Tag Archives: Ruler

Emmerich

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: German
Meaning: “industrious ruler or universal ruler.”
(EH-meh-RIKH)

This ancient Germanic name is composed of the elements ermen or amal (its debated) and ric which means ruler and is a common component in many ancient Germanic names. If the first element is from ermen then it would mean “whole; universal” + ric. If it is derived from amal then it would mean “labour; work; industry” + ric. In Germany, its designated name-day is September 2nd. The names Amerigo and America are distant relatives and cognates include the Hungarian Imre, the Swedish/Norwegian Emerik and the French Émeric.

Update: As of 2009, Émeric was the 476th most popular male name in France. While its Hungarian form of Imre was the 70th most popular male name in Hungary.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Imrich (Czech/Slovak)
  • Emmerik (Dutch)
  • Emerico (Italian/Spanish)
  • Emeryk (Polish)
  • Américo (Portuguese)
  • Emeric (Romanian)
  • Emérico (Spanish)

America shares the same etymology.

Richlinde

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: German
Meaning: “ruler; soft, gentle: hence possibly meaning “gentle ruler.”

The name is composed of the Germanic elements, rich meaning, “ruler” and lind meaning “soft; tender; gentle.”

The name is considered hopelessly old fashioned in German speaking countries, but it may be appealing to the Anglo-phone parent looking for a name that has a” trendy-surname” appeal, especially if its pronounced the English way, (RICH-lind). In German, it is pronounced (ricH-lin-de), the CH is more of a gutteral H sound and the final E is pronounced.

Other forms are Richlind and Richlindis.

In Germany, its designated name-day is December 26.

Berthold, Bertil, Bertille

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Origin: French
Meaning: “bright ruler.”
(bare-TEEL); (bare-TEEY)

Bertil is an old French form of Berthold which is of Germanic origins and is composed of the elements beraht meaning “bright” and wald meaning “ruler.” The French feminine form is Bertille and was borne by two early medieval French saints. Bertille’s designated name-day in France is November 6.

Bertil is also used in Scandinavia. Other forms of the name include:

  • Berthoald (Ancient Germanic)
  • Bertaud (French)
  • Bertoldo (Italian)
  • Bertholdus (Late Latin)
  • Bertoldas (Lithuanian)
  • Bertold (Polish/English/Czech)
  • Bertol’d (Russian/Ukrainian)

Other feminine forms:

  • Bertola/Bertolda (Italian)
  • Bertilla (Italian/Romansch)

Dieter, Dietrich, Derek, Dirk, Till

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: German

      Both Dietrich and Dieter are similar in sound, but slightly different etymologically, now considered dated in their home country of Germany, as well as in Austria and Switzerland, Dieter (DEE-ter) is derived from the Old Germanic elements theud meaning “people” and hari meaning “army.” While Dietrich (DEET-reekh) is a derivative of the ancient Germanic Theodoric, which is derived from the elements theud, (again, meaning people), and ric meaning, “power; ruler.”

      Derek is a low Germanic form of Dietrich. Derek became quite prevalent in the United States circa the late 1960s, he currently comes in at #159.

      Dirk is also an offshoot, being a Dutch diminutive form. This particular form was introduced into the English speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde, (1921-1999). In the United States, Dirk is not as popular as Derek. The last he was seen was back in 1989 coming in at #993.

      Then there is the simpler version of Till, which is currently very popular in Germany and other Germanic countries, it is an off shoot of the old Low German name, Tielo, which is a variation of Diede, a diminutive form of Diederich. The name was borne by a 7th-century Saxon saint, who was kidnapped and taken hostage Saxony, after his release, he became a Benedictine monk.

      The popular French male name, Thierry, is also a distant relation of Diedrich. The name was borne in the early middle ages by Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, who eventually became King of Italy. In Germany, Dieter and Dietrich’s designated name days are September 7th.

      Other forms of the name include:

      • Theoderich (Ancient Germanic)
      • Diede (Dutch: initially a diminutive form, used as an independent given name; DEE-de)
      • Diederick/Diederik (Dutch)
      • Thierry (French)
      • Thiadrick (Frisian: older form)
      • Tiede (Frisian: TEE-de)
      • Tiark/Tjark/Tjerk (Frisian: TYARK/TYERK)
      • Diederich (German: archaic and obscure)
      • Dierk (German)
      • Dietreich (German: obscure)
      • Dirich (German: Northern dialectical form, archaic)
      • Till/Til (German: modern form of Tielo, the name is currently very trendy in German speaking countries)
      • Tillo (German)
      • Detrik (Hungarian)
      • Theodoricus/Theudoricus (Latin)
      • Ditericus (Latin)
      • Dieterik (Low Saxon)
      • Tielo (Low Saxon)
      • Didrik (Swedish)
      • Tudor/Tudur (Welsh)

      Some Germanic diminutive forms are: Dietz, Dedo/Deddo, Derk, Diedo, Didi and Diet.

      Feminine versions are:

      • Dietke (Dutch: DEET-ke)
      • Tiada/Tjada/Tjadina (Frisian)
      • Tjalda/Tialda (Frisian)
      • Dieta/Dita/Didda (German)
      • Dietra (German: obscure)
      • Tilina (German)
      • Tilla (German: also used as a contraction for Otilia and Matilda).