Names Categorized "leaders"

This is a list of names in which the categories include leaders.
gender
usage
Ahuludegi m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "he throws away the drum" from Cherokee ᎠᎱᎵ (ahuli) "drum" and ᎤᏕᎦ (udega) "throw". This was the name of a 19th-century Cherokee chief, also known as John Jolly.
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.... [more]
Amaru m Indigenous American, 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).
Árpád m Hungarian
From Hungarian árpa meaning "barley". This was the name of a 9th-century Magyar ruler who led his people into Hungary. He is considered a Hungarian national hero.
Batu m Mongolian
Means "strong, firm" in Mongolian. Batu Khan was a 13th-century Mongol leader, the founder of the Golden Horde.
Bello m Western African, Fula, Hausa
Possibly from Fula ballo meaning "helper". This name was borne by Muhammad Bello (1781-1837), the second leader of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Bulcsú m Hungarian
Hungarian name of uncertain meaning. This was the name of a 10th-century Hungarian military leader.
Degataga m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎦᏙᎦ (gadoga) meaning "standing". This was the name of a Cherokee chief, also called Stand Watie (1806-1871).
Dumnorix m Gaulish
Means "king of the world" from Gaulish dumnos "world" and rix "king". This was the name of a 1st-century BC chief of the Gaulish tribe the Aedui.
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.
Friduric m Germanic
Old German form of Frederick.
Genghis m History
From the title Genghis (or Chinggis) Khan, meaning "universal ruler", which was adopted by the Mongol Empire founder Temujin in the late 12th century. Remembered both for his military brilliance and his brutality towards civilians, he went on to conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
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.
Gian-nah-tah m Indigenous American, Apache
Means "always ready" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Mescalero Apache.
Godwine m Anglo-Saxon
Means "friend of god", derived from Old English god combined with wine "friend". This was the name of the powerful 11th-century Earl of Wessex, the father of King Harold II of England.
Goyaałé m Indigenous American, 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.
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.
Hiawatha m History, Indigenous American, 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.
Hideyoshi m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.
Hokolesqua m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.
Isapo-Muxika m Indigenous American, Siksika
From Siksika Issapóómahksika meaning "big Crow foot", from Issapó "Crow (tribe)", ómahk "big" and ika "foot". This was the name of a Blackfoot chief, known as Crowfoot (1830-1890).
Kaneonuskatew m Indigenous American, Cree (Anglicized)
Means "he who walks on four claws" in Cree, derived from ᓀᐅᐧ (newo) "four" and the root ᐊᐢᑲᓯᕀ (askasiy) "claw". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan, also known as George Gordon.
Kenyatta m & f African American
From a surname used by the first president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta (1897-1978). He adopted the surname in his youth, supposedly from a type of ornamental belt worn by the Maasai people.
Kublai m History
From the Mongolian name Khubilai, of unknown meaning. Kublai Khan was a 13th-century grandson of Genghis Khan (being the son of his son Tolui), and the fifth ruler of the Mongol Empire. He is also considered the first ruler of the Chinese Yuan dynasty.
Lalawethika m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Lysimachus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυσίμαχος (Lysimachos), derived from λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". This was the name of one of the generals under Alexander the Great. After Alexander's death Lysimachus took control of Thrace.
Mekaisto m Indigenous American, Siksika
From Siksika Mí'kiai'stoowa meaning "red crow", from mi'ki "red" and mai'stóó "crow". Red Crow (1830-1900) was a chief of the Kainai Blackfoot.
Mihai m Romanian
Romanian form of Michael. Mihai the Brave was a prince of Wallachia who united Romania in the early 17th century.
Mislav m Croatian, Medieval Slavic
Derived from the Slavic element mysli "thought" or moji "my" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of a 9th-century Duke of Croatia, also called Mojslav.
Mistawasis m Indigenous American, Cree (Anglicized)
Means "big child" in Cree, derived from ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ (mistahi) "big, great" and ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) "child". This was the name of a prominent 19th-century Cree chief.
Mupitsukupʉ m Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "old owl" in Comanche, derived from mupitsi "owl" and tsukupʉ "old man". This name was borne by a 19th-century chief of the Penateka Comanche.
Njáll m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Niall (see Neil). This is the name of the hero of a 13th century Icelandic saga, based on the life of a 10th-century Icelandic chieftain.
Nonhelema f Indigenous American, Shawnee
Possibly means "not a man" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief, the sister of Hokolesqua.
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.
Onangwatgo m Indigenous American, Oneida (Anglicized)
Means "big medicine" in Oneida, from onúhkwaht "medicine" and the suffix -koó "big, great". This was the name of a chief of the Oneida people, also named Cornelius Hill (1834-1907).
Patricius m Late Roman
Original Latin form of Patrick.
Philibert m French, Germanic
Early variant of Filibert altered by association with Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover". A famous bearer was Philibert de l'Orme (1510-1570), a French Renaissance architect.
Pitikwahanapiwiyin m Indigenous American, Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐊᓇᐱᐏᔨᐣ (Pîhtokahanapiwiyin) meaning "sits at the buffalo pound", derived from ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐋᐣ (pîhtokahân) "buffalo pound, buffalo corral" and ᐊᐱᐤ (apiw) "sit". This was the name of a Plains Cree chief, also known as Poundmaker (1842-1886).
Rajaram m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "king Rama", from Sanskrit राज (raja) meaning "king" combined with the name Rama 1. This name was borne by a 17th-century ruler of the Maratha Empire.
Rareș m Romanian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Romanian rar meaning "sparse, rare". This name was borne by Petru Rareș, a 16th-century ruler of Moldavia, whose second name was adopted from a nickname of his mother's husband.
Skenandoa m Indigenous American, Oneida (Anglicized)
Possibly from Oneida oskanutú meaning "deer". This was the name of an 18th-century Oneida chief. According to some sources the Shenandoah River in Virginia was named after him, though the river seems to have borne this name from before his birth. It is possible that he was named after the river, or that the similarity in spellings is a coincidence.
Suharto m Javanese
From Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good" and अर्थ (artha) meaning "wealth, property" (borrowed into Indonesian as harta). This was the name of an Indonesian general (1921-2008) who seized power to become the country's second president.
Tadhg m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Tadg meaning "poet". This was the name of an 11th-century king of Connacht, as well as several other kings and chieftains of medieval Ireland. According to Irish mythology it was the name of the grandfather of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Tasunka m Indigenous American, 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 Indigenous American, 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.
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.
Tessouat m Indigenous American, Algonquin
Meaning unknown. This was the name of several 17th-century Algonquin chiefs.
Tʉhʉyakwahipʉ m Indigenous American, Comanche
Means "horse back" in Comanche, derived from tʉhʉya "horse" and kwahi "back (body part)". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Nokoni Comanche.
Vercingetorix m Gaulish
Means "king over warriors" from Gaulish wer "on, over" combined with kingeto "marching men, warriors" and rix "king". This name was borne by a 1st-century BC chieftain of the Gaulish tribe the Arverni. He led the resistance against Julius Caesar's attempts to conquer Gaul, but he was eventually defeated, brought to Rome, and executed.
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.
Vratislav m Czech, Slovak, Medieval Slavic
Derived from the Slavic elements vratiti "to return" and slava "glory". This was the name of two dukes of Bohemia. The city of Wrocław in Poland is named after the first.
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.
Yonaguska m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "drowning bear" from Cherokee ᏲᎾ (yona) "bear" and possibly ᎫᏂᏍᎧ (guniska) "drown". This was the name of a 19th-century Eastern Cherokee chief.