115 Awesome Emperor Names From Around The World

Fierceness, holiness, and royalty are the traist that define every name of an emperor or a king.

During the middle ages, when the Holy Roman Empire was at its peak, the world saw the imperial rule of many great rulers across the world.

Whether it be leading the military to war to protect the kingdom or establishing relations with other rulers of the age, rulers were supposed to handle multiple affairs of the kingdom as soon as they were crowned and take over the throne.

So who were the most important ancient rulers of Italy? Who was the first ruler to sit on the throne of the modern Roman empire? Which ruler had the mightiest military in Asia? Read on for the names of the most important ancient emperors.

Roman Emperor Names

During the imperial period, every Roman emperor that ruled the Roman empire was known for his unique approach. The emperors used a variety of different names throughout history. Here are some of the most important Roman emperor names.

Augustus (Latin origin), meaning 'sacred', was one of Rome's most successful and powerful leaders who led the transformation of Rome from a republic to an empire. Augustus, who reigned for 41 years from 27 BC-14 AD, is regarded as the most famous emperor.

Augustus, the 'son of a god', was declared a god after his death. His plan had worked and he was revered even after he died. He is one of the popular Roman emperors.

Balbinus (Latin origin), meaning ‘great leader', was tortured and murdered by the Praetorian Guard. One of the popular Roman emperors.

Caligula (Latin origin) means ‘little boot'. The Roman emperor Caligula certainly holds a prominent role amongst the most ruthless character in history. Caligula was one of the cruelest emperors with no boundaries and limits, even with his relatives.

Caracalla (Turkish origin), meaning ‘cat with black ears', was known as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. He was the Roman emperor from 198-217.

Claudius (Latin origin), meaning ‘crippled', was best known for the successful expansion of Rome into Britain. One of the lesser-known Roman emperors.

Domitian (Latin origin), meaning ‘tamed', was the son of Vespasian and brother of Titus.

Florianus (Latin origin) means ‘blond'. One of the lesser-known Roman emperors.

Gaius (Latin origin), meaning ‘to rejoice', was known for the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Galba (Latin origin), meaning ‘supremacy', was well known for spearheading the turbulent spell in Roman history, called the Year of the Four emperors.

Gallienus (Latin origin), meaning ‘rooster', ruled from September 253-September 268 (15 years).

Hadrian (Latin origin), meaning ‘dark-haired', was the cousin of Trajan, allegedly adopted by him.

Macrinus (Latin origin) means ‘protector'. He reigned jointly with his young son Diadumenianus.

Nero (Latin origin), meaning ‘strong', was the fifth Roman emperor and the last emperor of the Julio Claudian dynasty.

Nerva (Umbrian origin), meaning ‘strength', was the first of the five good emperors.

Numerian (Latin origin), meaning ‘goddess who helps with childbirth', is the son of Carus.

Otho (German origin) means ‘wealthy'. One of the well-known Roman emperors.

Publius Septimius Geta (Libynco-Punic origin), meaning ‘the seventh son', was murdered on the order of his brother, Caracalla.

Tiberius (Latin origin), meaning ‘of or near the Tiber river', was a very capable military leader and a sensible civic leader. He died in 37 AD.

Titus (Latin origin), meaning ‘ title of honor', was well known for his generosity in relieving the suffering caused by two great disasters.

Trajan (Latin origin), meaning ‘most capable man to lead the empire', was the First non-Italian emperor. His reign marked the geographical peak of the empire. One of the popular Roman emperors.

Vespasian (Latin origin) means ‘evening'. His reign lasted between 69-79 CE.

Vitellius (Latin origin), meaning ‘calf', was noted for two vices-gluttony and gambling.

Japanese Emperor Names

When it comes to Japanese names, they are very different, and in modern times it consists of a family name (surname) followed by a given name. So here are some peculiar and rare names for you.

Annei (Japanese origin), meaning ‘steady tranquillity', was regarded by historians as a Legendary Emperor.

Bidatsu (Japanese origin) means ‘problem solver'. His palace in Yamato province was called Osada no Miya of Iware.

Korei (Japanese origin), meaning 'spiritual fox', was also known as Ōyamatonekohikofutoni no Mikoto and was the seventh legendary emperor of Japan.

Kosho (Japanese origin), meaning ‘filial manifestation', was the grandchild of King Annei.

Montuko (Japanese origin), meaning ‘courageous’, was also known as Michiyasu.

Nintoku (Japanese origin) means ‘the great king who rules all under the heaven'. Due to his reputation for goodness derived from depictions in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, he is sometimes referred to as the Saint Emperor.

Ojin (Chinese origin), meaning 'divine spirit of the deity Hachiman', was known for his reign from 270-310 AD.

Seimu (Chinese origin) means 'intelligence'. Seimu had only one wife (as per records), who bore him one child. He also had a concubine, but she bore him no children. This contrasts sharply with his father, who is said to have had at least 80 children with multiple wives.

Suizei (Japanese origin), meaning ‘joyfully healthy peace', was born in 632 BC and died in 549 BC.

Sujin (Korean origin) means 'treasure'. The submission from India says the name means ‘goodness’.

Greek Emperor Names

The following is a list of famous kings of the Greek dynasty who played a prominent part in the history.

Alexander The Great (Latin origin), meaning ‘defender of men', was one of history's most powerful military commanders.

Arcadius (Latin origin), meaning ‘from/of Arcadia', was a weak ruler. His reign was dominated by a series of powerful ministers and by his wife.

Cassender (Latin origin) means  ‘the one who shines and excels over men'. He was the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC-297 BC.

Cleopatra  VII (Latin origin), meaning ‘father loving goddess', was an Egyptian queen She is famous in history and drama as the lover of Julius Caesar and later as the wife of Mark Antony.

Constantine I (Latin origin), meaning ‘ steadfast', several Roman and Byzantine emperors, including Constantine the Great, the Christian emperor who made Christianity the Roman Empire’s official religion.

Demetrius I (Latin origin) means ‘devoted to goddess Demeter’. His reign started in November 162 and lasted till June 150 BC.

Domesthenes (Latin origin), meaning  ‘man of the people', was one of the greatest patriots and powerful orators from ancient Greece.

Heraclius (derived from the Greek hero Herakles) means ‘glory of hera'. This was the name of a seventh-century Byzantine emperor known for his victories over the Sassanid Persian Empire.

Justinian II (Latin origin), meaning ‘pertaining to', was the last Byzantine emperor of the Heraclian dynasty.

Leonidas (Latin origin), meaning ‘son of the lion', died on 19 September, 480 BC.

Nikephoros I (Latin origin), meaning ‘bringer of victory', was killed by the Bulgar leader who drank wine from Nicephorus' skull as a gesture of contempt.

Pericles (Latin origin), meaning ‘surrounded by glory', died in 429 BC (aged 66).

Philip II (Latin origin), meaning ‘warlike', was the self-proclaimed protector of the Roman Catholic Church.

Valens (Latin origin), meaning ‘strong', was defeated and killed at the Battle of Adrianople against the invading Goths.

Chinese Emperor Names

The Chinese emperor names are unique and have different pronunciations.

Gaozu of tang (Chinese origin), meaning ‘great chancellor', was the founder of the Tang empire.

Ghenghis khan (Turkic origin), meaning ‘oceanic ruler', was the founder and first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, becoming the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.

Hongwu (Chinese origin) means ‘vastly martial'. He reduced taxes and passed reforms to improve agriculture and trade.

Kangxi (Chinese origin), meaning ‘peaceful harmony’, lived from  4 May, 1654-20 December, 1722.

Kublai khan (Mangolic origin) means ‘unknown'. He was a grandson of Genghis Khan.

Kulug khan ( Mangolic origin) means ‘warrior'. Apart from being an Emperor of China, he is regarded as the seventh Great Khan of the Mongol Empire.

Muzong of tang (Chinese origin), meaning ‘solemn ancestor', reigned from 820-824.

Qin Shi Huang (Chinese origin), meaning ‘first emperor', was the founder of the Qin dynasty. After the death of the first emperor in the second century BC, his imperial rule came to an end.

Renzong of song (Chinese origin) means ‘benevolent ancestor of the song'. Emperor Renzong of Song, personal name Zhao Zhen, was the fourth emperor of the Song dynasty of China.

Shunzhi (Chinese origin), meaning ‘exuberance', was an Emperor of the Qing dynasty from 1644-1661.

Suzong of tang (Chinese origin) means ‘respectful ancestor'. The reign expanded from 21 February, 711 AD-16 May, 762 AD.

Tianqi (Chinese origin), meaning ‘beautiful jade', ruled from 23 December, 1605-30 September, 1627.

Wang mang (Chinese origin), meaning ‘royal', was the founder and the only emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty.

Wu of Han (Chinese origin), meaning ‘the martial emperor of Han', was considered one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history due to his strong leadership and effective governance.

Wu zetian (Chinese origin) means ‘glamorous'. She deposed her sons to become empress.

Yongzheng (Chinese origin), meaning ’harmonious justice', lived from 4 May, 1654-20 December, 1722.

Zhang of Han (Chinese origin) means ‘archer'. He was the third emperor of the Eastern Han. Emperor Zhang was a hardworking emperor.

Fantasy Emperor Names From The Fiction

Ghanima (Arabic origin), meaning ‘spoils of war', is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.

Henry (Germanic origin) means ‘ruler'. Interestingly, when Cinderella's story was adapted for Season seven of 'Once Upon a Time', Cinderella marries a man named Henry.

Jadis the white witch (Hindi origin), meaning ‘magic', is the main antagonist of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' and 'The Magician's Nephew' in C. S. Lewis's series, 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.

Ken ichijouji (Japanese origin) means ‘first temple'. Ken Ichijoji is a fictional character in 'Digimon Adventure 02', a famous cartoon among kids.

Leto Arteides (Latin origin) means ‘hidden'. Leto is the son of Paul Atreides and his Fremen concubine Chani and the twin brother of Ghanima.

Lord Zedd (fictional origin), meaning  ‘god is righteous', is a major villain from the 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' series and recurring through 'Power Rangers Zeo' and 'Power Rangers in Space'.

Princess Irulan (Latin origin), meaning ‘one who brings ruin', is a fictional character and member of House Corrino in the 'Dune' universe created by Frank Herbert.

Rita Replusa (Japanese origin), meaning ‘disgust', is a fictional character from the television series 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers'.

Serpentor (fictional origin), meaning ‘giant cobra who belongs to Cobra Commander', is a fictional character from the 'G.I. Joe: A Real America' comic book, hero toyline, and animated series.

Shaddam (Arabic origin), meaning ‘one who confronts', is a fictional character in the 'Dune' universe created by Frank Herbert.

Other Names For Emperors And The Name That Means Emperors

Abban (Irish origin), meaning ‘little abott', also means Saint.

Adelio (Spanish origin), meaning ‘noble', is the name of the actor who played the role of Shinigami in an anime.

Ahmad shah bahadur (Persian origin) means ’consoler'. He succeeded his father to the throne in 1748, at the age of 22.

Akbar (Arabic origin), meaning ’greatest', is considered one of the most important rulers of the Mughal Empire.

Alamgir I (Arabic origin), meaning ‘conqueror of the world', commonly known by the sobriquet Aurangzeb or by his regnal title Alamgir, was the sixth Mughal emperor. He ruled over almost the entire Indian subcontinent for 49 years.

Aldrich (English origin), meaning ’wise ruler', is also the name of a famous intelligence agent, Aldrich Ames.

Amara (Italian origin), meaning ’immortal', is also used to portray the role of a ninja in the famous anime 'Ninja Hatori'.

Amaterasu (Japanese origin), meaning ‘ruler of the sky', is the title of a Naruto episode.

Ameerah (Arabic origin), meaning ’princess', is a very beautiful Islamic name for girls.

Andromeda ( Greek origin), meaning ‘ruler of men', is a very unique and rare name.

Aram Shah (Persian origin), meaning ‘child of the sun', was the second sultan of the Mamluk dynasty.

Ashoka (Sanskrit origin), meaning ‘without sorrow', also known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty, and son of Bindusara.

Bardick (English origin) means ‘ruler with an ax'.

Brennus (Celtic origin), meaning ‘raven', is also the name of a novel.

Chandragupta Maurya (Greek origin) means ‘protected by the moon'. His reign was from 321-297 BCE.

Conrad (Germany origin) means ‘bold counsel'. It is the name of the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Conrad Sangma.

Cyrus (Persian origin), meaning ’one who bestows care', is also the name of famous American singer, Miley Cyrus.

Donald (Gaelic origin), meaning ‘world-wielder', is also the name of former US President Donald Trump.

Duke (Irish origin) means ‘the leader'. It is the 856th most common surname in the United States.

Enzo (Italian origin), meaning  ‘winner’. The name Enzo is ultra-popular in France, where it holds a position among the top five most favored names for little garçons.

Eric (Scandinavian origin), meaning ‘eternal ruler', is the name of an American author, Eric Carle.

Erick (Germany origin), meaning ‘eternal ruler', is also a name of a famous American rapper, Erick Sermon.

Freidrich (English origin), meaning ‘peaceful ruler', is the name of a philosopher, Freidrich Engels.

Ghatotkach  (Hindi origin), meaning ‘bald pot', played a very important character in the story of 'Mahabharata'.

Hansraj ( Sanskrit origin) means ‘ruler of the hans'.

Harry (English origin), meaning ‘home ruler', is also the name of a famous singer Harry styles.

Juan (Hebrew origin), meaning ‘gift from god', is also the name of a famous Spanish player Juan Mata.

Kaiser (Latin origin), meaning 'king', is an Islamic name.

Kendrick (English origin), meaning ‘wise ruler', is the name of an American rapper, Kendrick Lamar.

Kirill (Russian origin), meaning ‘lived by the people', is also the name of a famous Russian businessman, Kirill Shamalov.

Malik (Arabic origin), meaning ‘lord', is used by rural people to address their landlords.

Maximo (Spanish origin), meaning ‘the greatest', has been in the US Top 1000 for most of the 21st century.

Napoleon III (French origin) was crowned as the ruler in 1852 and remained in power till he died in 1870.

Neil (Irish origin), meaning ‘champion', is also the name of the first person to go on Moon, Neil Armstrong.

Othniel (Hebrew origin) means ‘chief'. It also means Judge in the Bible.

Raja (Sanskrit origin), meaning ‘king', is used very often to call someone as a king.

Rajendra Chola (Sanskrit origin) means ‘lord of the kings'. Rajendra Chola 1 is counted among the great emperors of India, belonging to the Tamil Chola Empire.

Rex (Latin origin), meaning ‘king', is a name of a famous American actor, Rex Linn.

Satish (Hindi origin), meaning ‘ruler of hundreds', is a very common Indian name for males.

Shams ud-din Iltutmish (Persian origin) means ‘sun of the religion'. He was the first Muslim Sovereign to rule from Delhi.

Sultan (Arabic origin), meaning ’ruler', is also used as the title for the Bollywood movie.

Terry (English origin), meaning ’power of the tribe', is the name of an American writer, Terry Brooks.

Vladimir (Slavic origin) means ‘universal ruler'.