Athletic Baby Names
Updated Mon Sep 25 2023
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If you're a sports fan, you may find baby name inspiration while watching a football game or a tennis match. Athletic baby names might be the right style for youl
While the legendary stars of sports history usually had regular guy names like Joe and Jimmy and Michael and Mickey (not to mention Billie Jean), some of the newer luminaries, as well as the surnames of classic athletes, offer options for baby names that go beyond the perimeters of that limited playing field. Names such as Beckham and Iker in particular have really taken off.
Along with Beckham and Iker, other athletic baby names in the US Top 500 include Brady, Colt, Gabriella, Jesse, Kyrie, Mia, Palmer, and Serena. Rare names with strong ties to illustrious athletes include Gehrig, Magic, Usain, and Wilt.
An athletic baby name may not imbue your child with sports skills, but it can give him or her a hero to look up to. If you love sports, consider using an athletic baby name as a first or middle name for your child. Browse our favorite options below, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Adalius
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"noble"
- Agassi
Origin:
Iranian-Armenian surname
- Ahman
Origin:
American, possible variant of Arabic AhmedMeaning:
"commendable, praiseworthy"
- Alcott
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller at the old cottage"
- Ali
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"supreme, exalted"
- Althea
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"with healing power"
- Amare
Origin:
AfricanMeaning:
"handsome"
- Apolo
- Arjan
Origin:
Dutch, variation of HadrianMeaning:
"from Hadria"
- Armstrong
Origin:
English and Scottish surnameMeaning:
"strong arms"
- Arroyo
Origin:
Spanish surname and nature name
- Asante
Origin:
Ashanti, Akan, TwiMeaning:
"African ethnic group; warlike"
- Ashe
Origin:
English surname; diminutive of Ashley, Ashton, etc
- Austin
Origin:
English, shortened form of Augustine, LatinMeaning:
"great, magnificent"
- Becker
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"baker"
- Beckham
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"homestead by the stream"
- Bjorn
Origin:
SwedishMeaning:
"bear"
- Bo
Origin:
Norse nicknameMeaning:
"to live"
- Bode
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"order, command"
- Boris
Origin:
SlavicMeaning:
"to fight"
- Bradman
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"at the wide river"
- Brady
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"broad meadow or large-chested"
- Branch
Origin:
Word name
- Brett
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"from Brittany"
- Bronson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of brown-haired one"
- Brooks
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"of the brook"
- Cal
Origin:
Diminutive of Calvin
- Cam
Origin:
Diminutive of Cameron, ScottishMeaning:
"crooked nose"
- Carew
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"fort near a slope"
- Carmelo
Origin:
Spanish and Italian from HebrewMeaning:
"garden"
- Clemens
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"merciful and gentle"
- Clemente
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese, ItalianMeaning:
"mild, merciful"
- Coe
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"jackdaw"
- Colt
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"young horse"
- Cooper
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"barrel maker"
- Corbett
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"raven"
- Cristiano
Origin:
Italian and Portuguese variation of Christian
- Curry
Origin:
Word name; surname from Ó Comhraidhe
- Darko
Origin:
SlavicMeaning:
"gift"
- Deion
Origin:
Modern invented name
- Deltha
Origin:
American, modern invention
- Dempsey
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"proud, haughty"
- Dexter
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dyer, right-handed"
- Dmitri
Origin:
Russian from Greek Demetrius
- Dublin
Origin:
Irish place-name
- Durant
Origin:
English and French from LatinMeaning:
"enduring"
- Early
Origin:
Word name
- Emmett
Origin:
English; HebrewMeaning:
"truth; universal"
- Ernie
Origin:
Variation of Ernest, English from GermanMeaning:
"serious, resolute"
- Evander
Origin:
Scottish; GreekMeaning:
"bow warrior; strong man"
- Evert
Origin:
English, variation of Everett, from German EberhardMeaning:
"brave boar"
- Evonne
Origin:
French variation of Yvonne
- Ewing
Origin:
English from GreekMeaning:
"noble, well-born"
- Faldo
Origin:
French, EnglishMeaning:
"lamp lighter"
- Finch
Origin:
English word and nature nameMeaning:
"to swindle"
- Fisk
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fisherman"
- Fletcher
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"arrow-maker"
- Floyd
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"gray-haired"
- Frazier
Origin:
Variation of FraserMeaning:
"strawberry"
- Gabriella
Origin:
Italian feminine variation of GabrielMeaning:
"God is my strength"
- Gaines
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"trickery"
- Garfield
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"triangular field"
- Garvey
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"rough peace"
- Gehrig
Origin:
German surname
- Geraint
Origin:
Celtic, meaning unknown
- Giles
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"young goat"
- Griffey
Origin:
Irish surname
- Hank
Origin:
Diminutive of Henry, GermanMeaning:
"estate ruler"
- Hogan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"youth"
- Hunter
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who hunts"
- Ichiro
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"firstborn son"
- Iker
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"visitation"
- Isiah
Origin:
Variation of Isaiah
- Ivan
Origin:
Russian variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- Jackson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Jack"
- Jalen
Origin:
Modern invented name
- Jesse
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift"
- Jeter
Origin:
French or German surname
- Jordan
Origin:
English from HebrewMeaning:
"flowing down"
- Joss
Origin:
English, diminutive of Jocelyn
- Kareem
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"noble, generous"
- Katarina
Origin:
Slovak variation of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"
- Kawhi
Origin:
Invented name; spelling variation of Kauai
- Kenyon
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"white haired or blond"
- Kikkan
Origin:
American invented name
- Kirby
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"church settlement"
- Knute
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"knot"
- Kobe
Origin:
SwahiliMeaning:
"tortoise"
- Kyrie
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"Lord"
- Landry
Origin:
French and EnglishMeaning:
"ruler"
- Laver
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"to wash"
- Lebron
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"brown-haired one"
- Lennox
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"elm grove"
- Lito
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"light"
- Lleyton
Origin:
Variation of Leighton, EnglishMeaning:
"meadow settlement"
- London
Origin:
Place-name
- Luther
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"army people"
- Magic
Origin:
Word name
- Malone
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"a devotee of Saint John"
- Manning
Origin:
Irish surnameMeaning:
"monk"
- Marino
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the sea"
- Maris
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the sea"
- Marquis
Origin:
English rank of nobleman between duke and count
- Martina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"warlike"
- Mcenroe
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"hound of the promontory"
- Melky
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"his kingdom, his counselor"
- Mia
Origin:
Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of MariaMeaning:
"mine or bitter"
- Ming
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"shining bright"
- Montana
Origin:
Spanish place-name; "mountainous"Meaning:
"mountainous"
- Moss
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"descendant of Moses"
- Neville
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"new town"
- Nolan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"champion"
- Orlando
Origin:
Italian variation of RolandMeaning:
"famous throughout the land"
- Palmer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who holds a palm"
- Payton
Origin:
Variation of Patton or Peyton, EnglishMeaning:
"fighting man's estate"
- Peerless
Origin:
Word name
- Pelé
Origin:
Athlete name
- Peyton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fighting-man's estate"
- Picabo
Origin:
Native AmericanMeaning:
"silver creek"
- Plaxico
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"peaceful"
- Priest
Origin:
Occupational name
- Reese
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"ardor"
- Rigby
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"ridge farm"
- Rio
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"river"
- Rory
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"red king"
- Ruth
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"compassionate friend"
- Ryne
Origin:
Variation of Ryan, IrishMeaning:
"little king"
- Sabo
Origin:
American spelling of Hungarian SzaboMeaning:
"a tailor"
- Sebastian
Origin:
Latin from GreekMeaning:
"person from ancient city of Sebastia"
- Serena
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"tranquil, serene"
- Shaquille
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"well developed, handsome"
- Tai
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"great extreme"
- Takeo
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"strong as bamboo"
- Thierry
Origin:
French variation of TheodoricMeaning:
"ruler of the people"
- Thorpe
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"farm, village"
- Thurman
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"defended by Thor"
- Tiger
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"animal name"
- Troy
Origin:
Greek, FrenchMeaning:
"of Troyes"
- Tyson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"firebrand"
- Usain
Origin:
Arabic, possible variation of HusseinMeaning:
"beautiful"
- Ventura
Origin:
Spanish "good fortune"Meaning:
"good fortune"
- Venus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"love, desire"
- Vida
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"life"
- Vijay
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"conquering"
- Von
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"hope"
- West
Origin:
Word name
- Wilt
Origin:
Diminutive of Wilton, EnglishMeaning:
"place by a stream"
- Woods
Origin:
Nature name
- Zelmo
Origin:
Athlete name