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155+ Names That Mean Trouble

  1. Devlin
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "unlucky"
    • Description:

      Devlin is an Irish name that's fresher and even more devilish than Devin.

      The earliest written record of this surname occurs in the thirteenth century, when an O'Devlin was appointed Bishop of Kells in 1211.

  2. Aranza
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "Among the thorns"
    • Description:

      The name of a popular Mexican singer and a telenovela character, Aranza incredibly rose out of obscurity to become Number 607 in the US in 2014.
  3. Diesel
    • Origin:

      German, from a pet form of Mathias
    • Description:

      Diesel, which you can think of as a word name for the fuel or as a German surname that derives from a pet form of Matthew or Mathias, is a new entry to the American name lexicon thanks to celebrities Jennie Finch and Casey Daigle, who chose it for their son, baby brother of Ace. Diesel might also be thought of as one of the neo-macho names, joining such bros as Harley, Ranger, and Breaker.
  4. Letha
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "forgetfulness"
    • Description:

      Letha is taken from Lethe, the mythological River of Oblivion. Letha now sounds as if it's missing a first syllable.
  5. Remington
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "place on a riverbank"
    • Description:

      Remington Steele was the perfect name for an upper-crust action hero on 1980s television. Now, Remington is catching fire along with a new generation of predatory baby boy names such as Hunter, Gunner, and Colt. Or you might consider it a unisex namewith a buttoned-up British feel and the friendly short form Rem or Remy.
  6. Storm
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the name - he designed iconic album covers for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Cranberries, Anthrax, and Pink Floyd.
  7. Riot
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "violent civil disorder"
    • Description:

      Riot has all the sounds of a trendy name — the first syllable that of trendy choices like Ryder, Ryker, and Rylan, rhyming with Wyatt. But the strong negative connotations of the word, suggesting violence, turn many (but not all) parents away from Riot as a baby name. Ryatt, one step removed, is more common.
  8. Iniko
    • Origin:

      Nigerian, Igbo
    • Meaning:

      "born in a time of trouble"
    • Description:

      This West African name has an upbeat, energetic sound, yet it is traditionally used for a son who was born during troubled times.
  9. Abaddon
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "ruin, destruction"
    • Description:

      An uncommon biblical name, Abaddon is the name of an angel of abyss in the New Testament. A totally cool name for a fictional character perhaps, though on a child it might be too reminiscent of the phrase "a bad 'un" or the word "abandon".
  10. Diablo
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "devil"
    • Description:

      Diablo Cody, self-named (she's really Brook Busey) screenwriter of Juno, singlehandedly helped popularize not just her heroine's name and her own but all o-ending names for girls. You don't need us to tell you that it takes a brave parent, in every way, to name a baby Diablo. Diablo is one of the Spanish baby names that diverges furthest from the well-paved camino.
  11. Fachnan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "malicious"
    • Description:

      This name of four ancient saints is recommended neither for its sound nor its meaning.
  12. Asani
    • Origin:

      Swahili
    • Meaning:

      "rebellious"
    • Description:

      Asani is a traditionally masculine Swahili name, although it is used for both boys and girls in the US. Its rebellious meaning makes it perfect for a maverick child.
  13. Hecate
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "willpower or far-reaching"
    • Description:

      In Greek mythology, Hecate is associated with witchcraft and magic. The name may mean "willpower" or "far-reaching".
  14. Draven
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows, this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1995.
  15. Acantha
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "thorn, prickle"
    • Description:

      Acantha is one of the unique baby names in the stylish mythological category that also might count as a flower name. In Greek mythology, Acantha was a nymph beloved by Apollo. An unusual and attractive choice that could make a creative way to honor a grandma Rose.
  16. Tempest
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "turbulent, stormy"
    • Description:

      Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people will see it as the latter.
  17. Deirdre
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "sorrowful"
    • Description:

      Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports.
  18. Tisiphone
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "Avenging murder"
    • Description:

      The name of one of the Furies in Greek mythology, a goddess who avenged crimes of murder. She is described as wearing a dripping blood-red robe, with a serpent coiled around her waist.
  19. Wilder
    • Origin:

      Word name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
    • Description:

      The name Wilder is still used more than 90 percent of the time for boys, but it's being used quietly for girls too. with 50 receiving the name in a recent year. Along with the rest of the Wild and Wiley family, it's one of the hottest baby names starting with W. Certainly giving your child of either gender such a wilder name is setting them up for a certain kind of character and future.
  20. Torquil
    • Origin:

      Scottish from Norse
    • Meaning:

      "Thor's cauldron"
    • Description:

      Torquil, is a quirky but intriguing option that evolved from an ancient Scandinavian nameand was imported into Scotland by the Vikings. The Gaelic form of the name is Torcaill.

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