For a significant part of history, baby names were passed down from a child’s parents or another close relative. That’s why a lot of people had the same names back in the day. How confusing! And when it came to royal families, this couldn’t be truer. But for those looking for a less common name that still represents the qualities of, say, a queen — like confidence, compassion, and intelligence — history has a lot more up its sleeve than Elizabeth and Anne (no offense to all the Elizabeths and Annes!). And these baby names that mean queen are just a few of them.
All perks aside, being an actual queen has to be a challenging job, though holding yourself to the standards of a queen is never a bad idea. As history has made clear, women are not always respected (that’s putting it nicely, too), making some of those regal qualities even more critical. And having a queenly name couldn’t hurt, either.
The following picks span more traditional options, names you’re not likely to hear other kids on the playground get called, and everything in between — all fit for your little queen.
01
Juno
The Ancient Greeks weren’t the only ones to have great mythological figures — the Romans did, too! In fact, their version of the Greek “queen of the heavens” was Juno. She was also the protector of women and marriage and represented youth.
02
Mira
The name Mira has different meanings across different languages and cultures, but the Arabic meaning of the name is “female ruler” or one who possesses queen-like traits.
03
Sadie
So maybe not a full-on queen, but one in the making — Sadie is the nickname for Sarah, a name of English origin that means “princess.”
04
Iolani
This Hawaiian name is regal in more ways than one. Not only does it mean “hawk of royalty,” but it’s also the name of the palace where Hawaii’s only queen and last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, resided.
05
Erica
From the German words for “honor” and “powerful,” the name Erica (the female version of Eric) refers to a “regal majesty.” Erica also has Norse origins and once meant “complete ruler.” It doesn’t get much more queenly than that!
06
Rory
This unisex name has Irish roots and means “red ruler.” Ireland may have the most redheads, but that certainly isn’t a requirement to bear this short, but powerful name.
07
Malika
Malika is a name that’s popular across many countries, including Hungary, India, and Africa, but its origins are Arabic and it means “queen.”
08
Isolde
You remember the Arthurian story of Tristan and Isolde, right? Well, it’s time for the latter half of that duo to get some recognition on the baby naming charts! Isolde means “ice ruler,” giving it a cool (do you see what we did there?) vibe.
09
Raina
In Slavic languages, Raina means “queen” and is widely used as a female name in Bulgaria and other Slavic countries.
10
Ece
Calling all crunchy mamas! This unique Turkish name means “queen, mother” and is another moniker for Umay — the Turkish goddess of the Earth.
11
Regina
Regina is the Latin word for “queen” and is still used for the same meaning in Latin-derived languages like Italian and Romanian.
12
Thema
Of African and Ghanaian origin, the name Thema has been used over centuries to denote “queen.” Though, Italian rapper Emanuele Busnaghi is a fan of it, taking it for his artistic name.
13
Morrigan
If you’re looking for a name with a bit of intrigue, you just found it. The Irish name Morrigan means “phantom queen.” In mythology, she was the ancient goddess of war. Her symbol? The crow.
14
Tiana
Disney may have had other reasons for choosing the name Tiana for the main character of the film The Princess and the Frog, but perhaps it wasn’t a pure coincidence, seeing as how Tiana has Russian origins and literally means “princess.”
15
Hattie
If the more staid Harriet doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps its trendy nickname will. Although Harriet remains the preferred option in England, Hattie — which means “estate ruler” — has truly taken off in the U.S.
16
Rhiannon
A Welsh name, Rhiannon means “divine queen.” And really, who wouldn’t want to be known as such? Plus, it’s also the name of an iconic 1976 song by Fleetwood Mac.
17
Meredith
Did you know that Meredith was originally considered just a boy’s name? It’s true. Of course, it’s now a supremely popular girl’s name (or gender-neutral name, even). Meaning “great ruler,” it’s of Welsh origin.
18
Antinea
Love the sea? Antinea is the French form of the Greek name for the mythical Queen of Atlantis.
19
Rani
This short and sweet name of Hindi origin means “queen,” as well as “she is singing.” It was chosen by Hollywood’s Kate Hudson and her fiancé Danny Fujikawa for their daughter, Rani Rose.
20
Riona
Add another “R” name to your list of top contenders for names that mean queen! Riona, which is of Irish origin, means “queenly.”
21
Dione
If R names aren’t your thing, consider Dione. Like Rhiannon, this Green name means “divine queen.” You may recognize it as the mother of Aphrodite by Zeus in mythology.
22
Saowanee
This name has two distinct types of appeal. First is the regal factor — it means “greetings from the Thai queen.” However, it’s also perfect or babies born on Saturday, as Sao literally means Saturday in Thai (which would serve as a lovely shortened version of the name).
23
Landry
A great gender-neutral option, this surname is rapidly rising in the baby name ranks. Meaning “ruler,” it’s of French and English origin.
24
Jovita
OK, so technically, Jovita doesn’t mean “queen.” However, it’s the feminine diminutive of Jove, the Roman king of the gods — and that definitely gives it queen vibes. Besides, Jovie is a royally charming nickname.
25
Queen
I mean, why not? This regal word name peaked in popularity in 2018 and has seen steady numbers ever since. If you like the sound of Quinn but it’s just gotten way too trendy for your taste, this is the name for you.
