Names That Mean Brave, Strong, or Powerful

Place-name of a settlement in Galilee in Israel.

Bheem, the name of the second of the five sons of Pandu in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, was renowned as a strong warrior. Bheem is the name of one of the two heroes of the Bollywood film RRR.

This name was used by the royal House of Luxembourg in the Middle Ages, as a diminutive of Irmentrude. We definitely think this spunky shortening improves upon the heavy German original.

Technically a pet form of Brigid and very commonly heard in Ireland, but pronunciation problems complicate Bride as a name choice in America.

Qadir is a classic Muslim name that represents one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah. Since the initial Q is pronounced as K, this handsome name is sometimes Anglicized as Kadir.

This name has considerable meaning in the Islamic world, as Hamzah the brave was the uncle and protector of the Prophet of Islam. A more contemporary Hamzah is the eldest son of the late King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan. More commonly encountered in English-speaking countries as Hamza.

Sometimes heard in the Latino community, has not crossed over into others.

One of the names of Allah, this name is also associated with basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.).

One of the less attractive Hebrew choices.

Gabrina is a name sometimes heard in the Latino community, could make a distinctive alternative to Gabriela.

Decebal was the name of an ancient ruler of Dacia who resisted but was eventually conquered by the Roman military leader Traianus. Both Decebal and Traian are names used in modern Romania.

Dhriti is a Hindi name used especially in Nepal for both girls and boys. English speakers have trouble with three consonants (or three vowels, for that matter) in a row, so this may prove challenging.

A Turkish word name on the rise in its native country.

Harv and Marv are out, and this difficult Dutch choice doesn't fare any better.

Writer James Baldwin could make this an inspirational choice for a child of either sex.

Geraud, as with many French variations of familiar names, makes the somewhat old-fashioned Gerard sound fresh and dashing. It's pronounced as if it ended with o, another trendy factor, though many English speakers may not get that.

Fairly rare Spanish name, found as a character in one of the Oz books. One of those

A viable choice that may be growing on your family tree. Hartman Turnbow was a part of Mississippi's "First Fourteen", the first group of African Americans who attempted to register to vote in the state.

A distinctive yet gentle looking name, Coumba is predominantly used in Senegal. While the exact origins of the name are uncertain, one possible theory is that it borrows from the Latin Columba (or French Colombe) meaning "dove", while another source suggests it is a Fulani name, related to strength.