Picking out a baby’s name can be so challenging! It is interesting how you can sometimes tell your baby’s personality even before they are born and sometimes, your baby just needs a tough name!
I have scoured the internet to find 85 powerful and tough names for boys and girls!
What makes a tough name for baby boys or girls?
Tough names usually have a strong meaning or are inspired by a strong historical figure. If you are considering using a tough name for your baby, you definitely want to look at the meaning!
Why should you choose a tough name for your baby?
You should use choose a tough name for your baby because it sets the tone for their life. If you think about it, children can be mean especially with names.
If you choose a tough name for your child, it can boost their confidence in childhood and beyond in their professional lives.
Tips for Choosing a Tough Baby Name
If you are in the midst of naming your baby or have named a baby in the past, you know what a challenge it can be! Here are some tips on choosing a tough baby name!
- Look at the meaning of the names you are considering
- Make a list of no’s and maybe’s
- Consider all of the potential nicknames
- Can you imagine the name in all stages of life?
- If it is a popular name, are you okay with that?
The biggest advice is to ignore what others think or have to say about names you are considering or choose. It’s such a personal decision for you and your family so don’t let any other outside influencers change your mind.
Once you have it narrowed down to 2-4 first and middle names, I suggest picking one name per week during your pregnancy, and referring to your baby as that name.
Every time you talk about “the baby,” call him by that name. When you refer to his nursery or his movements in your belly, call him by that name.
At the end of that week, change it to another name. Do this for several weeks with your top choices to see which name sticks and feels the most genuine to you. Once you start actually referring to your baby as this name, you will feel even more of a connection to him.
Once you decide on your baby boy’s name, how adorable are these nursery wall signs from Hickory Hollow Designs? An absolutely gorgeous way to display your little one’s name above their crib or any space you can find in their nursery.
Just Simply Mom’s Top Choices for Tough Baby Names
These are some of my favorite “tough” names for your little one. While some of these names might not strike you as being a tough name by hearing it, the true meaning behind the word actually does mean tough.
Hope this list inspires you during your pregnancy journey!
Related Post: 74 Emo Names for Baby Girls & Boys
Top 5 Tough Boy Names
1. Aaron- means mountain of strength
2. Dustin- means brave fighter
3. Liam- means strong-willed warrior and protector
4. Wyatt- means brave
5. Ryan- means king
Top 5 Tough Girl Names
6. Emersyn- means brave and powerful
7. Lenna- means lion’s strength
8. Kendra- means enthusiastic power or wise ruler
9. Carla- means one who possesses strength
10. Casey- means brave
Tough Girl Names Meaning “Strong”
11. Audrey- means noble or strength
12. Imara- means strong or strong-willed
13. Valeria- originates from Spanish meaning strong
14. Everette- originated from Old English meaning strong
15. Ailia- meaning from a strong place
Tough Boy Names Meaning “Strong”
16. Ethan- has Hebrew roots meaning strong
17. Jedrek– means strong and manly (Jed would be a cute nickname!)
18. Everett- means strong-willed warrior
19. Oscar- means divine strength
20. Garrett- strong ruler with a spear
Tough Girl Names Inspired by Women In (or making) History
21. Amelia- means work. Inspired by Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator who flew solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The other is Amelia Boynton Robinson, the Civil Rights Leader.
22. Emily- means rival. Inspired by Emily Dickenson, the renowned poet of the 19th century.
23. Sandra- means man’s defender. Inspired by the Former Associate Justice of the US, Sandra Day O’Connor.
24. Victoria- means victory. Inspired by multiple Queens of England as well as a leader of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Victoria Woodhull.
25. Alice- means noble. Inspired by Alice Paul, an iconic figure who led the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
Tough Boy Names Inspired By History
26. Alexander- means defender of men. Inspired by Alexander the Great, an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history’s greatest military minds.
27. Albert- means noble. Inspired by Albert Einstein, the theoretical physicist.
28. William- means strong-willed warrior. Inspired by William Shakespeare, an English playwright, poet, and actor from the late 16th century.
29. Vincent- means to conquer. Inspired by Vincent van Gogh, a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter from the late 19th century.
30. Arthur- means strong man. Inspired by King Arthur of 6th century England
Tough Girl Names from Mythology
31. Bridget- means strength or exalted one. Bridget is the simpler Irish version of the name of the goddess of fire
32. Hera- means protectress. Hera was the queen of the Greek pantheon.
33. Freya- means a noble woman. Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
34. Athena- means goddess of wisdom. Athena was the greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage.
35. Artemis- means butcher. Artemis was the greek goddess of the moon, hunting, and chastity.
Tough Boy Names from Mythology
36. Perseus- means destroyer. Perseus was the son of Zeus and defeated the Medusa.
37. Conall- means strong wolf. Conall Cearnach was the Irish legendary hero who fought to avenge the death of his foster brother Cuchalainn.
38. Cadmus- means one who excels. Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet.
39. Ara- means king. Ara was a king in Armenian mythology so handsome that a rival queen went to war in order to make him her own.
40. Taranis- means thunder. Taranis was the Celtic god of thunder.
Tough Baby Girl Names that are Beautifully Unique
41. Arwen- means noble maiden
42. Nora- means honor
43. Cassandra- means defender
44. Finley- means fair warrior
45. Sasha- means defender
Tough, Strong, and Unique Baby Boy Names
46. Donner- means a dark warrior whose strength is like thunder
47. Aiden- means little fire
48. Hudson- means brave ruler
49. Maverick- means independent
50. Ewan- means warrior who is young
Tough Baby Girl Names Inspired by Literary/Movie Characters
51. Eloise- means warrior maiden. Eloise is the title character of the children’s book series Eloise by Kay Thompson.
52. Harriet- means ruler of the household. Harriet is the title character in Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh.
53. Ada- means noble woman. Ada is a character in Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.
54. Arya- means noble or truth. Arya is a character in Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.
55. Matilda- means mighty warrior. Matilda is the title character in Matilda by Roald Dahl.
Tough Baby Boy Names Inspired by Literary/Movie Characters
56. Harry- means commander. Harry is the title character from the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
57. Lennie- means lion-hearted. Lennie is a character from Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
58. Max- means greatest. Max is the main character in Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.
59. Conrad- means bold. Conrad is a character from Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare.
60. Aragorn- means noble valor. Aragorn is a character from the Lord of the Rings series by J. R. R. Tolkien
Baby Girl Names that mean “strong-willed”
61. Imari- Swahili in origin
62. Isana- German in origin
63 Minka- Polish in origin
64. Wilma- German in origin
65. Cornelia- Irish in origin
Baby Boy names that mean “strong-willed”
66. Connor- Irish in origin
67. Tiergan- Irish in origin
68. Warrick- English in origin
69. Andres- Scandinavian in origin
70. Harvey- French in origin
Tough Names that can be Unisex
71. Landry- meaning ruler
72. Harlow- means army
73. Kyler- means a protector of people and good
74. Emery- means brave
75. Caden- means fighter
Tough Warrior Names for Baby Boys
76. Cadel- means warrior
77. Duncan- means battle
78. Clovis- means glorious in battle
79. Gunnar- means war warrior
80. Raymond- means protector
Tough Baby Girl Names You Won’t Want to Miss
81. Adira- means mighty
82. Amira- means commander
83. Keren- means strength
84. Maia- means brave warrior
85. Nikita- means unconquered
Frequently Asked Questions About Tough Baby Names
You may have some questions regarding tough baby names. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions:
When should you use a Tough Baby Name?
As parents, we have this unique sense of being able to tell a bit about our baby’s personality from inside the womb. There is no right or wrong instance to use a tough baby name, but rather go with a name that you feel will represent your baby well!
Can baby girls have tough names?
Absolutely! There are so many strong political and historical female figures with tough baby names! Girls are strong and resilient!
Can you use names on this list for either gender?
Yes, there are some gender-neutral names on the list for you to consider! I love it when people take a more “boy” type name and use it for little girls!
The naming phase can be hard, and sometimes you may not even make the final decision until your sweet babe has made it to earth side! What are your favorite tough baby names? Did I miss any?
Let me know in the comments below!