Alternatives to "President" in non-US worlds

[Socrates]

In our timeline, the United States chose the modest term "president" for their head of state, emphasising his position of "presiding" over a diverse array of political actors. This term took on a life of its own, as a powerful leader title in republics the world over.

But if the American Revolution was averted, what would other head of states be called as monarchies were overthrown and colonial powers kicked out?

 

[Tonifranz]

Dictator
Leader
Fuehrer
Duce
Consul
Emperor (Yes, Emperor could be Republican Title)
Protector
Lord Protector
Archon
Commander
Commander-in-Chief
Supreme Leader

 

[Tripledot]

First Citizen?

 

[Tonifranz]

First Citizen?

Princeps? Which could morph to "Prince".

 

[Skallagrim]

Consul, Director(-General), Governor-General, Supreme Dignitary, Magister, (High/Supreme) Magistrate, Imperator, Princeps... (Ah, that last one got ninja'd by @Tonifranz, I see!)

 

[Indicus]

In France, Sieyes originally called for the executive to be called “Grand Elector” with “Consuls” acting as cabinet ministers but then Napoleon decided against it. I guess that’s a possibility.

Note that there was already some precedent for “President” as that’s what the Corsican Republic called its executive.

 

[pompejus]

Stadholder
Grand pensionary
Prime-Minister

 

[Young Lochinvar]

I’m fond of the Dutch Stadtholder - Holder of the City, as a potential Republican title. Maybe sideways transliterated into English as Stateholder.

Otherwise without Republican America you’d likely get more Consuls after Rome.

You might also go down the Canadien route of using Premier (or whatever the country in question’s equivalent of First is.

Then there’s the more boring option of just shuffling the title of Prime Minister to the role of President and shuffle the title of Speaker into the role of PM.

 

[Tonifranz]

First Secretary
General Secretary of the (insert ruling party's name) Party of the (insert name of country)
Patrician
Marshal
Lord Chancellor
Chancellor
Lord
Master of the Horse
First Servant of the State

 

[SeaBos]

Consul
Chairman
Leader
Chancellor
Executor
Ijma

 

[Augenis]

In my TL, I had the term "Democrat" turn out as the analogue of the term "President".

 

[ShortsBelfast]

First Minister? Grand Prefect? Grand/First Servitor? Deemster/Doomster? Justiciar? (latter two where the magisterial/judicial role was included) Warduke (where the military role was paramount)? Doge? High Constable?

 

[Lenwe]

Lendakari (lider of the....) (is a euskera word, i doubt it will adopted but..)

Decano or Dean(As the most senior of a diplomatic corps) as the president is in charge of the nation diplomacy, and come from Latina Leader of the Ten

Rector or in Latin Rector Magnificus or Rectrix Magnifica(female)

maybe another education title as the universities where the most clear and readily example of a democratic self-regulating government body

 

[Alexander Hamilton]

First Guardian. The other "cabinet ministers" could be Guardians.

 

[JorgeGG]

Ijma??

I would add

President-General
Protector
(Supreme) Guider
(Supreme) Exarch
Autocrat (as a replacement for Dictator)
Corrector
Proconsul (instead of Governor or Governor-General)
(Supreme, High or Chief) Administrator
Capitano del popolo (an old Middle Age title used in Italy)
Podesta
Posadnik
Supreme Commissioner

 

[Nivek]

President is a roman term, so could exist even in a US-less world

 

[Gonzaga]

Director? Dictator? Regent?

 

[Heliogabalus]

President is a roman term, so could exist even in a US-less world

Historically, it's been used as the leader of a legislature or another small group (ex. President of the Continental Congress, president of a club) in the sense of "presiding" over meetings. Someone brought up Corsica as an example, but there was never a President of Corsica, but rather a President of the Executive Council of the General Diet of the People of Corsica. The US was the first to apply it to a head of state; IIRC, they based it in part on the title of a university president.

 

[Jan Olbracht]

I'd preffer consul or chancellor.

 

[Theodoric]

Personally I'm fond of Chairman (of a National Council or something), but that might be a bit too close to president.

I’m fond of the Dutch Stadtholder - Holder of the City, as a potential Republican title. Maybe sideways transliterated into English as Stateholder.

Steadholder is the most accurate translation, and Steward is nearly identical etymologically, ie. someone who has dominion over a title in stead of (in place of) the true holder (owner). It doesn't have much to do with cities, it's more of a viceroy-ish situation.