Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 10 pages
of 10
English word name from Latin
"brave"
While still very rare, the name Valiant was given to six baby boys in the US last year. And it's an inspiring choice.
Anglo-Saxon
"God's power"
Godric is one of the unique baby names that has found more exposure since J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe came into our lives. Godric Gryffindor is an important historical figure in the series.…
Hungarian, from German
"strength"
Commonly heard in its native country, and might get a boost here too, now that Alanis Morrissette has used it for her son Ever's middle name.
Korean
"strong"
An Asian name that would be easily understood in this country.
German
"hardy, brave, strong"
Sometimes pronounced MAY-nerd, which is death to a name. However, the name Maynard was given to 25 boys in 2022.
English from German
"powerful counsel"
Serious surname choices, the latter form known via award-winning author Reynolds Price.
Persian
"tall, strongly-built, brave"
Used in Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, this strong-sounding name belonged to a hero in Persian legend. Its derivation is unclear, but the consensus seems to be that it…
English variation of Ulrich and Wulfric, German
"rich and noble heritage; wolf power"
Also related to the word for wolf, this name has a first syllable that's not appealing to the American ear. Better ic-ending choices: Dominic, Frederic, Eric.
English and Scottish surname
"strong arms"
Last name occasionally used as a first, can be seen as a Lance Armstrong athlete-hero name.
Latin
"fruitful"
Drusilla is an ancient Roman name, (probably) borne by descendants of Antony and Cleopatra, and is one of the 'illa' names that are ready for a comeback, especially with its cute short form Dru.…
Arabic
"powerful, mighty"
One of the names of Allah, this name is also associated with basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.).
Greek
"supreme power"
Cyrene was a mythical nymph and huntress who was beloved by the god Apollo. He founded a city named after her in what is now Libya and made her the queen. Derived from Greek and pronounced with three…
French surname
"noble strength"
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…
West African
"dove, peaceful; one who has the strength"
A distinctive yet gentle looking name, Coumba is predominantly used in Senegal. While the exact origins of the name are uncertain, one possible theory is that it borrows from the Latin Columba (or…
English
"wolf power"
Most famous as one of the many middle names of Professor Dumbledore from Harry Potter , Wulfric is an earlier form of the medieval English name Ulric. It has also belonged to an 11th- century Earl of…
Hungarian, Polish
Though the name Kinga has penetrated the international consciousness via the Slovakian model Kinga Rajzak, it's a rare choice for American baby girls: Only six were named Kinga last year. Is that…
"powerful advice"
Associated with Reynard the cunning fox in medieval European animal tales. Reynard can make an unusual yet historic choice for a modern boy, a modern day Richard or Robert. Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon…
"strong protection"
An ancient saint's name belonging to an 8th century English missionary. Variants include Walpurga and Walpurgis.
Old English
"powerfully built"
A distinctive English surname name that also carries the slightly ominous sense of the verb batten, as in "batten down the hatches." Batten was also a medieval first name related to Bartholomew.
"sea-strength"
Appealing sound and meaning, but there is that discount-store association.
