3rd Dynasty rulers (Memphite):
SANAKHTE / NEDKA - Sa-na-khte ‘Strong Protection’. He was the first king of the 3rd dynasty and could be the brother of Djoser. He took part in explorations to Sinai to gather minerals. 

DJOSER / ZOZER – Netjeri-khet ‘Divine of the Body’. His rule extended to Aswan in the south. His Horus name, Netjeri-khet, is present on all monuments as well as on the walls of the Step Pyramid. He is well known for building the Step Pyramid. He was considered a god because he moved the capital of Egypt to Memphis and only a god could have the power to do this. He was the king of Egypt during the 3rd dynasty. 

SEKHEMKHET – S-ekhem-khet ‘Powerful in Body’. He succeeded Djoser and even had a pyramid in the Saqqara complex. Unfortunately, the pyramid was incomplete.

KHABA – Kha-ba ‘The Soul Appears’. He built the Layer Pyramid present 1 mile south of Giza. It was designed like the Step Pyramid but does not seem to have ever been used. 

HUNI – Huni ‘The Smiter’. He was the last king of the 3rd dynasty and he built his pyramid, the ‘True Pyramid’ at Meydum.  

4th Dynasty rulers:
SNEFERU / SNOFRU / SORIS - Snefru ‘He of Beauty’. He founded the 4th dynasty and possibly became king because he married Hetep-heres, Huni’s daughter. Snefru went on expeditions to Lebanon to get cedar wood and to Sinai to fetch turquoise. His pyramids are built in Dahshur.  The Bent Pyramid (called this because of its shape) in the south, and the ‘Red’ Pyramid (called this because the stone looks red when the sun sets) in the north, were built for him.

CHEOPS / KHEOPS / SUPHIS – Khufu ‘Protected by Khnum’. He was the son of Snefru and took after his father in the many expeditions he took to Sinai. He built one of Egypt’s grandest monuments, the Great Pyramid, which stands in Giza.          

DJEDEFRA / REDJEDEF / RADJEDEF – Djedef-re ‘Enduring like Ra’. He was the son of Khufu and was the first pharaoh to have the name ‘son of Ra’. His pyramid is present at Abu Roash. 

KHAFRA / RAKHAEF / CHEPHREN / KHEPHREN / SUPHIS II – Kha-f-re ‘Appearing like Ra’. He was also Khufu’s son and he built the second Giza pyramid as well the mighty Sphinx which stands directly in front of his pyramid. 

MENKAURA / MYCERINUS / MYKERINUS / MENCHERES – Men-kau-re ‘Eternal like the souls of Ra’. He is the son of Khafre and is the builder of the third and smallest of the Giza pyramids. 

SHEPSESKAF – Shepses-ka-f ‘His soul is Noble’. He is the son of Menkaure and was the last ruler of the 4th dynasty. His monument, the Pharaoh’s Bench, is present in Saqqara.  

5th Dynasty rulers (The ‘Sun Kings’):
USERKAF / WESERKAF – User-ka-f ‘His Soul is Powerful’. He was the first ruler of the 5th dynasty and he married Menkaure’s daughter. He built his pyramid in Saqqara and he also built, at Abu-Gurob, the first of five sun-temples where the benben stone stood. 

SAHURE – Sahu-re ‘He who is Close to Ra’. His ‘mound’ and mortuary temple was built further to the south.

NEFERIRKARE / KAKAI – Nefer-ir-ka-re ‘Beautiful is the Soul of Ra’. He became famous as he was the pharaoh who brought in the use of the second cartouche. His mortuary temple was present at Abusir. 

DJEDKARE / ISESI – Djed-ka-re ‘The soul of Ra Endureth’. His pyramid and mortuary temple were built at Saqqara on the edge of the plateau. 

WENIS / UNIS – Unas. He was the last pharaoh of the 5th dynasty and his pyramid is present in Saqqara.  

6th Dynasty rulers:
TETI – Seheteptawy ‘He who pacifies the Two Lands’.  He was the first ruler of the 6th dynasty and he married Unas’ daughter and so he could hold the throne. He traded a lot with Byblos and Nubia. 

PEPI / PEPI I / PIOPI I / PHIOPS – Mery-re ‘Beloved of Ra’. He was the son of Teti.  His pyramid was located at Saqqara and it was called Mn-nfr (Pepi is established and good). 

PEPI II / PEPI – Nefer-ka-re ‘Beautiful is the Soul of Ra’. He was the pharaoh who ruled the longest in Egyptian history and his pyramid is found in Saqqara.