Royal Boy Names
Royal boy names have a built-in sense of occasion. Some come straight from palace birth announcements — George, Louis, Archie — while others belong to legendary kings and conquerors, like Alfred, Constantine and Cyrus. And a few simply mean “king” or “prince” in their original language: Rex, Malik, Rajan, Elroy.
Here are more than 100 regal names for boys, grouped by kingdom and era, each with its meaning and royal connection. For more, see our pages on king names, names that mean king and royal baby names. Shopping for a sister? Try princess names.
British royal boy names
Names worn by English and British kings and princes for a thousand years. They remain a favorite for parents who love classic style. See also British boy names.
| Name | Royal connection | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| George | Six British kings; Prince George of Wales | Farmer |
| William | William the Conqueror; Prince William | Resolute protector |
| Charles | King Charles I, II and III | Free man |
| Edward | Eight kings, from Edward the Confessor on | Wealthy guardian |
| Henry | Eight kings, including Henry VIII | Home ruler |
| Louis | Prince Louis of Wales | Famous warrior |
| Harry | Prince Harry; nickname of many King Henrys | Home ruler |
| Archie | Prince Archie of Sussex | Genuine, bold (from Archibald) |
| Arthur | Legendary king; a middle name of Charles III and Prince Louis | Possibly “bear” |
| Alfred | Alfred the Great, king of Wessex | Elf counsel |
| Albert | Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria | Noble, bright |
| Richard | Richard the Lionheart | Powerful ruler |
| Andrew | Prince Andrew, son of Elizabeth II | Manly, brave |
| Philip | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | Lover of horses |
| Stephen | King Stephen (1135–1154) | Crown |
| Harold | Harold II, last Anglo-Saxon king | Army ruler |
| Edmund | Edmund the Martyr; Edmund Ironside | Wealthy protector |
| James | Kings James I and II | Supplanter |
| Athelstan | First king of all England | Noble stone |
| Edgar | Edgar the Peaceful | Wealthy spear |
| Malcolm | Scottish kings, including Malcolm III | Devotee of St. Columba |
| Robert | Robert the Bruce, king of Scots | Bright fame |
| Duncan | Duncan I of Scotland | Dark warrior |
European royal names
Kings and princes from France, Spain, Scandinavia and the Holy Roman Empire.
| Name | Royal connection | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Frederick | Frederick the Great of Prussia | Peaceful ruler |
| Leopold | Kings of Belgium; Holy Roman Emperors | Brave people |
| Maximilian | Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I | Greatest |
| Felipe | King Felipe VI of Spain | Lover of horses |
| Carlos | Juan Carlos I of Spain | Free man |
| Gustav | Kings of Sweden, including Gustav Vasa | Staff of the Goths |
| Olaf | Olaf II, patron saint of Norway | Ancestor’s descendant |
| Haakon | Kings of Norway, including Haakon VII | High son |
| Frederik | King Frederik X of Denmark | Peaceful ruler |
| Christian | Many Danish kings | Follower of Christ |
| Casimir | Casimir the Great of Poland | From Slavic kazi- + mir, “peace”; read as “proclaimer” or “destroyer” of peace |
| Ludwig | King Ludwig II of Bavaria | Famous warrior |
| Otto | Otto the Great, Holy Roman Emperor | Wealth |
| Rudolf | Rudolf I of Habsburg | Famous wolf |
| Charlemagne | King of the Franks, Emperor | Charles the Great |
| Baudouin | King of the Belgians | Bold friend |
| Sigismund | Holy Roman Emperor | Victory protection |
| Albrecht | Dukes and kings of the Habsburg line | Noble, bright |
| Manuel | Manuel I of Portugal | God is with us |
Ancient kings and emperors
From Persia to Rome, these were names of conquerors and builders of empires. For more, see Roman boy names and ancient names.
| Name | Royal connection | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Augustus | First Roman emperor | Venerable, majestic |
| Cyrus | Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire | Sun; or “throne” |
| Darius | Darius the Great of Persia | Possesses good |
| Alexander | Alexander the Great of Macedon | Defender of the people |
| Constantine | First Christian Roman emperor | Steadfast |
| Marcus | Marcus Aurelius, philosopher-emperor | Warlike |
| Hadrian | Emperor who built Hadrian’s Wall | From Hadria |
| Julius | Julius Caesar, whose name became the royal titles Kaiser and Tsar | Youthful (traditionally) |
| Tiberius | Second Roman emperor | Of the Tiber |
| Ramses | Ramses II of Egypt | Born of Ra |
| Tutankhamun | The boy pharaoh | Living image of Amun |
| Leonidas | King of Sparta at Thermopylae | Lion’s son |
| Xerxes | King of Persia | Ruler over heroes |
| Priam | King of Troy | Possibly “ransomed” |
| Octavian | Birth name of Emperor Augustus | Eighth |
Biblical kings
Scripture’s monarchs offer names with deep meaning. Browse biblical boy names for more.
| Name | Royal connection | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| David | King of Israel, 1 Samuel 16 onward | Beloved |
| Solomon | King famed for wisdom, 1 Kings 3 | Peace |
| Saul | First king of Israel, 1 Samuel 10 | Asked for, prayed for |
| Josiah | Reforming king of Judah, 2 Kings 22 | Yahweh supports |
| Hezekiah | King of Judah, 2 Kings 18 | God strengthens |
| Asa | King of Judah, 1 Kings 15 | Healer |
| Jehoshaphat | King of Judah, 1 Kings 22 | Yahweh has judged |
| Balthazar | One of the Magi, by tradition a king | Protect the king |
| Melchior | One of the Magi, by tradition a king | King of light |
| Caspar | One of the Magi, by tradition a king | Treasurer |
Names that mean king, prince or ruler
The most literal royal names of all. Our names that mean king page has more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Rex | King | Latin |
| Malik | King | Arabic |
| Rey | King | Spanish |
| Elroy | The king (from French le roi) | French |
| Leroy | The king | French |
| Ryan | Little king | Irish |
| Rory | Red king | Irish |
| Emir | Prince, commander | Arabic |
| Amir | Prince, ruler | Arabic |
| Rajan | King | Sanskrit |
| Raja | King | Sanskrit |
| Basil | Royal, kingly | Greek |
| Vasily | Royal, kingly (Russian Basil) | Russian |
| Kingston | King’s town | English |
| Kingsley | King’s wood | English |
| Eric | Ever ruler | Norse |
| Derek | Ruler of the people | Germanic |
| Walter | Ruler of the army | Germanic |
| Donald | World ruler | Scottish |
| Ricardo | Powerful ruler | Spanish |
| Sultan | Ruler, authority | Arabic |
| Tiernan | Little lord | Irish |
| Prince | Prince | English |
Royal names from around the world
Rulers from Asia, Africa and the Middle East with names that remain proud and popular in their home cultures.
| Name | Royal connection | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ashoka | Mauryan emperor of India | Without sorrow |
| Akbar | Mughal emperor | Great |
| Babur | Founder of the Mughal Empire | Tiger (Persian babr) |
| Shaka | Founding king of the Zulu kingdom | From iShaka, an intestinal beetle, per tradition |
| Mansa | Title of Mali’s kings, like Mansa Musa | King, emperor |
| Sundiata | Founder of the Mali Empire | Hungering lion (traditional) |
| Menelik | Emperors of Ethiopia | Son of the wise |
| Kamehameha | King who unified Hawaii | The lonely one |
| Faisal | Kings of Iraq and Saudi Arabia | Judge, decisive |
| Hiro | Part of Emperor Hirohito’s personal name | Generous, abundant |
| Suleiman | Suleiman the Magnificent, Ottoman sultan | Peace (form of Solomon) |
How to choose a royal name for your son
- Decide how formal you want to go. George and Edward are royal but everyday; Charlemagne and Sigismund are bold statements.
- Use a regal name as a middle. Augustus, Alfred or Leopold make a striking middle name after a simpler first name.
- Know the history. Some rulers had dark legacies. Read up before you name your son after an emperor.
- Plan a friendly nickname. Many royal names shorten beautifully: Alfred to Alfie, Frederick to Freddie, Augustus to Gus, Maximilian to Max.
- Balance with the surname. A long royal name like Constantine pairs best with a short last name; George or Louis suits a longer one.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common royal boy names?
In the British royal family, George, William, Charles, Edward, Henry and Louis recur again and again. Across Europe, Frederick, Christian, Carlos and Gustav are traditional royal names.
What names mean king?
Rex (Latin), Malik (Arabic), Rey (Spanish), Leroy and Elroy (French), Rajan and Raja (Sanskrit) and Basil (Greek, “royal”) all mean king or kingly.
What are the names of Prince William’s sons?
Prince William and Catherine have two sons, George and Louis, plus a daughter, Charlotte. Their full names are George Alexander Louis and Louis Arthur Charles.
Are royal names too fancy for everyday use?
Most aren’t. Names like Henry, Arthur and Louis are among the most popular boy names in both the US and UK. Save the grander ones, like Maximilian or Constantine, for families who love a statement.
What is a good royal boy name that isn’t common?
Try Casimir, Haakon, Athelstan, Leonidas, Balthazar or Tiernan — each has a regal story and is rare in the US.