguese
From the Latin name Viriathus or Viriatus, which was derived from viriae "bracelets" (of Celtic origin). Viriathus was a leader of the Lusitani (a tribe of Portugal) who rebelled against Roman rule in the 2nd century BC.

Vladimir m Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian
From the Old Slavic name *Voldiměrŭ, derived from the elements volděti meaning "to rule" and měrŭ meaning "great, famous". The second element has also been associated with mirŭ meaning "peace, world".... [more]

Wangui f Kikuyu
From Kikuyu ngũi meaning "song leader". This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.

Widukind m Germanic
Old Saxon name composed of the elements widu "wood" and kind "child". This was the name of an 8th-century Saxon leader who fought against the Franks, in the end unsuccessfully.

Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.

Yasir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "easy, wealthy" in Arabic, derived from the root يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". This was the name of an early Islamic martyr. It was also borne by Yasir Arafat (1929-2004), a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Zelimkhan m Chechen
Combination of the name Salim and the Turkic title khan meaning "ruler, leader".

Zula 2 f English
Meaning unknown. It has been in use since the 19th century. It is possibly related to the name of the African tribe that lives largely in South Africa, the Zulus. In the 19th century the Zulus were a powerful nation under their leader Shaka.