Aggressive Boy Names

Ripp removes this name one step from its violent meaning.

Ruger is a German surname most famous as a gun name, which explains its popularity as a baby name in the US. If Cannon, Gunner, and Pistol are your type of name, you might like Ruger -- but we're not inviting him for a playdate.

Rugged, rustic Wrangler evokes cowboy charm, bootcut denim, and SUVs.

Raider is one of the new genre of badass word names, which also includes Rogue, Rebel, Danger, Wilder, and so on. Choose it at your own peril.

A new, rising word name for boys that has the advantage of sharing sounds with more common names like Bryson and Braydon. And the disadvantage of getting confused with them.

Rekker comes to us thanks to actor Cam Gigandet, who gave his son this phonetic spelling of badass word name Wrecker. Use at your own peril.

Could a child named Warrior be anything but fierce and willful? We count Warrior among our Magic Names, those that are chosen for their ability to influence and protect their bearers. We see Warrior rising significantly in the next few years, joining current favorites like Legend, Hero, and Saint.

The y helps a bit, but still a painful image.

You know what — Lucifer would actually be the better choice here.

This name might be too, well, triggering.

A turbulent bad boy name, no matter how you spell it.

It doesn't matter if Savage is a surname on your family tree — it's a highly controversial choice for a first name with connections to racism and colonialism. Despite this, over a dozen sets of parents named their sons Savage in a recent year.

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 research, attributes success to grittiness. Clearly, the message stuck with parents, as Grit debuted as a name for boys in 2021.

Stormy and variations have always been more common among girls, but there's no reason you shouldn't use it for a son. Storm was historically more masculine, until the arrival of Stormi Webster.

Self-assured and playful, Bash is a short form of the popular Sebastian, sharing the same energy as Dash, Colt, and Nash. It could work as a quirky, rough-and-tumble alternative to the more familiar nicknames Seb or Baz, or, for those looking for something unexpected and adventurous, it could be a stand alone choice.

Bowman has a lot of winning ingredients: an occupational surname, a cool "Bo" sound, and an archery-related meaning. Given to around 40 boys in the US in a recent year, it could work as a rarer, but not outrageous, alternative to the likes of Bodhi, Beau, Bowen, and Brody.

A patriotic spin on Armie, with roughly the same meaning whether you consider it a variation or a totally separate word name.

Khaos debuted in 2008, two years after Chaos appeared on the charts. These days, it tends to be more popular than the original.

This Dutch nickname has been in use for hundreds of years in the Netherlands, and is as energetic as they come. Of course, the jokes practically write themselves.

A commanding word name that feels occupational like Miller, Palmer, and Shepherd, while also fitting in with ambitious choices like Legend, King, Major, Maverick, and Saint. Referring to someone who takes the lead and holds influence and responsibility, Captain has links to team sports, the military, seafaring, superheroes, and the police.