80 Boy Names That Mean Brave

There's a particular kind of hope in choosing a name that means brave. You're not predicting anything — you're naming something you'd like them to carry.

Eighty names below, all meaning brave, bold, courageous or fearless, grouped by where they come from. Meanings and origins throughout, plus a short section at the end on virtue names if you'd rather be direct about it.

The classics

1. Andrew — Greek, "manly, brave"
2. Bernard — Germanic, "brave as a bear"
3. Richard — Germanic, "powerful, brave ruler"
4. Everett — Germanic, "brave as a wild boar"
5. Wyatt — English, "brave in war"
6. Leonard — Germanic, "brave lion"
7. Howard — Germanic, "brave heart"
8. Baldwin — Germanic, "brave friend"
9. Archibald — Germanic, "genuine and bold"
10. Barnard — variant of Bernard, same bear-brave root
11. Reynard — Germanic, "strong counsel," the bold fox of folklore
12. Meyer — Germanic, "bright, famous," often read as bold
13. Eberhard — Germanic, "brave boar"
14. Burke — Germanic, "fortified"
15. Conrad — Germanic, "bold counsel"

Irish and Celtic

16. Kane — Irish, "little battler"
17. Conall — Irish, "strong wolf"
18. Cathal — Irish, "battle rule"
19. Ronan — Irish, long linked to fierce protectors
20. Fearghal — Irish, "man of valour"
21. Niall — Irish, "champion"
22. Cormac — Irish, "charioteer," a name of legendary kings
23. Aidan — Irish, "little fire"
24. Brody — Scottish, "ditch, muddy place" — carried by bold clans
25. Duncan — Scottish, "dark warrior"
26. Callan — Irish, "battle, rock"
27. Owen — Welsh, "young warrior"
28. Griffith — Welsh, "strong lord"
29. Bran — Welsh, "raven," a giant king in myth
30. Emrys — Welsh, "immortal"

Norse and Germanic

31. Gunnar — Norse, "bold warrior"
32. Thor — Norse god of thunder
33. Erik — Norse, "eternal ruler"
34. Leif — Norse, "heir, descendant" — the explorer's name
35. Sigurd — Norse, "guardian of victory"
36. Rollo — Norse, "famous wolf"
37. Halden — Norse, "half Dane"
38. Ivar — Norse, "archer, warrior"
39. Arne — Norse, "eagle"
40. Frode — Norse, "wise and clever"

Latin and Romance languages

41. Leonardo — Latin/Italian, "brave lion"
42. Valentino — Latin, "strong, healthy"
43. Ricardo — Spanish form of Richard, "brave ruler"
44. Audie — Latin-rooted, "noble strength"
45. Fortunato — Italian, "lucky, blessed"
46. Bravo — Spanish/Italian word name, used outright
47. Cesare — Italian form of Caesar
48. Dante — Italian, "enduring"
49. Marco — Italian, "of Mars"
50. Ardent — Latin-rooted virtue name, "burning with feeling"

Hebrew and Arabic

51. Gabriel — Hebrew, "God is my strength"
52. Ariel — Hebrew, "lion of God"
53. Amos — Hebrew, "strong, carried"
54. Caleb — Hebrew, "whole-hearted, faithful"
55. Ari — Hebrew, "lion"
56. Aziz — Arabic, "powerful, beloved"
57. Faris — Arabic, "knight, horseman"
58. Hamza — Arabic, "steadfast, lion"
59. Asad — Arabic, "lion"
60. Jasur — Arabic/Uzbek, "brave"

Names from further afield

61. Kenzo — Japanese, "strong and healthy"
62. Takeshi — Japanese, "fierce, warrior"
63. Isamu — Japanese, "brave, courageous"
64. Ronin — Japanese, a masterless samurai
65. Dhairya — Sanskrit, "courage, patience"
66. Veer — Sanskrit, "brave, heroic"
67. Vikram — Sanskrit, "valour"
68. Ganesh — Sanskrit, remover of obstacles
69. Bogdan — Slavic, "gift of God," borne by bold rulers
70. Vladimir — Slavic, "ruler of the world"

Modern and virtue names

71. Valor — English virtue name, used outright
72. Braver / Brave — English, occasionally used as-is
73. Bold — English word name, rare but striking as a middle
74. Ryker — Danish, "rich," modern and hard-edged
75. Titus — Latin, "title of honour"
76. Maverick — English, "independent, unbranded"
77. Rogue — English word name, for the bold
78. Legend — English word name, increasingly used
79. Zephyr — Greek, the west wind
80. True — English virtue name, quiet courage

A thought on naming for a trait

A name that means brave isn't a prediction, and it isn't pressure — most kids never look up their own meaning until they're about nine, and then only once. What it really is is a small note you leave for yourself about what you were hoping for on the day they arrived. That's a good enough reason on its own.

More lists: 150 strong boy names and 110 classic boy names.