Old Time Gangster, Mobster and Outlaw Names
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Some are drawn from history, others from fictional media. Use these to name your bad boys and troublemakers.
- Apache
- Butch
Origin:
Nickname nameDescription:
Old-school nickname ala Spike and Babe that's favored by some hipster parents.
- Bugsy
- Carlo
Origin:
Italian variation of CharlesDescription:
Energetic Italian classic that would blend with a surname of any ethnicity.
- Carmine
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"vivid red"Description:
This traditional Italian name could have a whole new life when viewed as a color name.
- Cassidy
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"curly-headed"Description:
A lean and lanky Irish cowboy name with great nickname potential to boot (Cass or Sid are both options). This is one of the great under-rated American names!
- Chevy
Origin:
French, diminutive of ChevalierMeaning:
"horseman, knight"Description:
Eternally tied to the surname Chase, via the old English battle and ballad, the DC suburb, and the goofy SNL pratfaller (who was born Cornelius). It entered the US Top 1000 in 2014.
- Clyde
Origin:
Scottish river nameDescription:
Even though in the past Clyde may have been identified as half of the infamous outlaw duo with partner Bonnie Parker—especially after the 1967 movie in which he was played by Warren Beatty—Clyde has always had an element of jazzy cool that could overcome all the rest.
- Columbo
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dove"Description:
Grandmas will remember the old TV detective show; playmates won't. This is a name that has many variations in different cultures, from Columbus to Columba to Colum to Colm.
- Don
Origin:
Diminutive of Donald, ScottishMeaning:
"proud chief"Description:
Short form of Donald -- or more stylishly, Donahue or Donovan -- that's acquired a new sixties-era suaveness thanks to Mad Man Don Draper. The name also carries a Sopranos or Godfather-style double entendre.
- Dillinger
- Fletcher
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"arrow-maker"Description:
Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to Forester.
- Frankie
Origin:
Diminutive of Frank, Francis, or FranklinDescription:
Frankie is used in almost equal numbers for girls and boys these days. Fun fact: in 2015, it ranked Number 992 for both genders in the US. It is a highly popular boys' name in England and Wales.
- Flyod
- Gambol
- Harvey
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"battle worthy"Description:
Harvey, which was brought to England by the Normans, is a genial, old-timey name that has been much more popular across the pond in the UK. It was a Top 100 choice in England & Wales from 1997 until 2021, though 2022 saw it fall just slightly.
- Jesse
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God exists"Description:
King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of bearers, from outlaw Jesse James to Olympic athlete Jesse Owens to activist Jesse Jackson to current actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Eisenberg. The spelling Jesse is more usual as a boys' name while Jessie is more traditional for girls.
- Kingpin
- Lester
Origin:
English place-name; phonetic form of LeicesterDescription:
Lester is one of the British surname names that were popular in the US in the early decades of the twentieth century: it was in the Top 100 through 1931, reaching a high of Number 52 in 1906. But dropping of the list in the late 1990s, along with Hester and Sylvester, we don't see much hope for a return visit.
- Lex
Origin:
Diminutive of AlexanderMeaning:
"defending men"Description:
Cool short form of Alexander, fresher than Alex and less trendy than Xander... for now.