155+ Names That Mean Trouble

  1. Brennan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendent of the sad one"
    • Description:

      Brennan is a winning Irish surname name, more modern than Brian or Brendan, more unusual than Conor and Aidan. The only possible problem with Brennan: people might think you're saying Brendan.
  2. Draco
    • Origin:

      Greek from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dragon"
    • Description:

      For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.
  3. Gunner
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Gunther
    • Meaning:

      "bold warrior"
    • Description:

      The kind of nouveau macho name favored by NRA-leaning parents. Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers gave it to his son in 2009. Gunnar is another spelling that makes the name a bit less militaristic.
  4. Odysseus
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "wrathful"
    • Description:

      The name of the brave, resourceful hero of Homer's epic saga has almost always been considered too weighty for a child to bear, but at this point, some brave, resourceful parents out there might be willing to take it on.
  5. 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.
  6. Dolores
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "lady of sorrows"
    • Description:

      Though it's related to the Virgin Mary, this name was once perceived as the height of sensuality, a role since taken over by nicknames Lola and Lolita.
  7. Arson
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "deliberately setting fire to property"
    • Description:

      Sure, Arson is a crime, but anecdotally, many of the parents who choose this name do so because Arson = "our son."
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Shooter
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Previously known only as the nickname of Waylon "Shooter" Jennings, Jr., who's married to Sopranos star Drea DeMatteo, the violent Shooter recently became a proper name when painter Julian Schnabel used it for his newborn son with gallerist May Andersen: The little boy is named Shooter Sandhed Julian Schnabel, Jr. Does this mean that Schnabel's own first name is really Shooter? We're not buying that and see Shooter as a too-cool addition to such trendy badass baby names as Breaker and Rebel.
  11. 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.
  12. Portia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "pig"
    • Description:

      Portia is a perfect role-model name, relating to Shakespeare's brilliant and spirited lawyer in The Merchant of Venice, and is now also a Hunger Games name .
  13. Goku
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "aware of emptiness"
    • Description:

      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 Chinese legend Journey to the West.
  14. Brenna
    • Origin:

      Feminine form of Brennan
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of the sad one"
    • Description:

      Brenna is a feminine form of the Irish surname Brennan, or perhaps a variation of Brenda or Brendan—all of which have different meanings. Whatever its derivation or authenticity, it's a modern sounding name which has steadily decreased in popularity since 1995 when it peaked at Number 235 in the United States.
  15. Rogue
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "independent, uncontrolled"
    • Description:

      Now that names like Cannon and Gunner, fit for comic book heroes, are rising up, Rogue may fit right in.
  16. Roxy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Roxanne, Persian
    • Meaning:

      "dawn"
    • Description:

      Roxy, also spelled Roxie, is one of those high-stepping showgal names with plenty of moxie, among the many sassy nickname names on the U.K. popularity list--currently Number 398.
  17. Ichabod
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "the glory is gone"
    • Description:

      Ichabod, an eccentric Old Testament name, is forever tied to the character of Ichabod Crane -- and worse, the teasing possibilities of "icky bod." Even its original meaning is a negative. Skip Ichabod, as if you were ever tempted.
  18. 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.
  19. 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.

  20. Judas
    • Origin:

      Greek variation of Judah
    • Meaning:

      "praised"
    • Description:

      Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned.