Names That Mean Hunter

Theron is best known these days as the surname of actress Charlize, but it does have a long history as a first name, ranking in the Top 500 in the early part of the 20th century and only dropping out of the Top 1000 in the early 1990s. Theon is a similar name made familiar by the popular series Game of Thrones: Might it and Theron rise in tandem?

Name bestowed on Choctaw men after a hunting achievement.

Huntley was best known as Brinkley's news partner several decades ago. With the new genre of girls' names that are unusual surnames ending with the lee sound -- think Mosley, Yardley -- Huntley or Huntlea or Huntleigh might rise for girls.

In Greek mythology, Zagreus was a god of the underworld and the son of Persephone and either Hades or Zeus. The word zagreus refers to a hunter who catches (and dismembers) live animals — the mythical Zagreus is often considered the "first Dionysius," as Dionysius was dismembered as an infant.

A softer take on Hunter. Huntley is evenly distributed between girls and boys, coming in at 47% female and 53% male at last count.

Once strictly a surname--Chasen's was an old Hollywood hangout--it's now catching on as a first name, both as an elaboration of the popular CHASE, and in following the pattern of popular two-syllable boys' names.

A name that originated in Rwanda, rhythmically evocative.

Huntley is among the most evenly-split gender-neutral names, while Huntleigh is virtually all girl. Huntleigh is actually more common than the original.