155+ Names That Mean Trouble

  1. Decker
    • Origin:

      German occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "roofer"
    • Description:

      Brawny name chosen for his son by rocker Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.
  2. Diesel
    • Origin:

      German, from a pet form of Mathias
    • Description:

      Diesel, which you can think of as a word name for the fuel or as a German surname that derives from a pet form of Matthew or Mathias, is a new entry to the American name lexicon thanks to celebrities Jennie Finch and Casey Daigle, who chose it for their son, baby brother of Ace. Diesel might also be thought of as one of the neo-macho names, joining such bros as Harley, Ranger, and Breaker.
  3. Rebel
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "rebel"
    • Description:

      Asking for trouble. Rebel Wilson is a hilarious Australian actress who puts a female spin on this contemporary badass baby name. Still, we think this name is truly gender neutral – though hardly neutral in any other way. Rebel is undoubtedly one of the edgiest girls' names starting with the letter R.
  4. Beretta
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      A Beretta is a gun, so named because of the Italian firearms manufacturer that makes it. And now Beretta is also a badass baby name, used in the middle for daughter Breeze by Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston. What a Tripp.
  5. Letha
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "forgetfulness"
    • Description:

      Letha is taken from Lethe, the mythological River of Oblivion. Letha now sounds as if it's missing a first syllable.
  6. Buster
    • Origin:

      Modern nickname
    • Description:

      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 name of Timothy.
  7. Jessejames
    • Origin:

      Combination of Jesse and James, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "gift and supplanter"
    • Description:

      While still rare, this compound name for boys jumped nearly 3000 places in rank last year, perhaps thanks to its cowboy-core vibe and its bad boy image.
  8. Dempsey
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "proud, haughty"
    • Description:

      Spunky Irish surname that still has a pugnacious feel from its lingering association with one of boxing's greatest champs, Jack Dempsey. Many people may associate it more with Patrick Dempsey these days—McDreamy from TV's Grey's Anatomy.
  9. Ascella
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "armpit"
    • Description:

      A star system in Sagittarius, so one of the most appropriate names for December babies.
  10. Dagger
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Dagger is one of the new badass baby names, a sharp and scary choice that some parents may feel arm their child for battle in a cruel modern world.
  11. Riot
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "violent civil disorder"
    • Description:

      Riot has all the sounds of a trendy name — the first syllable that of trendy choices like Ryder, Ryker, and Rylan, rhyming with Wyatt. But the strong negative connotations of the word, suggesting violence, turn many (but not all) parents away from Riot as a baby name. Ryatt, one step removed, is more common.
  12. Nemo
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "nobody"
    • Description:

      One of the best known early Nemos was the captain in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, while the more familiar modern one is the animated little orange fish in the Disney movie. Unusual name well worth considering. By the way, there is also a Shakespearean Nemo and one in Dickens's Bleak House. An enchanting early comic strip by Winsor McCay was called Little Nemo.
  13. Osman
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "baby bustard"
    • Description:

      Its most famous bearer was Prince Osman the First, founder of the Ottoman Empire.
  14. Sabre
    • Jabez
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "borne in pain"
      • Description:

        Jabez has a rare combo of three appealing elements: a Biblical heritage, a captivating Southern accent, and a jazzy feel. It was popular with the Pilgrims and on into the nineteenth century (there have been four U.S. Congressmen named Jabez), but it hasn't been in the Top 1000 since 1880.
    • Wesson
      • Origin:

        Variation of Weston, English
      • Meaning:

        "from the western town"
      • Description:

        This weapon name, linked to arms manufacturer Smith and Wesson, entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
    • Torquil
      • Origin:

        Scottish from Norse
      • Meaning:

        "Thor's cauldron"
      • Description:

        Torquil, is a quirky but intriguing option that evolved from an ancient Scandinavian nameand was imported into Scotland by the Vikings. The Gaelic form of the name is Torcaill.
    • Amil
      • Origin:

        Arabic or Sanskrit
      • Meaning:

        "one who hopes or unattainable; hard work"
      • Description:

        Hope is one meaning of the name Amil, which sounds similar to the German Emil; it can also mean unattainable in the sense of being so exalted as in royalty as to be out of reach. While Amil may not be familiar in the Western world, it's accessible and appealing.
    • Mahlon
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "sickly"
      • Description:

        Obscure Old Testament name -- he was the son of Naomi and the husband of Ruth -- that's become even more obscure over the past century, perhaps due to its unappealing meaning.
    • Diablo
      • Origin:

        Spanish
      • Meaning:

        "devil"
      • Description:

        Diablo Cody, self-named (she's really Brook Busey) screenwriter of Juno, singlehandedly helped popularize not just her heroine's name and her own but all o-ending names for girls. You don't need us to tell you that it takes a brave parent, in every way, to name a baby Diablo. Diablo is one of the Spanish baby names that diverges furthest from the well-paved camino.