Cowboys and their adventures catch the fancy of many. From whipping their lassos to confidently riding their horses, cowboys are considered heroic and brave. So, here’s our list of cowboy names for your baby boy to help you pick the right one. Cowboys have often been cast as the protagonist in many movies and novellas. So, these names will inspire your child to embrace heroism and chivalry. So, check out these rugged western names for your baby boy.
Famous Cowboy Names For Boys
If you want your son’s name to have a feeling of wilderness, here are 35 cowboy-inspired names for him:
1. Ames
The name originates from the French word ‘amis’ or ‘ami’, meaning companion. This French word has its roots in Latin and has come from the word ‘amicus’ meaning to love. This name was popular in the early part of last century, and some notable names were singer and actor Ed Ames, and scientist Adelbert Ames Jr.
2. Ashley
It masculine name became popular due to the character Ashley Wilkes in the novel Gone With the Wind. This name means ‘meadow of ash trees’. It took a feminine turn as Ashley Abbott became a household name in the TV show The Young and the Restless.
3. Austin
It is one of the most famous and top-rated names in the 1990s. The name has a feel of the southwest and roots from the Anglo-Saxon origin. A notable character with this name is Austin Sloper from the novel Washington Square by the celebrated novelist Henry James.
4. Beau
It’s a name which has always been on the wish-list of parents. Whenever this name comes to your mind, the image of a very impressive person reflects immediately. Beau was the child of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes in the novel Gone With the Wind.
5. Barret
This name gets inspired from a French name Baraud which has its roots in the German name Bernwald. It comes from two different words ‘bern’ meaning bear and ‘wald’ meaning rule.
6. Blaze
It’s an English name, and the meaning is burning fire. It is believed that it has originated from the English name Blaise meaning falter. Actress Kate Winslet has a son named Blaze.
7. Galen
This old English name is a contemporary to the Greek name Galenos and has its root in the Greek word ‘galene’ meaning peaceful. One person who made this name popular dates back to 2nd-century BC. This is the name of a Roman physician, who was known for his contributions to the fields of anatomy and medication in the second century BC.
8. Goddard
It is one the rarest yet premium English names, which come from two different words ‘God’ and ‘hart,’ meaning powerful.
9. Graham
This name denotes the location of your origin which is Grantham in Lincolnshire. Grantham comes from two different words ‘grand’ meaning gravel and ‘ham’ meaning homestead. One of the proud bearers of this name is the renowned scientist Alexander Graham Bell.
10. Hadley
The root of this name is an English surname, and it means ‘pasture of Heathers’.
11. Hank
It’s the short form of the very popular name John which means ‘God is merciful’ and comes from Hebrew. The most notable bearer of this name is the famous singer Hank Williams Jr.
12. Hayden
Some people think that this name originated from the German language but the popular belief is that it is derived from English and means ‘living in hay vale’.
13. James
This Anglo-Saxon name is one the commonest of English names and figures at the top of the list of favorite cowboy names for baby boys. Celebrities Sarah Jessica Parker and Colin Farrell have named their sons James.
14. Jeremy
It’s the English form of the name Jeremiah, and means ‘God has uplifted’. Jeremy Renner plays the character of Hawk-Eye in the famed movie Avengers. If you feel inspired by the heroic activities of the character, you can simply call your son by that name.
15. Josh
It’s the diminutive name of Joshua, which is derived from the Hebrew name ‘Yehoshua’ meaning salvation. Several famous movie actors such as Josh Brolin share this name.
16. Maverick
This name comes from the English word meaning free spirit. Tom Cruise had this name in his first hit movie Top Gun.
17. Morgan
This name is derived from two old Welsh words ‘mor’ which means sea and ‘cant’ which means circle. This name has been made famous by the Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman.
18. Nash
This name came from a surname which originated from the phrase ‘atten ash’. The famous Kiwi cricketer Dion Nash has this name.
19. Lane
This name has its origin from a surname which means path and is usually used to denote the name living in proximity of a road or lane.
20. Obadiah
This masculine name has its roots in Hebrew language and is the name of the servant of Hebrew god Yahweh.
21. Palmer
This name originates from an English surname, which in turn has come from the Latin ‘palma’ or palm tree. Golfer Arnold Palmer is a proud bearer of this name.
22. Pete
This name is the short form of the name Peter, derived from the Greek word Petros which means stone. The 14-time Grand Slam tennis champion Pete Sampras has this name.
23. Quentin
This originates from the Roman name Quintinus, which means fifth. Parents usually give this name to the fifth child born to their family or someone born in the fifth month. This name reminds us of Oscar-winning director Quentin Tarantino.
24. Randy
It is the diminutive form of several names like Randolf or Randel. The name comes from two German words ‘rand’ which means edge and ‘wulf’ which means wolf. Randy Couture is a famous boxer-cum-movie actor.
25. Ray
It’s the diminutive form of the name Raymond but has gained immense popularity as a unique name also. The English name means ‘beam of light’. Several renowned personalities such as actor Ray Liotta and athlete Ray Lewis share this name.
26. Roy
It comes from the Anglo name Ruadh, which means red. It is shared by civil right campaigner Roy Innis, and fictional superhero Roy Harper from the comic series Arrow.
27. Sawyer
This masculine name derives from an old English last name, and it means someone who uses a saw to cut wood. The name had been made famous by Mark Twain when he used it as the surname of the protagonist in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
28. Shane
This name has come from the name Sean which is also the Irish form of the very common name John. The root of John is again a Greek name called Ioannes, which has its origin in the Hebrew name Yochanan. It means praising the Hebrew god Yahweh. Many celebrities share the name such as the Australian cricketer Shane Warne, Scottish actor and Academy Award winner Sean Connery among many others.
29. Skyler
This name comes from the name Schuyler which means a scholar in the Dutch language. When the Dutch colonists came to the US, they brought this name along. This name was made famous by the American general and senator Philip Schuyler.
30. Toby
Used for both boys and girls, the name is the modern version of Tobias. It originated from the Greek name Tobiah. People gave this name to a male protagonist in the fictional version of the Old Testament, which was written in English and named the Book of Tobit. Olympic Gold medalist in field hockey in both 2008 and 2012, Tobias Hauke has this name.
31. Trevor
This name originates from two different Welsh words ‘tref’ which means village and ‘mawr’ which means large; thus the meaning big community. The famous Australian cricketer of the Chappelle brother trio was named Trevor.
32. Vern
This name is the diminutive shape of the name Vernon, which came from a Norman surname. The actual root though is ‘vern’, a Gaulish word which means alder. No guesses about who made this name popular, celebrated French author Jules Verne, who wrote several science-fiction novels such as Around the World in Eighty Days.
33. Wade
This name originated from an English surname which means ford. Some people opine that this name came from another word which means to go. Famous basketball player Dwayne Wade and Australian cricketer Matthew Wade bear this name.
34. Warren
At first, this name was used to signify any inhabitant of La Varenne in Normandy. Later it was found that the name has its roots in the German language and came from the French word ‘warrene’ which means a place where animals are enclosed. Two very powerful and successful men from different eras bore this name, English General Warren Hastings and one of the richest persons in the world, investment icon Warren Buffet.
35. Zeb
This name originated from the Hebrew language. It is a short form of Zebedee or Zebediah which means a part of God. It is quite a unique cowboy name for your little boy.
Discover More Names
When you have to choose a name for your baby, a few hundreds of names may not be just enough. Keep digging our mine of baby names until you find that one precious gem.
Names suggest a lot about a child’s personality, family culture, and parents’ preferences. Naming a child can be exciting and tedious at the same time. While you may be thrilled about giving a name to your child that they will carry for their life, you may also find it challenging to look for a suitable name that complements them. If you are inspired by movies and novels and find cowboys fascinating, it will be a good idea to have cowboy names for your baby. Names such as Ashley, Austin, and Graham sound interesting. Explore the list and check which names inspire you.
Key Pointers
- Cowboy names often draw inspiration from nature, animals, and the rugged cowboy lifestyle.
- Select a name with a meaningful connotation and pleasing sound that aligns with your preferences.
- Common and prominent cowboy names include Ashley, Toby, Hayden, and Roy.
Southwestern-inspired cowboy baby names have a distinct charm. This video shows some of the coolest names with their meanings and spellings.
