Names That Mean Warrior

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

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

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.

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

One of the few Lu- names that you've probably never heard of, Lulie could prove a good alternative for Luna, Lucy, and Lula.

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

Ludwig may be out, but Ludovico is very very in, at least in Italy. Undiscovered in the US and other English-speaking countries, Ludovico comes with the short form Ludo. The female form Ludovica is also popular.

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

A possible new entry in the Hayden-Corbin two-syllable boys' name club.

Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form Ludwig ranks among the Top 100 boy names in Germany and Ludovico is cool in Italty.

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.

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

Héloïse is a chic French name related to sleek, peppy classic Eloise. Both ultimately derive from the Germanic name Helewidis, which became Helewis in medieval England. In the twelfth century, the name was borne by the beloved of the French philosopher Pierre Abelard, who was considered to be one of the most learned women of the Middle Ages.

A short form of Mýrkjartan, an Old Norse name derived from the Irish Muircheartach "sea warrior". It is also a Nordic form of the Old Irish name Certán, possibly meaning "humming sound".

Hodge is a medieval English nickname for Roger, which was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Roger isn't ready for a comeback yet, but we'd love to see the resurgence of Hodge, which never was a common choice in the US.

Irish spelling of Ivor

Among the Choctaw, names were given after life achievements. Tashka would have been given to a warrior after a battle.

An attractive Nordic name most common in Iceland. It was derived from the Old Norse elements bryn, meaning "armor," and her, "warrior" or "army."

Tew many conflicting word spellings.

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.