Names That Mean Fortress

  1. Darcy
    • Origin:

      Irish, French
    • Meaning:

      "dark one; from Arcy; from the fortress"
    • Description:

      A favorite in England and Wales, Darcy is a unisex option with delicacy, grace, and strength. Associated with classic literary and courtesy thanks to Jane Austen's hero, Mr. Darcy, and Bridget Jones's Mark Darcy, its image was partly transformed by English ballerina Darcey Bussell, who helped popularize it for girls.
  2. Merlin
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "sea fortress"
    • Description:

      This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin Olsen, whose father was named Merle.
  3. Darcie
    • Origin:

      Variation of Darcy, Irish or French
    • Meaning:

      "dark one; from Arcy; from the fortress"
    • Description:

      While the traditional Darcy spelling is solidly gender-neutral, the -ie ending of Darcie gives this name unabashedly feminine flair. Darcie is a Top 100 choice in England and Scotland, and briefly ranked in the US from 1967-1977, along with 1980 and 1984.
  4. Burke
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "from the fortress"
    • Description:

      Simple, usable surname choice.
  5. Ebba
    • Origin:

      Feminization of Ebbe, Swedish and Danish, or variation of Old English Æbbe
    • Meaning:

      "bear god; brave boar"
    • Description:

      Ebba, the feminine version of Ebbe (a diminutive of Eberhard or Asbjorn) and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of Emma, Ella, Ada, and similar simple-yet-traditional names, Ebba may enjoy more widespread popularity.
  6. Roxbury
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "rook's town or fortress"
    • Description:

      The x gives it some modern cool, but the bury part buries it.
  7. Villard
    • Origin:

      French from German
    • Meaning:

      "battle fortress"
    • Description:

      Creative surname choice, associated with the great French postimpressionist Edouard Villard.
  8. Rugby
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "rook fortress"
    • Description:

      Rough and sporty, but too specific.
  9. Caerwyn
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "white fortress"
    • Description:

      Traditional though not overly popular Welsh option, which may have something of a fantasy vibe elsewhere in the world.
  10. Rochester
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "stone camp or fortress"
    • Description:

      Rochester was Jack Benny's famous valet and sidekick, played by early African-American comic Eddie Anderson.