Names That Mean Brave, Strong, or Powerful

Long considered Mr. Hall's exclusive property, it's now ready to be adopted by others.

Evokes picture-postcard image of colorful Indonesia. Bali Barret is a Paris fashion insider who oversees women's style for Hermes. Bali rhymes with tally or galley.

Tetsu is a female name with an unusually strong and powerful meaning. It sounds spunky and cute too.

Ermentrude was the name of two medieval queens of France. Despite these distinguished beginnings, this antique name is unlikely to catch on with contemporary parents, perhaps because the first syllable may sound unattractive to the modern ear and the last two syllables are the equivalent of intrude. Then there's that rude final syllable. English variant Ermintrude is equally unlikely to find favor.

One of the names of Allah, this name is also associated with basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.).

With a meaning like "elf power," Alfreda could find some appeal among fantasy enthusiasts. "Freda" makes for a pleasant nickname.

Shakti is the female equivalent of the god Shiva in Hinduism. A sacred name sometimes used in a secular way.

Old World Jewish name that could travel to the New.

This name has considerable meaning in the Islamic world, as Hamzah the brave was the uncle and protector of the Prophet of Islam. A more contemporary Hamzah is the eldest son of the late King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan. More commonly encountered in English-speaking countries as Hamza.

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.

Sometimes heard in the Latino community, has not crossed over into others.

Nerio was one of the Roman goddesses of war and a wife of Mars. Her name is among the many intriguing names that mean strong.

Place-name of a settlement in Galilee in Israel.

Last name occasionally used as a first, can be seen as a Lance Armstrong athlete-hero name.

Alcie and Alsie are antiquated short forms that feel more baby-ready now that names such as Elsie, Elsa, and Isla are becoming popular again. Mother name Alcina was an operatic sorceress who turned men into trees and animals.

Writer James Baldwin could make this an inspirational choice for a child of either sex.

This name has been used in Denmark since the 13th Century, and is once again very popular there, now being in the Top 10. We don't see it crossing the Atlantic anytime soon, despite the strong meaning.

Valiant is an inspirational word name that can work for a child of any gender, though the six babies given this name last year were all boys.

Isley is used more often for girls, thanks to the similar name Isla, but actor Glenn Howerton chose it for his son, born in 2014. The musical connection via the Isley Brothers puts it in the same category as more common unisex musician names such as Lennon, Hendrix, and Bowie.

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 French Colombe) meaning "dove", while another source suggests it is a Fulani name, related to strength.