Names that mean warrior
Battle words fill old Germanic names: hild ("battle") in Hilda, ger ("spear") in Gerald and Gerard, heri ("army") in Harold and Herbert, and hlud-wig ("famous in battle") in Louis and Louise. Irish Murphy ("sea warrior") and Hawaiian Koa ("brave, warrior") add their own.
Girl names (12)
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reese | ardor (Welsh Rhys) | Welsh | #192 |
| Murphy | descendant of Murchadh, 'sea warrior' (Irish surname) | Irish | #397 |
| Matilda | might + battle | Germanic | #365 |
| Edith | wealth + war | English | #499 |
| Louise | famous in battle (feminine of Louis) | Germanic | #516 |
| Arlette | from Herleva (Germanic 'army') | Germanic | #494 |
| Louisa | famous warrior (Latinized feminine of Louis) | Germanic | #697 |
| Tilly | pet form of Matilda (might + battle) | Germanic | #885 |
| Hilda | "battle" | Germanic | #3,007 |
| Maude | form of Matilda; "mighty in battle" | Germanic | #3,367 |
| Gertrude | spear + strength (or maiden) | Germanic | #6,632 |
| Trudy | pet form of Gertrude | Germanic | #5,225 |
Boy names (26)
| Name | Meaning | Origin | Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyatt | from Wigheard: war + hardy | English | #38 |
| Ryder | rider, mounted warrior (surname) | English | #133 |
| Luis | famous in battle (Spanish form of Louis) | Germanic | #144 |
| Finley | fair warrior (from Gaelic Fionnlagh) | Scottish | #333 |
| Louis | famous in battle | Germanic | #249 |
| Walter | ruler of the army | Germanic | #252 |
| Koa | brave, bold; warrior; koa tree (Hawaiian) | Hawaiian | #269 |
| Rhys | ardor, fiery warrior | Welsh | #412 |
| Gunner | English | #506 | |
| Edgar | wealth + spear | English | #486 |
| Lewis | famous in battle | Germanic | #433 |
| Garrett | spear + strong (from Gerard) | Germanic | #564 |
| Armando | army man, warrior (Germanic, via French Armand) | Germanic | #556 |
| Gerardo | brave spear (Spanish/Italian Gerard) | Germanic | #678 |
| Louie | pet form of Louis or Louise | Germanic | #596 |
| Roger | famous spear (Germanic) | Germanic | #834 |
| Harold | army ruler | English | #993 |
| Gary | spear (from names in Gar-/Ger-) | Germanic | #1,073 |
| Rogelio | form of Roger; "famous spear" | Germanic | #1,163 |
| Gerald | spear rule | Germanic | #1,206 |
| Luther | "people" + "army" | Germanic | #1,464 |
| Gerard | "spear" + "strong" | Germanic | #1,713 |
| Earl | nobleman (title) | English | #2,236 |
| Herbert | bright army | Germanic | #2,656 |
| Herman | army man, warrior | Germanic | #2,368 |
| Jerald | variant of Gerald; "spear rule" | Germanic | #4,081 |
How names get on this list
Our editors read each name's documented etymology and tag a theme only when the roots of the name carry that meaning. Popular explanations without support (folk etymologies) don't count, and names whose origin is uncertain are left out unless every explanation agrees. The list covers the roughly 2,000 most used names we have researched so far, ordered by the number of US babies in the last five years. How we research meanings.