Rocker and Rapper Baby Names
Updated Tue Feb 13 2024
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If you call yourself Ludacris or Slash or Flea, chances are you're not gonna name your kid Matthew or Martha or Mike. In fact, rock-and-roll and hip-hop musicians are probably the most imaginative (or outrageous, depending on your point of view) baby namers around, honoring their musical heroes (Thelonious, Lennon, Hendrix), using words as names (Million, Dream, Zeppelin), or just letting their fantasies fly.
Along with Hendrix and Dream, other rocker and rapper baby names in the US Top 1000 include Ace, Cash, Everly, Halo, Heaven, Onyx, Roman, and Seven. Some of the most creative choices connected to recent starbabies include Ice, Marvel, Heiress, and Devereaux.
Like many celebrity baby names, the names of Rockstar children are truly imaginative, although there are some more mainstream choices sprinkled about. Here's our collection of rockstar and rapper baby names, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Henry
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a strong, traditional name that also manages to feel stylish and gentle.
- Noah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"rest, repose"Description:
Noah is nearly a patriarch of popular baby names at this point, going from Old Testament graybeard to Top 10 name in 2009, hitting Number 1 in 2013, and now settled into second place in the US for the past eight years.
- Oliver
Origin:
Germanic, LatinMeaning:
"elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"Description:
Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness.
- Sebastian
Origin:
Latin from GreekMeaning:
"person from ancient city of Sebastia"Description:
Sebastian is an ancient martyr's name turned literary, and Little Mermaid hero—think Sebastian the Crab—that's more popular than ever, as a classic-yet-unconventional compatriot for fellow British favorites T Theodore and Oliver.
- Sienna
Origin:
Italian color nameMeaning:
"orange red"Description:
Sienna has been a Top 100 choice in England & Wales since 2005, the year after Sienna Miller's acting breakthrough in the hit movies Alfie and Layer Cake. In the US, it also got a big boost in the early noughties, before dropping slightly then rebounding to reach an all-time high in 2022.
- Max
Origin:
English and German diminutive of Maximilian or MaxwellMeaning:
"greatest"Description:
Max was derived from Maximilian, a Latin name that originated from the Roman family name Maximus. The character name Max in the children's classic Where the Wild Things Are had an impact on baby namers. Max is a widely used name internationally.
- Zachary
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"the Lord has remembered"Description:
Zachary, a Top 20 name throughout the 90s, is now sliding down the rankings though it remains in the Top 200. With its ancient roots and modern feel, it's easy to understand why Zachary has been such a longtime winner.
- Roman
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"citizen of Rome"Description:
Roman is an ancient name trending in a major way. A surprise hit name of recent years, Roman now ranks in the Top 100 not only in the US but throughout the English-speaking world, and is rising in other European countries as well.
- Elijah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"Yahweh is God"Description:
The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire, a story sure to inspire any young Elijah.
- Hallie
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller at the meadow by the manor"Description:
Hallie -- it rhymes with alley and is not to be confused with Halle or Hailey or Holly -- is one of those comfy nicknamish names that are in favor in these complicated times.
- Colette
Origin:
French, short form of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, GreekMeaning:
"people of victory"Description:
Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name that is being rediscovered. After disappearing for nearly 30 years, Colette rejoined the Top 1000 in 2012 at Number 659 and has continued to rise since then.
- Cassius
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"hollow"Description:
Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are enjoying a new moiment in the sun.
- Jonah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"dove"Description:
Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif.
- Sloane
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"raider"Description:
Sloane is a sleek, sophisticated surname name that has gradually morphed over to the girls' side. With its distinctive and intriguing sound, Sloane has been in the US Top 1000 since 2009, and in 2022, it made its first appearance in the UK charts, jumping more than 400 places in a single year.
- Phoenix
Origin:
Arizona place-name and GreekMeaning:
"dark red"Description:
Effortlessly cool with a hint of the mystical, Phoenix rolls a lot of trends into one: it's a place-name and a bird name, it ends in the stylish letter x, it's got in-built nicknames, and it's unisex too. Familiar but not over-popular, Phoenix ranks in the US and UK Top 1000s.
- Scarlett
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"scarlet, red"Description:
Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most popular girls' names starting with S, right after longtime favorites Sophia and Sofia.
- Tallulah
Origin:
Choctaw, IrishMeaning:
"leaping water, lady of abundance"Description:
This hauntingly euphonious Choctaw name has re-entered the public domain, as memories of the outrageous actress Tallulah Bankhead have faded. For years, Tallulah was a name associated only with Bankhead, named for her paternal grandmother who was named after the Georgia town of Tallulah Falls.
- Saffron
Origin:
Spice nameMeaning:
"orange-yellow color; a type of crocus"Description:
Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel.
- Harper
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"harp player"Description:
You might think of Harper as the hottest name of the last decade, jumping from obscurity to the Top 10, where it remained until last year.
- Rumi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"Description:
Rumi is a Japanese girl name, with a sweet yet substantial sound. Reminiscent of other popular choices in the West — think Ruby, Remy, and Romy — it is currently achieving more notice thanks to Beyonce and Jay-Z, who chose it for one of their daughters.