Cool Cowboy Names

Cort

German

"brave"

Short and curt.

Cord

Diminutive of Cordell

"maker or seller of rope or cord"

This is the kind of strong one-syllable boy's name many parents are seeking these days. The more musical Chord was introduced by hot young actor Chord Overstreet.

Reno

Place-name

Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.

Rider

English

"horseman"

Rider is a rock-and-roll baby name, in every sense of the term, though usually spelled Ryder, as in the sons of Kate Hudson and John Leguizamo.

Coleman

English and Irish

"little dove"

The name of three hundred saints, a mustard, and your own baby boy. Coleman was off the US Top 1000 list for much of the 1960s and 1970s, but it was a mainstay before and has been for most years…

Clint

English, diminutive of Clinton

As flinty and steely as Mr. Eastwood.

Riles

English surname

"rye hill; roe deer hill"

Riles is the coolest surname name that nobody's using. Seriously nobody — Riles (and the older version of the name, Ryles) have never been given to more than five American baby boys in a single year.…

Clancy

Irish

"red-haired warrior"

Clancy, one of the original crossover Irish surname names, is as energetic and appealing as ever — full of moxie, more distinctive than Casey, and also one of the less obvious of the red-headed…

Chord

English word name

"three musical notes played together"

Chord may be considered a variation of the cowboy-cool name Cord, or an independent musical name. Actor Chord Overstreet, of Glee fame, introduced this name to many American parents.

Rip

Dutch

"strength, might"

The name of Rip Van Winkle – and Rip (born Elmore) Torn – will probably never be ready for further consumption, if only because of the implications of R. I. P. The only thing that could save it is…

Cheyenne

Sioux

"people of a different language"

This is a great American name that deserves more attention from parents looking for a name that balances a soft sound with a more traditionally masculine cowboy image.

Chet

Diminutive of Chester, English

"fortress, walled town"

Chet is an old-fashioned short form of Chester, that like Ned, Mac, Ted, and Wes, it has the potential to sound cool again. Country singer Luke Combs and his wife Nicole, certainly thought so as they…

Chaz

Diminutive of Charles

The jazziest nickname for Charles.

Romer

German surname

"pilgrim; fame"

Romer might be considered a streamlined spelling of the German surname Rohmer, whose root means fame or renown, or a name that was given to those who made pilgrimages to Rome, which is related to…

Roper

English

"rope maker"

Cowboyish occupational name that's one of the hottest choices below the Top 1000, increasing in rank more than 5000 places since the year 2000. Roper may not be a unique choice much longer.

Roscoe

English, Norse

"deer forest"

Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of the US charts since 1978, the quirky yet edgy Roscoe feels very much in step with the trending o-ending boy names popular now, such as Milo, Hugo, and…

Chas

Diminutive of Charles, French from German

"free man"

Retro nickname for Charles that has the potential for revival, a la Hal, Ike, and Gus. Ben Stiller played the high-strung but devoted Chas Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson’s 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums .

Chapman

English surname

"merchant"

Chapman is derived from céapmann , an Old English occupational name for a merchant or marketman. The slang word "chap" came from chapman — which was also used as a term for a customer in 17th and…

Cassidy

Irish

"curly-headed"

A lean and lanky Irish cowboy name with great nickname potential to boot (Cass or Sid are both options). This is one of the great under-rated American names !

Rufus

Latin

"red-head"

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.…