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Modern Hero Names
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About this list
Modern hero names send a powerful message about your values and the qualities you hope your child will one day embody.
They might be inspired by your favorite stars of the screen or by those you admire in sports, literature, or politics. Modern hero names may also honor heroes and heroines of the past who still inspired us today, such as Eleanor Roosevelt or Duke Ellington.
The particular challenge of hero names is that they might honor figures with complicated histories, and even among heroes who are long gone or fictional, there remains the risk of their image becoming tarnished, after a baby has been named. This isn't always a death knell — Atticus has remained popular despite the sequel of To Kill a Mockingbird revealing him to be a less progressive character.
Along with Eleanor, other modern hero girl names in the US Top 1000 include Audrey, Marley, Simone, and Stevie. In addition to Atticus, other modern hero boy names in the US Top 1000 include Baker, Ford, Iker, and Kenzo.
Unique modern hero names include Indira, Kehinde, Malala, and Noam.
A modern hero name gives your child an inspirational figure to look up to from the very beginning. Browse our favorite modern hero baby names below.
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The names
Amelia
German
"work"
Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names , a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, the Number 2 choice in England, is now also comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10, where it ranked…
Eleanor
English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown
Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style. Big plus:…
Harper
English
"harp player"
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. Victoria and David Beckham's choice of Harper for their…
Scarlett
English
"scarlet, red"
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…
Jackson
English
"son of Jack"
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,…
Miles
English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"
"soldier or merciful"
Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting…
Brooks
English
"of the brook"
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. Used occasionally as a…
Lincoln
English
"town by the pool"
Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now,…
Kennedy
Irish
"misshapen head"
This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert…
Gael
Breton
"Gaelic"
This cross-cultural name, found in Wales, Brittany, and Spain, is a surprise star in the U.S in recent years, largely thanks to actor Gael Garcia Bernal. Also written as Gaël, it's a popular choice…
Audrey
English
"noble strength"
Audrey is one of the girls' names that have been rising due to their connection to Old Hollywood glamour — in this case the eternally chic and radiant Audrey Hepburn. Audrey has another very…
Everly
English
"wild boar in woodland clearing"
Sweet and stylish, with a sporty, energetic undertone, Everly is a name that ticks lots of boxes. It's a contemporary choice that doesn't sound invented; it's got unisex appeal but still sounds…
Jordan
English from Hebrew
"flowing down"
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…
Beckett
English and Irish
"bee hive, little brook or bee cottage"
Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade. A handsome name with an attractively brisk sound, and rich in literary associations via major Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, it is especially…
Beckham
English
"homestead by the stream"
Who knew there were so many soccer fans in the U.S.? Beckham -- as in British sensation David -- has exploded onto the baby name scene in the past decade.
Legend
English
"hero or fable"
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend")…
Stevie
Short form of Stephanie, Greek
"garland, crown"
Stevie survives as a short form of Stephanie thanks to the immortal Ms. Nicks. After a little more than a decade out of the limelight, she rejoined the US Top 1000 in 2014. It is now leading the…
Baker
English occupational surname
One of the most appealing of the newly hip occupational names, evoking sweet smells emanating from the oven. Much fresher sounding than than others that have been around for a while, like Cooper, and…
Presley
English
"priest's meadow"
Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade. Presley is one of a large…
Diana
Latin
"divine"
Diana, the tragic British princess, inspired many fashions, but strangely, not one for her name. For us, Diana is a gorgeous and still-underused choice. Diana is the Latin name for the Roman goddess…
