
@kpirela via Twenty20
Babies may be tiny and need adult love and care, but they're actually incredibly resilient little things. Take the world's smallest surviving baby for instance. That's tough. Some babies endure so much in their first days, months, even years in life. NICU babies are so special for so many reasons. Though many babies may already be named before they face their battles, some parents might want to wait before giving their child a name that suits him or her.
Strength is a quality that's highly regarded in our culture. So even if a baby doesn't face a battle straight away, everyone needs to be strong at some point in life. Whatever the reason for having this quality in mind for a name, there are tons of options out there for parents looking to name their child with strength in mind.
Look to strong people in history for inspiration, specifically strong women. Or, think about names that simply have the connotation of strength. And that strength can be a lot of things: being physically strong, but also being strong in convictions and spirit. We decided to find names that literally or closely mean strength or strong. Some are masculine, some are feminine, while others are gender neutral. And the cool part is that they all have diverse origins and historical references or uses.
In research, it was discovered Hebrew drew from the idea of strength for many words and names. But there's also Spanish, Latin, Greek, and Japanese origins included as well. Take a look at the name options below and see which ones stands out the most. Hopefully the name will be a self-fulling prophecy for the babies as they go through life with the strength of their namesakes. And no matter what, it'll mean something to mom and dad, who are strong for raising a child in the first place. That is no easy feat.
-
ETHAN
1iStock/MatsuringoEthan is traditionally a boys' name that means "strong," "safe," "firm." It has Hebrew origins and is the name of several notable famous folks, including Ethan Hawke and Ethan Allen.
-
MAX
2iStock/mvaligurskyMax, which is often short for Maximus or Maximilian, means "greatest," or someone that comes out on top. This, in our opinion, takes a lot of strength. According to Nameberry, stars including Christina Aguilera, Cynthia Nixon, Charlie Sheen, and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have named their children an iteration of Max.
-
LIAM
3iStock/PJ_joeThe name Liam can be linked to the meaning "strong-willed." It's a form of William, of Irish origin, and it's popular -- the No. 1 baby name in 2019, according to Baby Center.
-
ALEXANDER
4iStock/miodrag ignjatovicThe name Alexander has origins in Greece and actually two words into one: "It's composed of the elements alexein (to defend, to help) and andros (man): hence, “defender or helper of mankind.” It makes sense Alexander the Great would be, well, great.
-
EKON
5@WanderlustBKK via Twenty20The word Ekon stems from Nigerian and means "strong." It's a traditional African baby name, typically for a boy. We love the way it rolls off the tongue. The power of the name can be heard as soon as it is uttered.
-
KWAN
6iStock/BirdlandKwan is of Korean origin and means "strong." The singular syllable makes for a short name, but one that commands power. A little boy who was born a fighter would be perfect for this name.
-
NERON
7iStock/manonallardOne might recognize the name "Neron" from DC Comics, though he technically is a villain, the name isn't evil itself. It's a Spanish name that translates to "strong" as well and may be a reason it's a name popularized in the superhero world.
-
BRIDGET
8iStock/pekkakAnother name of Irish or Gaelic origin, Bridget means "strength or exalted one." According to Behind the Name, Bridget is derived from the Irish Brighid, "In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda."
-
AARON
9iStock/@5byseven via Twenty20Aaron is another name with a Hebrew origin that means "high mountain" or "strong mountain." A famous Aaron was the man who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, Aaron Burr.
-
EVERETTE
10iStock/miodrag ignjatovicEverette, the surname, derives from the last name Eberhart which means "wild boar and brave, hardy, or strong," according to House of Names. It's a gender neutral name, and can be spelled Everett as well. "Evey" is a super cute nickname for a girl with the name Everette.
-
GRIFFIN
11@kpirela via Twenty20 -
VALENTINA
12@christine_harris via Twenty20Coming from Latin, Valentina means "strong, vigorous, and powerful." Actress Salma Hayek and Instagram influencer Sazan both named their daughters Valentina.
-
AUDREY
13@ScarlettBleyPhotography via Twenty20 -
BRIANNA
14iStock/lakshmiprasad SA form of the name "Brian," the name Brianna is supposedly of Celtic origin and means "strength." Other meanings include "virtuous" and "honorable." For little fighters, we couldn't think of a more fitting name.
-
PHILOMENA
15@nadia.saleh_ via Twenty20The name Philomena is said to have come from "a young third-century Italian martyr whose bones were found in the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome in 1802." Now, the Greek name is said to mean "lover of strength."
-
ADIRA
16iStock/encrierAdira is a Hebrew name that means "strong, noble, powerful." According to The Bump, it's been steadily rising in popularity since the '90s, and has a super elegant sound to it for a little girl
-
TAKESHI
17iStock/x-reflexnajaThe name Takeshi is all over the news with rapper Takeshi69 in the spotlight. It's a Japanese word that means "strong" and "healthy," and may really speak to a mom looking to name her little fighter who is going through some health issues.
-
VALENCIA
18iStock/FatCameraValencia is a city in Spain, but it also means "strong" and "healthy." It was most popular in 1969 and 1970, and even sounds like something you'd name a fierce, protective warrior.
-
ISA
19iStock/FatCameraThe name Isa may be short in its appearance, but large in meaning. It means "strength" and has German and Persian origins, and is great for moms looking for a short and simple yet poetic sounding name. -
LENNA
20iStock/OndroooLenna dipped in popularity over the last few decades, but has slowly and surely been inching back up. Its meaning: "Lion's strength," which is something all NICU babies (and their mamas) have inside them!
-
ETAN
21Unsplash/Sharon McCutcheonA Late Latin named derived from Hebrew, Etan means "strength, firmness, long-lived." The name also comes from the Bible when a wise man was surpassed in wisdom by Solomon.
-
IMALA
22Unsplash/Carlos Martinez -
WARRICK
23Unsplash/Rainier Ridao -
MILLICENT
24iStock/stock_colorsAlthough Millicent has dropped in popularity in the aughts, we think it has real potential for a comeback. Composed of roots that mean "work" and "strength" the name comes from an obsolete Old German name Amalswinth.
-
EZEKIEL
25iStock/FatCameraOne of the most popular names of 2017, Ezekiel means "God strengthens." It come from the Bible via a prophet whose ministry lasted more than 23 years. Zeke makes for a cute nickname or variation.
-
ALSIE
26 -
BARRETT
27iStock/Anchiy -
VEDA
28Unsplash/Ignacio Campo -
MIKA
29iStock/SeventyFourA unisex name that works for boys and girls, Mika is a Hebrew name that means "Who is like God." Mika was the archangel in the Bible who was closest to God and was responsible for carrying out God's judgments.
-
GAVI
30iStock/Orbon AlijaThe origin of the name Gabrielle, Gavi is the feminine form of Gabriel. Derived from Hebrew, the name means "God is my strength," the male form, Gabriel, comes from the Bible and was the herald of good news.
-
AIMILIOS
31iStock/FatCamera -
GESINE
32iStock/AleMoraes244Gesine is the origin of the name Gertrude and is derived from the Old High German Geretrudis. Compounded of the elements for "spear," "maiden, dear," and "strength," Gesine is a fresh take on a "grandma name."
-
ARNE
33iStock/Wavebreakmedia -
SAGE
34iStock/HemantMandot -
BERNARD
35iStock/JulieanneBirchThis is a bear-y cute name in our opinion. Bernard comes from the Old High German Berinhard and means "bold as a bear." (Get it?) The name was most popular in the 1920s but we think this name has a lot of nickname potential and parents might like its old-school charm.
-
BIDU
36iStock/onebluelight -
SWITHUN
37iStock/staticnak1983 -
TRUDY
38iStock/RuslanDashinsky -
UZI
39iStock/ArtMarie -
TETSU
40iStock/GrapeImages -
Pin It!
41