Athletic Baby Names
Updated Mon Sep 25 2023
Share
Copy link
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.
RELATED:
- 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.
- Mia
Origin:
Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of MariaMeaning:
"mine or bitter"Description:
Mia is an appealingly unfussy multicultural name that has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the charts and is now firmly among the ten top girl names. Mia has surpassed its mother name Maria as the Number 1 girls' name starting with M.
- Rory
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"red king"Description:
This spirited Gaelic classic, which became popular in Ireland via the illustrious twelfth century king Rory O'Connor, makes a highly energetic choice, now used for either sex. Rory's gender split is still trending boyward; it's one of the coolest boys' names starting with R.
- Nolan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"champion"Description:
The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.
- Evander
Origin:
Scottish; GreekMeaning:
"bow warrior; strong man"Description:
Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander.
- Brooks
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"of the brook"Description:
A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image.
- Cooper
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"barrel maker"Description:
The genial yet upscale and preppy Cooper was one of the first occupational last names to catch on -- and Cooper remains a pleasing option.
- Ruth
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"compassionate friend"Description:
Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and Rebecca are giving Ruth a second thought. Some see such Old Testament girls’ names as Ruth and Esther rising on the heels of boy equivalents Abel and Moses.
- Austin
Origin:
English, shortened form of Augustine, LatinMeaning:
"great, magnificent"Description:
Austin is one of the most attractive city names for babies, with an appealing southwestern feel and place-name panache.
- Jesse
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God exists"Description:
King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of bearers, from outlaw Jesse James to Olympic athlete Jesse Owens to activist Jesse Jackson to current actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Eisenberg. The spelling Jesse is more usual as a boys' name while Jessie is more traditional for girls.
- Lennox
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"elm grove"Description:
Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the name into the spotlight as a first name, while as a last it's tied to Eurythmics singer Annie L.
- Althea
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"with healing power"Description:
Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at Wimbledon.
- Jackson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Jack"Description:
Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. Last year, nearly 17,000 baby boys were named Jackson -- along Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, and Jaxsyn -- which counted together makes it the Number 3 boys' name.
- Serena
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"tranquil, serene"Description:
Serena, a name used since Roman times, was given fresh life by tennis star Williams, and then again with the leading character on Gossip Girl, Serena van der Woodsen. There have also been Serenas on soap operas and other shows from Bewitched to Law & Order.
- Fletcher
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"arrow-maker"Description:
Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to Forester.
- Hunter
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who hunts"Description:
Hunter has been dropping a bit for the past few years but is still one of the leaders of a distinctive band of boys' names that combines macho imagery (Hunter, Austin, Harley) with a softened masculinity. Hunter was for years attached to gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson; Josh Holloway used it for his son.
- Gabriella
Origin:
Italian feminine variation of GabrielMeaning:
"God is my strength"Description:
Gabriella is the feminine form of Gabriel, a name derived from the Hebrew Gavri’el. Gavri’el is composed of the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, referring to God. Gabriella is used among a variety of cultures in the US, including Italian Americans, Latinos, and in the Jewish community. Gabriela is the Spanish spelling.
- Reese
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"ardor"Description:
The sassy, steel magnolia appeal of Oscar-winning Reese (born Laura Jeanne—Reese is her mother's maiden name) Witherspoon has single-handedly propelled this formerly boys’ name into girls' popularity.
- Ivan
Origin:
Russian variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool.
- Jordan
Origin:
English from HebrewMeaning:
"flowing down"Description:
Jordan became one of the top unisex baby names in the heyday of basketball's Michael Jordan, and is still among the most popular unisex names starting with J. The name was originally given to those baptized in holy water brought back by Crusaders from the River Jordan, the only river in Palestine, and the one in which Christ was baptized by John the Baptist.