Cool Cowboy Names

As Huxley and Huck become more popular and accepted, so does Hux, either as a full name or a diminutive.

Any name that combines two big trends -- in this case, occupational and western names -- has potential.

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.

Just the kind of old-fashioned nickname coming back into style.

Strictly for a Vegas baby.

The jazziest nickname for Charles.

Pistol is one of the new names that entered the lexicon in the US in 2013, when it was given to nine babies of each gender, though last year the trend had subsided and it was given to zero babies. Call it an equal-opportunity badass baby name with an unfortunately violent image.

Retro nickname for Charles that has the potential for revival, a la Hal, Ike, and Gus.

Clint with a glint; used for flinty characters in old TV westerns and soap operas.

You don't need to choose the longer form of this unusual name to arrive at Cabe, brother of Gabe and Abe. This earthy, unusual, friendly nickname-name was given to a handful of boys last year and can make an intriguing choice. But be warned: It will forever be mistaken, at least at first hearing, for the more familiar Gabe.

Could be difficult to grasp: Hoss. The "Bonanza" cowboy.

Loose, lean, and lanky cowboy-sounding names have become a recent trend, but how about the name of a real one--the Singing Cowboy Gene. Autry might be thought of as a masculine spin on the fashionable Audrey or a fresher version of Austin or Auden.

Some other cowboy surnames from the Golden Age of movie and TV westerns: Boone, Boyd, Cody, Corrigan, Gibson, Hart, Holt, Houston, McCoy and Renaldo.

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 Romeo and its brothers. With the style value of other Rome names from Roman to Romy, this is one we predict we'll hear more of.

Simple and serious Arabic name which debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.

Whitten is a stylish patronymic surname derived from Witt and Witte — German and Dutch nicknames-turned-surnames describing people with white-blonde hair or a pale complexion. Cool-guy nickname Whit only adds to the appeal.

Frisco is a frisky, roguish semi-place-name (San Francisco natives never call it that) that could make a lively, unusual o-ending choice.

Cowboy swagger via the non-cowboy flick "The Guns of Navarone," chosen by Priscilla Presley.

A thoroughly old-school nickname for Ambrose — one that lightens up the serious full form.

While still rare, this compound name for boys jumped nearly 3000 places in rank last year, perhaps thanks to its cowboy-core vibe and its bad boy image.

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. But we're hoping to put Riles on the map. Its similarities to trendy names like Riley and Miles make it a great option if you're looking for a name that fits in but stands out.