Life
11 Badass Baby Names To Ensure Your Kid Is The Coolest One On The Playground
Classic baby names have been on-trend for a while, and are perfectly lovely with their traditional, English countryside, Downton Abbey-like airs. But parents-to-be who are looking for more of a black-leather-jacket, trouble-making, sure-to-be-tattooed kind of vibe will want to explore some badass baby names, whether they’re expecting a boy or a girl. Because make no mistake, these too-cool-for-school monikers aren’t only for boys. There are plenty of really slick badass names that are for girls (or gender-neutral, for that matter).
There are lots of different kinds of bad-boy-or-girl names. Some of them are totally modern, inspired by the ones chosen by our fave celebs. Others harken back to a different time, when being a badass was considered more outrageous. Vintage-y, retro names are popular, but you don’t have to give up your dream of a super-cool name for your baby if you want something traditional, too. The name Dean conjures up slicked-back hair and midnight motorcycle rides, but is a classic, too. Similarly, the flapper-esque Roxy has tons of sass while remaining fetchingly retro.
So with all the different options out there, why would you want a badass name for your baby? Maybe it’s because you want your little one to march to the beat of their own drummer, to embrace their creative spirit, to stand apart from the crowd. Here are eleven possibilities for the baddest baby on the block.
1Axel
Besides just sounding super-cool, Axel has its roots in the form of Guns-n-Roses frontman Axl Rose. Interestingly, the meaning of Axl is father of peace, which is the opposite of badass but still pretty great.
2Blaze
This is a name for girls or boys that, just like Axel, has a connotation that doesn’t match its meaning. It sounds hot, fiery, combustible. But Blaze actually means one who stutters. Interesting.
3Maddox
We all know why this name is badass, and don’t say it’s because it ends with an X (although that’s pretty cool in and of itself). Angelina Jolie named her first child Maddox, and let’s just say it had a magical effect on the popularity of the name.
4Rebel
Rebel is thought of as a girl’s name (thank you, hilarious comedian Rebel Wilson) but it seems like it could work for either gender. The word rebel means someone who rises up against the masses, and brings to mind the ferocity of Katniss Everdeen or James Dean.
5Dean
When it comes to honoring the individuality and bad-boy awesomeness of James Dean, you could just go with his surname Dean, which means having lived near a valley.
6Rogue
The meaning of the word rogue refers to a man who is a major troublemaker, ranging from mischief to downright lawlessness. But the name really makes us think of the badass Marvel female superhero Rogue.
7Cassius
The knockout power of the name Cassius owes completely to famed professional boxer and cultural icon Muhammed Ali, who was born Cassius Marcellus Clay.
8Ruby
Ruby is a gem of a super-cool girl’s name, especially when you consider the bad-girl star power of Orange is the New Black star Ruby Rose, who is also a model, DJ, and recording artist.
9Darby
If you’re looking for a seriously hardcore gender-neutral name, look no farther than Darby. Darby Crash was famously the frontman for punk rock band the Germs, although the meaning of the name Darby is the relatively peaceful-sounding deer town.
10Ryder
Ryder is another one of those names that sounds super badass (like a race car driver, right?) even if the meaning of the name Ryder means messenger. Of course, the name has tripled in popularity after Kate Hudson gave it to her firstborn in 2004.
11Roxy
Would you mess with a little girl named Roxy? I didn't think so. The name means dawn and bright, and has a definitively tough, sassy vibe.
