Names for a Badass Protagonists

This undiscovered unisex name has lots of flair. It was first noticed as a girl's name, starting in the 1980's, on the long-running daytime drama Search for Tomorrow, with the character Adair McCleary, who had ahead-of-their-time brothers named brothers Hogan, Cagney and Quinn. But since Adair has yet to find many takers, it would make a fresh and appealing choice.

Perfect name for a Virgo or an Aries baby. It is also the name of a character in the fantasy Belgariad series.

Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played in her debut film.

Bodhi is a Sanskrit name translated as "enlightenment" or "awakening" which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego. The Bodhi tree is a large fig tree under which the founder of Buddhism received enlightenment. Spelling variations include Bodie and Bode.

A word name with fashionable o-ending that has associations with both the homespun fabric and the mottled cat. Alice Cooper named his daughter Calico decades ago.

Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering if you've got an adventurous streak — and bet your son will too.

Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman antiquity.

This form of Theodoric, familiar via Marlene, is a possible German import. It is an Anglicized ancestor of Derek and all its variations. A noted bearer was acclaimed classical German baritone and conductor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and there have been Dietrichs in Henry James's The Princess Casamassima,/em and more recently on the TV show Psych.

This highly unusual name -- the Halycyone was a mythic bird who could calm the seas -- conjures up images of utter peace and tranquility because of the phrase "Halycon days"...and the sleeping pill.

Rugged and outdoorsy, Heath was an obscure choice until the 1960s when it was used in the television series, The Big Valley for character Heath Barkley. It peaked in the 70s when it reached the Top 200, but has since been in decline, dropping out of the Top 1000 in 2023.

Murakami's Kafka on the Shore features a character named after the famous Czech author of The Metamorphoses.

An evocative name brought from Hawaii to the mainland by Keanu Reeves, who was born in Beirut to a part-Hawaiian, part-Chinese father. It moved into the Top 1000 for the first time in over a decade in 2016. Keanu ranks among

Though used quite often for babies of both sexes, Khari, meaning "kingly," was traditionally a boys' name. Musical couple Fetty Wop and Masika Kalysha, however, named their daughter Khari.

Kore is the original Greek form of the modern Cora, a name that's heading straight for the top of the charts in the English-speaking world. Kore was an alternate name for Persephone, goddess of the underworld. Spelling the name Kore may tip it toward the short form Kory or Korey.

The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents.

Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong one-syllable name is theoretically gender-neutral.

A nickname name heard in Spanish-speaking cultures, might lead to "loopy" jokes here.

Though the Mischa spelling is migrating toward the feminine side thanks to actress Mischa Barton, this Russian boys' short form still works for children of both sexes, as Mischa or Misha.