Names That Mean Rock
Across 3 pages
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About this list
The names
Peter
Greek
"rock, stone"
Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah,…
Callan
Gaelic
"descendent of Cathalan; descendent of the battle ruler"
This anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cathaláin links back to the Irish given name, Cathal. Similar to Callum, Caleb, and Calvin, it might feel more usable outside of Ireland and Scotland than…
Alaina
Variation of Alana or Elena
"little rock, child; shining torch"
Alaina, part Alana and part Elena and maybe also a little bit Elaine, is one of the many feminine forms of Alan (or its French form Alain) that have grown in popularity over recent decades,…
Harlow
English surname
"rock hill or army hill"
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had…
Lana
English diminutive of Alana
"rock or handsome"
Popularized in the 1940s by Lana (born Judy) Turner, today Lana is synonymous with American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Although it has been rising steadily since the early 2000s, Lana still sits…
Callen
Gaelic
"rock"
Callen is a unisex Gaelic name growing in popularity here. Its newfound trendiness is possibly related to the Chris O'Donnell character on "NCIS: Los Angeles", known only as G. Callen. Jazz musician…
Rocky
English, Italian
"rock; rest; rook"
A popular choice back in the 50s and 70s, Rocky fell into decline after Sylvester Stallone's battered but not beaten boxer character became the overwhelming association many had with the name. Now,…
Seneca
Latin surname and Native American
"people of the standing rock"
Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.
Rock
Word name or diminutive of Rocco
"rock or rest"
Rock definitely has a macho image, if a somewhat caricatured one, ala The Rock. But with the rise of word names and also of tough guy names, Rock feels more plausible than it did a generation ago.
Rochelle
French
"little rock"
While Rochelle may sound like a twist on Rachel, it has a different origin entirely. Rather than having Biblical and Hebrew ties, it comes from the name of a city on the west coast of France, La…
Ferris
Irish, English
"strong man or ironworker"
It's been four decades decades since Ferris Bueller took his famous day off in the cult classic 1986 teen comedy movie, but we think the time for this name could and should be now! Especially with…
Pete
Diminutive of Peter
"rock"
Sixties-style short form that sounds cool again -- though the unscrupulous Pete on "Mad Men" is not a character to emulate.
Tyrus
Latin, Phonecian
"city of Tyre; rock"
The full name of baseball great Ty Cobb and now the name of a popular board game, this name gained popularity due to its fashionable sounds – a combination of Tyrone and Cyrus. But it is also found…
Piero
Italian, variation of Peter
"rock"
Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.
Piers
Greek
"rock"
Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to…
Sela
Hebrew
"rock"
Sela is a Biblical place name, the original term for the city of Petra, which is finding new life through actress Sela Ward, star of several TV series. The young daughter of singer Lauryn Hill is…
Havard
Norwegian
"protector"
An unusual yet accessible Scandinavian choice, though it might be confused with Harvard.
Pedra
Spanish
"rock"
Pedra has never caught on with anything like the popularity of its male counterpart, Pedro. The Greek Petra sounds a lot cleaner and more refined.
Pierrette
Feminine form of Pierre, French version of Peter
"rock"
Pierrette is the French feminine form of Peter or Pierre, an antiquated if charming feminization in the style of Albertine.
Rockwell
English
"rock spring"
This would be an intriguing choice for an illustrator's child, thanks to Norman Rockwell and Rockwell Kent. But most babies called Rockwell today are named after Porter Rockwell, a companion of…

