These Neo-Cowboy Names for Boys Are Adventurous Fresh
If you’re preparing to say “Howdy, partner” to a new baby boy any time soon, you’ve probably spent hours combing through baby names – so you may not be surprised to know that cowboy names are an up-and-coming trend. But we’re not talking about dusting off the old-school cowboy names like Roy and Billy and Amos. The new crop of cowboy baby names — often referred to as neo-Western or neo-cowboy — are edgy and masculine, rugged and bold.
These neo-cowboy baby names are at least in part inspired by the popularity of shows like Yellowstone, Outer Range, Longmire, 1883, and The Abandons, and the obsession with all things (not-so-old) Western doesn’t show signs of slowing any time soon. If there’s any doubt about how much of an impact pop culture — TV series especially — has on baby names, look no further than Game of Thrones for an example. When the show debuted in 2011, the name Arya was at #714 out of the top 1000 most popular baby names, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration’s database. But by the end of the show in 2019? Arya had skyrocketed all the way up to #92.
The adventurous spirit and confident swagger of the Old West lives on in these neo-cowboy baby names, but they feel decidedly more fresh than the cowboy names of the 1950s Western dramas. Try on a few for size — and hopefully you’ll find a name that fits your baby boy like a perfectly broken-in pair of boots.
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Bronson
Bronson is an English surname-turned-first-name meaning “Brown’s son” or “son of the brown one.” It’s a ruggedly masculine name with a take-no-prisoners attitude.
Sterling
The silver glint of a marshal’s badge or a buckle — that’s what comes to mind when we think of Sterling, as in sterling silver. The word “sterling” means high-quality, excellent, or valuable, and comes from the Old English word for “star.”
Ransom
“Ransom” is a word meaning money paid in exchange for the release of something … or someone. It comes from the Old French word ran?on, which means “redemption.”
Wyatt
Born in 1848, Wyatt Earp was one of history’s most notorious lawmen, and his shootout at the OK Corral is the stuff of legends. The name Wyatt is another one that’s derived from a surname: oddly enough, Wigheard, meaning “battle hardy.”
Jace
While Jason (meaning “healer”) has a decidedly ’80s vibe these days, it’s diminutive — Jace — has a cowboy feel, thanks to its use in a 1950s western TV series called Tales of the Texas Rangers and its main character, Jace Pearson.
Riggs
A perfect example of a surname-turned-first-name, Riggs stems from the surname Rigg, which means “lives near the ridge.” If you want to add a little more “oomph,” the similar name Briggs is always an option!
Remington
The origins of this name come from the English surname Rimington, indicating someone who lived in the settlement on the banks of a stream called Riming. But its association with neo-cowboy baby names comes from Eliphalet Remington, who founded the famed rifle manufacterer Remington Arms — which still exists today — in 1816.
Boone
Calling to mind images of famous frontiersman Daniel Boone, this name — obviously — is also a surname. It comes from the Old French bon, meaning “good.”
Quade
While its associations with the Wild West aren’t exactly direct, Quade — derived from a surname possibly meaning “powerful army” — still fits in so well with the neo-cowboy name aesthetic. It can be seen as a modern variation of traditional cowboy names like Wade or Clay, a fresh and updated take on the classics.
Laramie
This name has a double-layered association with cowboy culture! Most obviously, it’s a well-known city in Wyoming, a state known for, among other things, its rodeos (its state nickname is literally “The Cowboy State”). The second association? Laramie is derived from the surname of Jacques LaRamie, a frontiersman and explorer.
Judson
Sources can’t seem to agree whether this name of Old English origin means “son of Judah” or “son of Jordan,” but either way, it’s a neo-cowboy name we can get behind. Plus, the nickname “Judd” is equally strong.
Destry
Destry is a popular cowboy name that is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. The name itself is derived from the French surname Destrier, which means “war horse.” The 1930 novel Destry Rides Again by Max Brand was made into two later film adaptations.
Waylon
We have famous country singer Waylon Jennings to thank for this variation — because his name was originally Wayland! It comes from the Old English name Weland, which is possibly derived from the Germanic root word wīl? meaning “crafty” or “cunning,” though some sources say it means “land beside the road.”
Nash
You can’t think of Nashville without thinking of cowboy hats, and you can’t think of Nash without thinking of Nashville — so this name fits right in. It’s actually a surname derived from the Old English phrase atten ash, meaning “at the ash tree.”
Reno
Reno, Nevada is arguably one of the most famous towns to capture that pioneering Old West spirit — which is why this name is on our list. In the late 1840s and early 1850s, it was the preferred crossing for people looking to capitalize on the California gold rush. Officially established in 1868 when the railroad came to town, it was also one of the first gambling destinations.
Jameson
The meaning of this one is fairly straightforward: it means “son of James.” But its masculine air and association with a certain famous whiskey gives it a perfectly rugged feel.
Jude
We’ll admit it: there’s no discernible reason why Jude fits so perfectly into the category of neo-cowboy baby names, but it just does. It’s got a serious air, and maybe the association comes indirectly from Jude Law’s character in the neo-Western Cold Mountain (though his name in the movie wasn’t Jude; it was W.P. Inman, which is decidedly less cowboy-ish). In any case, we love the way it sounds, and it’s a historical name meaning “the praised one,” so you can’t get much better than that.
Weston
You can’t get any more literal about the Wild West than the name Weston, which is a surname meaning “west town!”
Wells
From the Middle English wille, Wells was a surname used to refer to someone who lived by — you guessed it — a well. So what’s that have to do with cowboy culture? The Wells Fargo stagecoaches, of course! They were a symbol of the American West, sometimes referred to as “the Amazon of the Old West” — hauling goods and carrying gold and silver, making them a prime target for bandits.
Dutton
This surname (derived from the Old English dun and tun, meaning “hill” and “enclosure,” respectively) has gained popularity as a first name thanks to the hit show Yellowstone and its prequel series 1883, which follows the Dutton family — a sixth generation of powerful ranchers.
Royal
Royal may sound like, well, a name fit for the aristocracy — but did you know it actually has deep roots in the cowboy category too? Actor Royal Dano was in multiple Western movies throughout the 1950s, making him (and his name!) synonymous with the genre. Now — perhaps in homage to that — Royal Abbott is a character in the popular neo-Western series Outer Range, bringing this name to everyone’s attention once again.
Wilder
Wilder has been on a steady incline up the popularity charts, and for good reason: it’s an adventurous, energetic name that evokes thoughts of – well, the wild. Also, it doesn’t hurt that it’s synonymous with the spirit of the quintessential pioneer family immortalized by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Steele
Steele is an elemental name that’s about as strong and bold as you can get. Not only is it giving cowboy, it’s giving romance novel cowboy.
Justice
This name packs a popularity double-whammy: it’s not only a neo-cowboy baby name, it’s a virtue name too, which are also hot right now. And when we talk about justice, of course the West comes to mind — after all, isn’t that what all the cowboy vigilantes are always seeking?
Ennis
We have another Yellowstone-prequel character to thank for the popularity of this one: young cowboy Ennis, who is hired to safeguard a caravan traveling from Fort Worth to Oregon. The name itself actually has roots in the Gaelic inis, meaning “island.”
Wylie
Whether you spell it Wylie or Wiley, can’t you just hear it in that irresistable cowboy drawl? There are even a couple of famous country singers by this name: Wiley Walker, and Wylie Gustafson of “Wylie & the Wild West.” For its origins, this is a place name — most likely the name of someone who lived by the River Wylye.
Rhett
Ever since the days of Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind, the name Rhett has held a dashing, sweep-you-off-your-feet charm. Add to that the pop-culture references — country crooner Rhett Akins and his son (also a country singer) Thomas Rhett, and Yellowstone character Rhett Abbott — and this name fits right in. It comes from the Dutch raet, meaning “advice” or “counsel.”
Maverick
The name Maverick might make you think of Top Gun — but its roots lie with 19th-century Texas rancher Samuel A. Maverick, who refused to brand his cattle. Since then, the name has become synonymous with a free thinker with an independent and rebellious spirit.
Zeb
Is it short for Zebulon? Is it short for Zebedee? Is it short for Zebediah? It doesn’t have to be — because Zeb is a perfectly good name all on its own. It’s less stodgy-sounding than its longer forms, with a youthful energy befitting any hardworking cowboy.
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