Baby Name Meanings
155+ Names That Mean Trouble
Across 9 pages
of 9
Draco
Greek from Latin
"dragon"
For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.
Draven
Modern invented name
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…
Asani
Swahili
"rebellious"
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.
Ryle
English surname
"rye hill; roe deer hill"
Ryle, rhymes with Kyle, was used by author Colleen Hoover for the neurosurgeon hero of her bestselling novel, It Ends With Us. Twenty-nine baby boys were named Ryle in the US in 2023, with many more…
Ulysses
Latin variation of Odysseus, Greek
"wrathful"
Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey , the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which…
Buz
Hebrew
"contempt"
A name used in the Old Testament, as well as a variation of Buzz.
Buster
Modern nickname
An old-fashioned nickname in the Bud/Buzz/Biff mold; this one's kind of belligerent. Michelle Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller moved outside the box when they used it for their son--given the safer middle…
Arson
Word name
"deliberately setting fire to property"
Sure, Arson is a crime, but anecdotally, many of the parents who choose this name do so because Arson = "our son."
Brutus
Latin
"heavy, dull"
Brutus is the quintessential brute--far too close to the word brutal. And any child with this name would spend much of his life hearing "Et tu." Originally an old Roman family name, borne by Marcus…
Gulliver
Irish
"glutton"
Gulliver is an obscure Gaelic surname known almost solely through its literary Travels until actor Gary Oldman used it for his son, instantly transforming it into a lively option. British actors…
Grit
English word name
"strength of character"
Grit became a buzzword in the 2010s, thanks to both the 2010 film True Grit and psychologist Angela Duckworth's 2016 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perserverance . The book, based on Duckworth's…
Aranza
Basque
"Among the thorns"
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. The name comes from Arantzazu, a shrine associated…
Sinai
Biblical place name, Hebrew
"hatred"
A sacred place to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions, Mount Sinai is where Moses received the Ten Commandments and also the name of the peninsula on which the mountain stands. You may be…
Hamill
English
"scarred"
Though we usually think a name's image in contemporary culture supersedes its ancient meaning, this is a case where the definition could undermine a child's self-esteem.
Harley
English
"hare clearing"
You can ride one, you can use it as a baby name – or, as is often the case, both! Harley is currently trending up for girls and down for boys in the US, although it remains predominantly masculine in…
Havoc
English word name
"widespread destruction or mayhem"
Havoc may be viewed in two ways: a violent boy name associated with widespread destruction and devastation, or a more playful choice, associated with mayhem and mischief, a more gentle kind of chaos.…
Hecate
Greek mythology name
"willpower or far-reaching"
In Greek mythology, Hecate is associated with witchcraft and magic. The name may mean "willpower" or "far-reaching". She was often associated with the moon and with storms, making this name a good…
Goku
Japanese
"aware of emptiness"
Goku is the name of the protagonist of the popular "Dragon Ball" manga series, which was turned into a live action film. The character of Goku is reportedly based on Sun Wukong, the hero of the…
Hurricane
Spanish from Native American word name
"hurricane"
Hurricane is a storm, but it's also an American name , thanks to rising tennis star Hurricane Black -- whose sister's name is Tornado. There's no reason this tempestuous choice can't work for boys…
Gehry
Variation of Geary, Irish or English
"spear or fickle"
You might want to honor premier U.S. architect Frank Gehry--even though he was born Ephraim Goldberg. Gehry, pronounced like the more common surname Geary, may be a spin on the name Gary, which means…