170+ Names That Mean Warrior

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.

An unknown (outside Indonesia) name with an attractive, gentle sound.

Martia, more distinctive than cousins Marta, Marcia and Marsha, also has a strong image and slightly unexpected feel.

Less substantial than many other Latin choices.

In literature identified with The Sorrows of Young Werther -- not much to wish on a child.

Marciana is a cooler (much cooler) elaboration of Marcia.

Difficult name familiar here mainly via D. H. Lawrence's Women in Love.

The M and the R add welcome strength.

Seventies comic-book-heroine-style name.

St Cadoc was an early Welsh churchman, who gave his name to several villages in Wales, and according to his Life knew King Arthur. Less popular than other C__C names like Cormac and Cedric, Cadoc would be an almost unique, but easy-to-pronouce choice.

Baby-naming rule #984: forget any name that contains the syllable wig.

Wears long blonde braids, carries a spear, and sings duets with Brunhild. But variations Ottilie, Ottiline, or Ottoline are both unusual and chic.

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.

Marcheline was the first name of Angelina Jolie's late mother, who was part French-Canadian, which Jolie and Brad Pitt used as the middle name for their twin daughter Vivienne. The name is related to the Latin Marcellus and Marcus, which come from Mars, the name of the God of War, and is often spelled Marceline. Jolie's mother's birth name was Marcia Lynne.

Hereswith is a rare name that comes to us from the dark ages. She was a Northumbrian saint, whose more famous sister, Hilda, was the Abbess at Whitby and patron of the first English poet, Caedmon. The name has a soft, lispy sound that is more wearable than its spelling would suggest.

Old and aristocratic European name that would be tough for an American kid to pull off.

This Frenchified variation softens and prettifies the harsh original.

Tew many conflicting word spellings.

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

Prospective parents tend to respond more to the softer American pronunciation than the harsher German one, and even more to the Scandinavian version (see GUNNAR).