What was the traditional name of the Buddha’s father, the Shakya ruler?

The traditional name of the Buddha’s father, the Shakya ruler, was Suddhodana.

Suddhodana appears in Buddhist biographies as the father of Siddhartha Gautama and a leader of the Shakya clan. He is often described as a king, although the historical Shakya polity may have been a small oligarchic republic rather than a large centralized kingdom.

Stories about Suddhodana emphasize his attempts to shield Siddhartha from unpleasant sights and persuade him to remain in palace life. These narratives set up the famous account of Siddhartha encountering old age, sickness, death, and a renunciant.

Suddhodana is distinct from Bimbisara, the king of Magadha who became an important supporter of the Buddha. Buddhist sources use different spellings, including Suddhodana in Sanskrit and Suddhodana in Pali transliteration.