Names with Military Meanings

Difficult name familiar here mainly via D. H. Lawrence's Women in Love.

Gudrun

This popular old <a href="https://nameberry.com//baby-names/190/swedish-names">Swedish name</a> is not one that would appeal to many modern American parents, though shortening it to Nilla helps.

Gunilla

Baby-naming rule #984: forget any name that contains the syllable wig. 

Hartwig

Wheezy short form of lovely name, featured in the movie "Steel Magnolias", spelled as Ouiser. Similar, literary Ouida is less breathy, while Lou, Lulu, Lula, Lissy or Whizz might appeal instead.

Ouisa

Marcheline was the first name of Angelina Jolie's late mother, who was part French-Canadian, which Jolie and Brad Pitt used as the middle name for their twin daughter Vivienne. The name is related to the Latin Marcellus and Marcus, which come from Mars, the name of the God of War, and is often spelled Marceline. Jolie's mother's birth name was Marcia Lynne.


Marcheline

Odette's evil Swan Lake twin -- gives the name a sinuous, sensuous appeal. It was a popular choice in France in the 20th century and made the Top 40 back in 1952, however, it has since fallen out of favor.

Odile

Curiously appealing, in a hoop-skirted, wasp-waisted way, Ottoline has recently entered the realm of modern possibility, especially since Sienna Miller chose it as the middle name of her daughter Marlowe.
 Lady Ottoline Morrell was an influential British aristocrat who was a force in the artistic and literary community of her day, patron of such figures as T. S. Eliot and Aldous Huxley.
 The Franco-German Ottolie is an equally intriguing option.

Ottoline

Shamara

An ancient name belonging to "the most beautiful of all women" in Germanic mythology, whose tragic story features in many northern European legends. The daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun, her jealous husband had her murdered after she was accused of infidelity, and was then himself killed by Swanhild's brothers.

 On a less heavy note, the name also features repeatedly in German, Austrian and Scandinavian royal lines. And it appears in several works of art and literature as well, including the ballet Coppélia, Henrik Ibsen's play Love's Comedy, and the opera Hulda.

 Swanhild feels rather unwieldy for a modern girl, but potential short form Swan feels right on trend.

Swanhild

This charming name, popular in France and the Netherlands, has not traveled to the U.S. yet but would make a modern way to honor grandma Mary or Louise, or as a perfect short form of Mary Louise. Or, with the growing fashion for nickname names, it can stand perfect well on its own. One of several similar variations &mdash; Lou, Lilou, Louane &mdash; in vogue in Europe.

Malou

Levent is a common name in Turkey, derived from Ottoman Turkish levend — a soldier in the Ottoman navy. The name also has connections to the Venetian navy in renaissance times.

Levent

Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and writer. Cute nickname: Ludo.

Ludovic

Rhythmic name sometimes associated with calypso singer King Ajamu. 

Ajamu

Aloisia

Last-name-first-name with a romantic but dangerous edge. 

Berenger

This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald. 

Donahue

A name with two strong literary associations, one overwhelmingly negative -- Lolita's pedophilic narrator Humbert Humbert -- and one positive, in the preferable European version: Italian author Umberto Eco.

Humbert

Seventies comic-book-heroine-style name. 

Valda

This Dutch name derives from the old Germanic name, Farahild. It is quite common in the Netherlands.

Veerle

Military ranks and weapons have become cool new baby names. We've got military names that reference people general or particular, real and mythical, from Sergeant to MacArthur to Mars.

This list also includes word names associated with 

, such as Arrow and Rocket. We've included 

as well as names meaning warrior, fighter, or soldier.

, we also include some that work for girls or that are gender neutral.

If you're in the military or want to honor the armed forces with your child's name, browse these military baby names.

Names with Military Meanings with origins and popularity, for boys and for girls, including top names meaning military and unique names with military meanings. (Page 9)