Names for a Badass Protagonists

Mordecai, although it has a noble heritage, has never caught on in this country, because of its rather weighty image.

A cool name, representing the Roman goddess of peace and offering a positive message to bestow upon a child. Pax is one of the most stylish new names that mean peace.

Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to the high visibility of TV personality and former news editor Piers Morgan.

An appealing East African possibility.

If girls have adopted Ray, why not Roy.

Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music, and the arts. She is also a river goddess, associated with the mythical Saraswati river, which played an important part in the Vedic texts.

Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now grown middle daughter, followed by Tom Berenger a few years later. A unisex choice that is growing in popularity for both genders -- but given to girls about four times more often than to boys -- it was picked by skater Tai Babilonia for her son and Kerri Walsh for her daughter Scout Margery.

Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.

A powerful, storied name, used by countless significant figures throughout history in Central and South Asia, whose appeal in the U.S. may be limited by its near-homonymy with the word "sure."

Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and Sebastian: polished and contemporary feeling names with plenty of history.

Worldly and evocative.

This unusual name, created by the singer Brandy for her daughter, uses punctuation in an inventive way -- a trend that takes creative spelling to a new but sometimes confusing level.

An interesting possibility if you're looking for a highly unusual animal name.

Could be an unconventional route to Theo.

This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was deposed in favor of Esther. For her independent spirit, Vashti has become something of a feminist icon.

Xochitl is a Nahuatl or Aztec floral name used in southern Mexico and pronounced SO-chee-tl or SHO-chee-tl, although sometimes the "tl" at the end is not pronounced. Internet entrepreneur Xochi Birch is probably the best-known bearer in the US – except for the Xochitl brand tortilla chips. Definitely among the most intriguing international flower names and a beautiful choice for those looking to honor Nahuatl heritage.