Badass Boy Names

  1. Pilot
    • Origin:

      Occupational name
    • Description:

      One celebrity baby Pilot put this occupational choice into the pool -- together with the middle name Inspektor, something we wouldn't advise following.
  2. Trigger
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "releasing device; to initiate"
    • Description:

      This name might be too, well, triggering.
  3. Banx
    • Origin:

      Variation of Banks, English
    • Meaning:

      "one who lives on the hillside or riverbank"
    • Description:

      Rising star Banks manages to sound both preppy and outdoorsy, both working the land and working in finance. Banx adds another layer of possibility to the name, giving it an edgy, ultra-modern vibe.

      Deriving from English surname, the original Banks spelling refers to rivers and hillsides and more specifically to the people who live and work on them. Used occasionally as a given name since the 19th century, Banks took off in the 2010s, and entered the Top 1000 in 2019.
  4. Grizzly
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "gray"
    • Description:

      Now that Bear is becoming a hot name, can Grizzly be far behind? A handful of baby boys did get this name last year in the US.
  5. Hercules
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "glory of Hera"
    • Description:

      Any boy with this name, a synonym for power via the Greek mythology figure, better be strong of body, and of psyche.
  6. Falcon
    • Origin:

      Bird name
    • Description:

      There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon.
  7. Power
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Power is one of the new crop -- Justice, Liberty, Peace -- of strong, clear-cut, declarative choices, though this one carries more assertiveness than virtue.
  8. Astro
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "star"
    • Description:

      More common as a dog name than a baby name for now, but that hasn't stopped Milo and Rex rising back up the charts! Lovers of edgy o-ending names like Otto, Arlo and Cosmo might like this starry-eyed possibility.
  9. Mufasa
    • Origin:

      African
    • Meaning:

      "king"
    • Description:

      Known for being the name of Simba's father in the Lion King.
  10. Sarge
    • Origin:

      Short form of Sargent, spelling variation of Sergeant, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "to serve"
    • Description:

      Sarge is plausibly one of the new aggressive, militaristic names favored by parents hoping for a bossy son.
  11. Crockett
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "large curl"
    • Description:

      Though Davy Crockett is a childhood hero, a frontiersman, soldier, politician, congressman and prolific storyteller. But be aware that "crock" is American slang for a lot of nonsense or something broken.
  12. Jedi
    • Origin:

      Literary name or short form of Jedidiah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "Beloved by the Lord"
    • Description:

      Star Wars fans may know the lore behind the origin of the word and the concept Jedi well enough to confidently choose their name for their child. It has to do with balancing the forces of the universe.
  13. Dempsey
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "proud, haughty"
    • Description:

      Spunky Irish surname that still has a pugnacious feel from its lingering association with one of boxing's greatest champs, Jack Dempsey. Many people may associate it more with Patrick Dempsey these days—McDreamy from TV's Grey's Anatomy.
  14. Sonic
    • Maui
      • Origin:

        Hawaiian, Polynesian mythology
      • Description:

        The name of the second-biggest (and third-most populous) island in Hawaii was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017. A major factor was surely Dwayne Johnson's character in Moana, the Polynesian demigod named Maui, a mythological trickster who slowed the sun to create the days. (It fell back to normal levels in the following years.)
    • Colonel
      • Description:

        Colonel is an unusual masculine name derived directly from the military rank, which ultimately comes from the Italian word "colonnello," meaning the commander of a column of soldiers. As a given name, Colonel has never been common but occasionally appears in American naming records, particularly in the Southern United States. The name conveys authority, leadership, and a military connection, making it appeal to families with strong military traditions or appreciation for military values. Unlike many title-based names (like Duke or Earl) that have become more accepted as given names, Colonel has remained quite rare. The name carries a formal, commanding presence and might be chosen to honor a family's military heritage or to express aspirations of leadership for a child.
    • Montana
      • Origin:

        Spanish place-name; "mountainous"
      • Meaning:

        "mountainous"
      • Description:

        Relaxed western place-name that still has some masculine punch, but be warned: this whole posse of similarly trendy names, like Sierra and Dakota, will soon ride toward the sunset.
    • Vulcan
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "to flash"
      • Description:

        Vulcan was the Roman god of fire (from which, volcano) and metalworking, but this name is now more familiar as the pointy-eared humanoids on "Star Trek," represented by Mr. Spock.
    • Judge
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Description:

        Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.
    • General
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Meaning:

        "general"
      • Description:

        General as a name sounds more like a military rank than another word for "widespread". You may find your little General ruling the household.

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