170+ Names That Mean Warrior

Obscure form of an old-fashioned favorite that's poised to make a comeback. This version, which owes as much to Alison as to Louisa, has a stylish A beginning and a multi-syllabic feminine grace.

Swam into style and quickly out again, on Chad's fish- er, coat-tails.

Patton is an attractive name in the fashionable Haden-Peyton mold, though there is that association with the severe wartime general.

Kamau is from the Kikuyu language native to Kenya. It is recognizable as the middle name of comedian W. Kamau Bell.

Inventive female form of Aloysius.

Chadwick Boseman, the late charismatic star of Marvel's blockbuster Black Panther, brought this name to the spotlight for the first time. Though we long considered it an overwrought way to get to the nickname Chad, his celebrity gives it new luster, and we wouldn't be surprised to see it grow in popularity going forward.

Although practically unheard of in the US, Lovi is a name you should consider borrowing from its native Sweden. It follows the on-trend formula of traveling lite names — four letters, ending in I — and could easily cross cultures. The visual similarity to the word "love" doesn't hurt either.

Lothar is cloddish, till you add a dashing io to the end...

Rarely heard, and all too likely to be confused with Kevin.

Lova, a Louise relative virtually unknown in the US, is one of the top girl names in Sweden.

Cathan is one Irish boys' name that remains underused and would be an intriguing way to honor an ancestral Catherine. It is related to Cain and, theoretically, the nouveau Cayden.

This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald.

his engaging French saint's name, pronounced like tangy, with a hard 'g,' also has a creative connection to French surrealist painter Yves Tanguy.

Caedmon is considered the first English poet -- a nice literary tie-in to the streamlined version.

Levent is a common name in Turkey, derived from Ottoman Turkish levend — a soldier in the Ottoman navy. The name also has connections to the Venetian navy in renaissance times.

Last-name-first-name with a romantic but dangerous edge.

Formal name lacking any sparkle or sheen.

Often spelled Gauthier, this could make a distinctive way to honor Grandpa Walter, but first syllable pronounced 'goat' might be a problem.

This Arabic names has many spelling variations but this is the one that of the more phonetic transliterations and is therefore most used in English-speaking countries.

Sleek and sophisticated.