155+ Names That Mean Trouble

Draco

Greek from Latin

"dragon"

For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.

Draven

Modern invented name

Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows , this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since…

Asani

Swahili

"rebellious"

Asani is a traditionally masculine Swahili name, although it is used for both boys and girls in the US. Its rebellious meaning makes it perfect for a maverick child.

Ryle

English surname

"rye hill; roe deer hill"

Ryle, rhymes with Kyle, was used by author Colleen Hoover for the neurosurgeon hero of her bestselling novel, It Ends With Us. Twenty-nine baby boys were named Ryle in the US in 2023, with many more…

Ulysses

Latin variation of Odysseus, Greek

"wrathful"

Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey , the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which…

Buz

Hebrew

"contempt"

A name used in the Old Testament, as well as a variation of Buzz.

Buster

Modern nickname

An old-fashioned nickname in the Bud/Buzz/Biff mold; this one's kind of belligerent. Michelle Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller moved outside the box when they used it for their son--given the safer middle…

Arson

Word name

"deliberately setting fire to property"

Sure, Arson is a crime, but anecdotally, many of the parents who choose this name do so because Arson = "our son."

Brutus

Latin

"heavy, dull"

Brutus is the quintessential brute--far too close to the word brutal. And any child with this name would spend much of his life hearing "Et tu." Originally an old Roman family name, borne by Marcus…