Cool Cowboy Baby Names
Cool baby names that say cowboy boots and stirrups are as hot in Brooklyn as they are in Bozeman. The romanticized image of a cowboy and all that it stands for – heroism, adventure, and dashing good looks – has inspired parents to seek out names that embody those ideals. Cowboy names are rugged, casual, and handsome, such as Wyatt and Luke.
Along with Wyatt and Luke, cowboy names ranking in the US Top 100 include Levi, Colton, Dylan, Wilder, Sawyer, Silas, Austin, and Maverick. Wild West names gaining attention – especially in the Western states – include Ryder, Gunner, and, well, West.
The appeal: Western boy names are decidedly masculine without being formal or traditional. Browse our entire posse of cowboy names and Wild West names for baby boys here.
You may also be interested in our collections of Cowgirl Names and Hipster Cowboy Names.
- Silas
Origin:
Aramaic, Latin, GreekMeaning:
"of the forest; or prayed for"Description:
Silas is a Biblical name of debated – or possibly multiple – origins. It may be a simplified form of the Latin Silvanus, meaning "of the forest", or alternatively may be a Greek form of the Aramaic Seila or Hebrew Saul, meaning "asked for, prayed for".
- August
Origin:
German form of Latin AugustusMeaning:
"great, magnificent"Description:
August is THE celebrity baby name of the moment, chosen by both Princess Eugenie and Mandy Moore for their baby boys in early 2021. Before that, August had been heating up in Hollywood – used by Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, Lena Olin, Dave Matthews and Jeanne Tripplehorn for their sons, and is rapidly becoming the preferred month of the year for boys' names. The month of August was named after the Emperor Augustus.
- Remy
Origin:
French from LatinMeaning:
"oarsman"Description:
The name of a fifth century saint and one of a new generation of French names being discovered in the US, Remy sounds particularly modern and attractive. The name Remy is being revived for both boys and girls, sometimes as Remi. It entered the popularity list in 2009 and has quickly become one of the fastest-rising names on the list.
- Otis
Origin:
Variation of Otto, GermanMeaning:
"wealthy"Description:
Otis has a double image: it's cool and bluesy a la Otis Redding, but also an upscale, high-society name of the past. Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk.
- Levi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"joined, attached"Description:
In the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Leah and Jacob, from whom the priestly tribe of Levites descended; in the New Testament, Levi was Matthew's given name before he became an apostle. It is suspected that Levi derives from the Hebrew word yillaweh, meaning “he will join.”
- Luke
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"man from Lucania"Description:
Luke originated as a short form of Lucas, a Latin derivation of the Greek name Loukas. The most famous bearer of the name is the first-century Greek physician—an evangelist and friend of Saint Paul, as well as the author of the third Gospel of the New Testament—who was also supposed to have been a portrait painter. He thus became the patron saint of doctors and artists.
- River
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Keri Russell and the Taylor Hansons both have sons named River, Natasha Henstridge used it as the middle name of her boy Tristan, and Jason Schwartzman pluralized it for daughter Marlowe Rivers.
- Beau
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"handsome"Description:
Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
- Kit
Origin:
English, diminutive of ChristopherDescription:
Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son. For girls, it's an updated diminutive of Katherine.
- Sawyer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"woodcutter"Description:
Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the top unisex names. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford.
- Dylan
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"son of the sea"Description:
Dylan was derived of the Welsh components dy and llanw, meaning "sea." In Welsh mythology, Dylan was a legendary sea god who prompted all the waters of Britain and Ireland to weep when he died. The name came to prominence via the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, whose name Bob Dylan adopted in tribute.
- Wyatt
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"brave in war"Description:
Wyatt was derived from the Medieval English name Wyot, itself a form of the given name Wigheard, with wig meaning "war" and heard, "brave." Wyot, along with variations Wiot and Gyot, were also used by the Normans as nicknames for names such as William. Wyatt became a patronymic surname later in the Middle Ages.
- Zane
Origin:
Possible variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image.
- Wilder
Origin:
Surname or word nameDescription:
New to the US Top 1000 in 2015, Wilder is on many parents' possibility lists, one of the new generation of bad boy names growing in popularity. Wilder got a big boost in interest through Goldie Hawn's grandson, born in 2007, via son Oliver.
- Brooks
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"of the brook"Description:
Surname name, nature name, and word name, with a more masculine slant than Brook or Brooklyn. Brooks Robinson was one of the greatest third basemen ever, playing for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 until 1977. Brooks might be considered one of the new wave of stylish English names for boys.
- Maverick
Origin:
AmericanMeaning:
"independent, nonconformist"Description:
At the rate it's growing, Maverick soon won't seem like such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun, Maverick symbolizes an unfettered, free spirit.
- Austin
Origin:
English, shortened form of AugustineMeaning:
"great, magnificent"Description:
Austin is one of the most attractive city names for babies, with an attractive southwestern feel, place-name panache and the solid base of having long been an Anglo-Saxon surname and a first name since medieval times. Austin reached the Top 10 in the 1990s, but has been gradually slipping down the list.
- Nash
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"by the ash tree"Description:
Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson in the late nineties, and also via mathematician John Nash, played by Russell Crowe in the acclaimed film A Beautiful Mind.
- Rufus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"red-head"Description:
Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.
- Adam
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"son of the red earth"Description:
Adam -- a primal Old Testament name -- was revived as a 1960s cowboy name. Adam is not as popular as it once was and feels ready for a respite, replaced by newer A names like Aidan/Aiden, Avery and Axel. Its most prominent current bearers include Adams Sandler, Levine, Brody and Driver -- who plays a character named Adam on Girls.