104 Best Heroic Names That You'll Love

Megan Wynne
Dec 12, 2023 By Megan Wynne
Originally Published on Aug 12, 2020
Edited by Sarah Hallam
Little girls and boys dressed as superheroes
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Age: 0-99
Read time: 16.9 Min

Picking a name for your new baby that's modern and timeless is a difficult decision.

If you're on the search for a baby name that's unique and has strong and powerful connections in language and history, this is the list for you!

These heroic names are based on popular role models in society, people who changed the world for the better as well as character names from mythology and ancient stories and baby names that have deep hero-related meaning. We have collected the top hero names for both boys and girls and unisex options.

Everyone better watch out, there's a new hero arriving that's going to change the world!

Boy Names

Two boys dressed and posing as superheroes

Here is a list of the top modern and classic hero names for your new baby. Take a look at these boy names for some inspiration and ideas for what to call your little prince.

Heroic Role Models

The following boy names are taken from popular male role models throughout history. From Albert Einstein to Elvis Presley, all of these men made their mark on the world, perhaps your new baby boy will share one of these hero names with an influential figure.

1) Alan (Celtic): meaning "harmony", "stone" or "noble". Alan Turing was famous for cracking the Enigma Code.

2) Albert (English): meaning "noble" or "bright". Albert Einstein discovered the Theory of Relativity.

3) Barack (Swahili): meaning "blessing". Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States of America.

4) Benjamin (Hebrew): meaning "son of my right hand". Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of America.

5) Elvis (Scandinavian): meaning "all wise". Elvis Presley was an extremely popular singer, referred to as "The King of Rock and Roll".

6) Ernest (Germanic): meaning "serious". Ernest Hemingway was a famous American author.

7) Leonardo (Latin): meaning "lion brave". Leonardo Da Vinci was a famous Italian inventor and artist.

8) Malcolm (Scottish): meaning "follower of St. Columbia". Malcolm X was a leading civil rights advocate in America.

9) Muhammad (Arabic): meaning "praised". Muhammad Ali was a famous boxer and civil rights activist.

10) Nelson (English): meaning "son of Neil". Nelson Mandela was the President of South Africa and an anti-apartheid advocate.

11) Stephen (Greek): meaning "crown wreath". Stephen Hawking was a British theoretical physicist.

12) Usain (Arabic): meaning "beautiful". Usain Bolt is the fastest sprinter of all time.

13) Vincent (Latin): meaning "to conquer". Vincent Van Gogh was a famous Dutch painter.

14) Walter (Germanic): meaning "ruler of the army". Walt Disney was a  film producer who founded Disney Pictures.

Historical Heroes

These noble, heroic names come straight from the history books. The following legendary figures are heroes in history and mythology, maybe one of these boy names will be the one you choose for your new arrival.

15) Achilles (Greek): meaning "pain". A famous Greek soldier who fought in the Trojan War.

16) Alexander (Greek): meaning "defender, protector of man". Alexander the Great created one of the biggest Empires in history.

17) Ajax (Greek): meaning "eagle". Soldier who fought in the Trojan War in Greek mythology.

18) Alric (German): meaning "ruler of all". Ancient King who plundered Rome.

19) Damon (Greek): meaning "gentle" or "to tame". Figure in Ancient Greek mythology.

20) Griffin (Latin): derived from the word gryphon, referring to a mythical beast that has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.

21) Hector (Greek): meaning "steadfast". Hector famously fought for the Trojans in the Trojan War.

22) Perseus (Greek): meaning "to destroy". Ancient Greek demigod, the son of Zeus.

23) Jason (Greek): meaning "healer". An ancient Greek hero, leader of the Argonauts.

24) Troy (Irish): meaning "foot soldier". Also the location of the Trojan War,

Heroic Names

These popular heroic boy names all have meaning related to power, battles and glory. Perhaps one of these baby names will be the perfect title for your little king.

25) Callan (Scottish): meaning "battle".

26) Cathal (Irish): meaning "battle ruler".

27) Evander (Scottish): meaning "bow wielder" or "strong man".

28) Godric (Old English): meaning "power of God" or "God ruler".

29) Gunnar/Gunner (Scandinavian): meaning "bold warrior".

30) Harry (Old English): meaning "power, ruler".

31) Kane (Celtic): this name has many different meanings in different cultures, in Irish it means "fighter".

32) Koa (Hawaiian): meaning "warrior", "brave" or "fearless one".

33) Louis (French): meaning "famous in battle".

34) Luther (German): meaning "army of the people".

35) Magnus (Latin): meaning "the greatest".

36) Marcus (Latin): meaning "warlike", referring to Mars the Ancient Roman God of War.

37) Maximus (Latin): meaning "the largest" or "the greatest".

38) Michael (Hebrew): meaning "he who is like God".

39) Roman (Latin): deriving from the word romanus, meaning "of Rome".

40) Salvatore (Italian): meaning "saviour".

41) Viggo (Scandinavian): meaning "battle, fight".

Girls Names

Heroic Role Models

The following boy names are taken from popular male role models throughout history. From Albert Einstein to Elvis Presley, all of these men made their mark on the world, perhaps your new baby boy will share one of these hero names with an influential figure.

1) Alan (Celtic): meaning "harmony", "stone" or "noble". Alan Turing was famous for cracking the Enigma Code.

2) Albert (English): meaning "noble" or "bright". Albert Einstein discovered the Theory of Relativity.

3) Barack (Swahili): meaning "blessing". Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States of America.

4) Benjamin (Hebrew): meaning "son of my right hand". Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of America.

5) Elvis (Scandinavian): meaning "all wise". Elvis Presley was an extremely popular singer, referred to as "The King of Rock and Roll".

6) Ernest (Germanic): meaning "serious". Ernest Hemingway was a famous American author.

7) Leonardo (Latin): meaning "lion brave". Leonardo Da Vinci was a famous Italian inventor and artist.

8) Malcolm (Scottish): meaning "follower of St. Columbia". Malcolm X was a leading civil rights advocate in America.

9) Muhammad (Arabic): meaning "praised". Muhammad Ali was a famous boxer and civil rights activist.

10) Nelson (English): meaning "son of Neil". Nelson Mandela was the President of South Africa and an anti-apartheid advocate.

11) Stephen (Greek): meaning "crown wreath". Stephen Hawking was a British theoretical physicist.

12) Usain (Arabic): meaning "beautiful". Usain Bolt is the fastest sprinter of all time.

13) Vincent (Latin): meaning "to conquer". Vincent Van Gogh was a famous Dutch painter.

14) Walter (Germanic): meaning "ruler of the army". Walt Disney was a  film producer who founded Disney Pictures.

Historical Heroes

These noble, heroic names come straight from the history books. The following legendary figures are heroes in history and mythology, maybe one of these boy names will be the one you choose for your new arrival.

15) Achilles (Greek): meaning "pain". A famous Greek soldier who fought in the Trojan War.

16) Alexander (Greek): meaning "defender, protector of man". Alexander the Great created one of the biggest Empires in history.

17) Ajax (Greek): meaning "eagle". Soldier who fought in the Trojan War in Greek mythology.

18) Alric (German): meaning "ruler of all". Ancient King who plundered Rome.

19) Damon (Greek): meaning "gentle" or "to tame". Figure in Ancient Greek mythology.

20) Griffin (Latin): derived from the word gryphon, referring to a mythical beast that has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.

21) Hector (Greek): meaning "steadfast". Hector famously fought for the Trojans in the Trojan War.

22) Perseus (Greek): meaning "to destroy". Ancient Greek demigod, the son of Zeus.

23) Jason (Greek): meaning "healer". An ancient Greek hero, leader of the Argonauts.

24) Troy (Irish): meaning "foot soldier". Also the location of the Trojan War,

Heroic Names

These popular heroic boy names all have meaning related to power, battles and glory. Perhaps one of these baby names will be the perfect title for your little king.

25) Callan (Scottish): meaning "battle".

26) Cathal (Irish): meaning "battle ruler".

27) Evander (Scottish): meaning "bow wielder" or "strong man".

28) Godric (Old English): meaning "power of God" or "God ruler".

29) Gunnar/Gunner (Scandinavian): meaning "bold warrior".

30) Harry (Old English): meaning "power, ruler".

31) Kane (Celtic): this name has many different meanings in different cultures, in Irish it means "fighter".

32) Koa (Hawaiian): meaning "warrior", "brave" or "fearless one".

33) Louis (French): meaning "famous in battle".

34) Luther (German): meaning "army of the people".

35) Magnus (Latin): meaning "the greatest".

36) Marcus (Latin): meaning "warlike", referring to Mars the Ancient Roman God of War.

37) Maximus (Latin): meaning "the largest" or "the greatest".

38) Michael (Hebrew): meaning "he who is like God".

39) Roman (Latin): deriving from the word romanus, meaning "of Rome".

40) Salvatore (Italian): meaning "saviour".

41) Viggo (Scandinavian): meaning "battle, fight".

Girls Names

A girl dressed and posing as superhero

If you're looking for some heroic female names for your new baby girl, here's a list of the top female baby names that are attached to great meaning and history.

Heroic Role Models

The following heroic girls names are taken from popular female role models in modern society along with great figures from history. From Harriet Tubman to Greta Thunberg, this list is full of baby names based on powerful women who have changed the world. Maybe one of these hero names will be the one to suit your baby girl.

42) Ada (Germanic): deriving from Adelaide, meaning "nobility". Ada Lovelace was a pioneer in computer development in the 1800's.

43) Amelia (Latin): meaning "hard working" and "industrious". Amelia Earhart was a famous pilot in the early 1900's.

44) Angela (Latin): meaning "messenger of God". Angela Merkel is the first female chancellor of Germany.

45) Aretha (American): meaning "excellence". Aretha Franklin was a famous soul singer.

46) Greta (German): meaning "pearl". Greta Thunberg is a young environmental activist.

47) Florence (Latin): meaning "flourishing, prosperous". Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing.

48) Harriet (French): meaning "power, ruler". Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist who devoted her life to freeing slaves across the USA.

49) Jane (English): meaning "Gift of God". Jane Goodall is a pioneer in anthropology, famous for her extensive research about chimpanzees.

50) Katherine (Greek): meaning "pure". Katherine Johnson was a mathematician who helped NASA with many important voyages into space.

51) Malala (Arabic): meaning "grief-stricken". Malala Yousafzai is a young Pakistani activist who advocates for women's rights all around the world.

52) Marie (French): meaning "bitter" and "of the sea". Marie Curie won a Nobel Prize for her research about radioactivity and is credited with inventing the X-Ray.

53) Michelle (French): derived from Michael, meaning "he who is like God". Michelle Obama is a powerful American figurehead who advocates for children's rights and education.

54) Ruth (Hebrew): meaning "friend". Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an American Judge on the Supreme Court.  

Historical Heroes

The following good heroic names are from ancient mythology. It's not all about the plundering men, there were some extremely powerful and wise female figures in these ancient stories as well. Maybe your child will share a name with a strong, heroic character from this list.

55) Andromache (Greek): meaning "fighter of men" or "man-battler". Wife of Trojan hero Hector.

56) Andromeda (Greek): meaning "ruler of men". Key figure in Greek mythology who became a constellation.

57) Ariadne (Greek): meaning "most holy". Daughter of King Minos.

58) Artemis (Greek): meaning "butcher". Greek Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon.

59) Callisto (Greek): meaning "most beautiful". Mythological nymph.

60) Circe (Greek): meaning "hawk". Mythological witch.

61) Diana (Indo-European): meaning "supplier of beneficence and wellness". The Roman Goddess of the Hunt.

62) Electra (Greek): meaning "sparkling" or "the fiery sun". Daughter of Agamemnon.

63) Selene (Greek): meaning "moon". Mythological deity of the moon.

64) Valkyrie (Scandinavian): meaning "chooser of the slain". Mythological warriors.

Heroic Names

All of the modern baby names in this list have heroic meanings, from "immortal glory" to "dark battle", one of these epic hero names could be the one to suit your young child.

65) Alosia (German): meaning "famous fighter".

66) Arabella (Latin): meaning "yielding to prayer".

67) Destiny (Latin): meaning "fate".

68) Gloria (Latin): meaning "immortal glory".

69) Halle (Scandinavian): meaning "heroine".

70) Hope (English): meaning "desire of fulfilment".

71) Inga (Scandinavian): meaning "guarded by Ing", Ing being the Norse Goddess of Peace and Fertility.

72) Ingrid (Scandinavian): meaning "Ing is beautiful".

73) Marcella (Italian): meaning "warlike" or "young warrior"

74) Marcia (Latin): meaning "dedicated to Mars".

75) Nadia (Slavic): meaning "hope".

76) Raven (English): meaning "dark-haired" or "wise".

77) Nebula (Latin): meaning "mist", in space a nebula is an interstellar cloud.

78) Nova (Latin): meaning "new", in space a nova is the colourful explosion of a star.

79) Venus (Latin): meaning "love", the Roman Goddess of Love.

80) Zelda (German): meaning "dark battle" or "female warrior".

Unisex Names

Historical Heroes

These noble, heroic names come straight from the history books. The following legendary figures are heroes in history and mythology, maybe one of these boy names will be the one you choose for your new arrival.

15) Achilles (Greek): meaning "pain". A famous Greek soldier who fought in the Trojan War.

16) Alexander (Greek): meaning "defender, protector of man". Alexander the Great created one of the biggest Empires in history.

17) Ajax (Greek): meaning "eagle". Soldier who fought in the Trojan War in Greek mythology.

18) Alric (German): meaning "ruler of all". Ancient King who plundered Rome.

19) Damon (Greek): meaning "gentle" or "to tame". Figure in Ancient Greek mythology.

20) Griffin (Latin): derived from the word gryphon, referring to a mythical beast that has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.

21) Hector (Greek): meaning "steadfast". Hector famously fought for the Trojans in the Trojan War.

22) Perseus (Greek): meaning "to destroy". Ancient Greek demigod, the son of Zeus.

23) Jason (Greek): meaning "healer". An ancient Greek hero, leader of the Argonauts.

24) Troy (Irish): meaning "foot soldier". Also the location of the Trojan War,

Heroic Names

These popular heroic boy names all have meaning related to power, battles and glory. Perhaps one of these baby names will be the perfect title for your little king.

25) Callan (Scottish): meaning "battle".

26) Cathal (Irish): meaning "battle ruler".

27) Evander (Scottish): meaning "bow wielder" or "strong man".

28) Godric (Old English): meaning "power of God" or "God ruler".

29) Gunnar/Gunner (Scandinavian): meaning "bold warrior".

30) Harry (Old English): meaning "power, ruler".

31) Kane (Celtic): this name has many different meanings in different cultures, in Irish it means "fighter".

32) Koa (Hawaiian): meaning "warrior", "brave" or "fearless one".

33) Louis (French): meaning "famous in battle".

34) Luther (German): meaning "army of the people".

35) Magnus (Latin): meaning "the greatest".

36) Marcus (Latin): meaning "warlike", referring to Mars the Ancient Roman God of War.

37) Maximus (Latin): meaning "the largest" or "the greatest".

38) Michael (Hebrew): meaning "he who is like God".

39) Roman (Latin): deriving from the word romanus, meaning "of Rome".

40) Salvatore (Italian): meaning "saviour".

41) Viggo (Scandinavian): meaning "battle, fight".

Girls Names

A girl dressed and posing as superhero

If you're looking for some heroic female names for your new baby girl, here's a list of the top female baby names that are attached to great meaning and history.

Heroic Role Models

The following heroic girls names are taken from popular female role models in modern society along with great figures from history. From Harriet Tubman to Greta Thunberg, this list is full of baby names based on powerful women who have changed the world. Maybe one of these hero names will be the one to suit your baby girl.

42) Ada (Germanic): deriving from Adelaide, meaning "nobility". Ada Lovelace was a pioneer in computer development in the 1800's.

43) Amelia (Latin): meaning "hard working" and "industrious". Amelia Earhart was a famous pilot in the early 1900's.

44) Angela (Latin): meaning "messenger of God". Angela Merkel is the first female chancellor of Germany.

45) Aretha (American): meaning "excellence". Aretha Franklin was a famous soul singer.

46) Greta (German): meaning "pearl". Greta Thunberg is a young environmental activist.

47) Florence (Latin): meaning "flourishing, prosperous". Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing.

48) Harriet (French): meaning "power, ruler". Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist who devoted her life to freeing slaves across the USA.

49) Jane (English): meaning "Gift of God". Jane Goodall is a pioneer in anthropology, famous for her extensive research about chimpanzees.

50) Katherine (Greek): meaning "pure". Katherine Johnson was a mathematician who helped NASA with many important voyages into space.

51) Malala (Arabic): meaning "grief-stricken". Malala Yousafzai is a young Pakistani activist who advocates for women's rights all around the world.

52) Marie (French): meaning "bitter" and "of the sea". Marie Curie won a Nobel Prize for her research about radioactivity and is credited with inventing the X-Ray.

53) Michelle (French): derived from Michael, meaning "he who is like God". Michelle Obama is a powerful American figurehead who advocates for children's rights and education.

54) Ruth (Hebrew): meaning "friend". Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an American Judge on the Supreme Court.  

Historical Heroes

The following good heroic names are from ancient mythology. It's not all about the plundering men, there were some extremely powerful and wise female figures in these ancient stories as well. Maybe your child will share a name with a strong, heroic character from this list.

55) Andromache (Greek): meaning "fighter of men" or "man-battler". Wife of Trojan hero Hector.

56) Andromeda (Greek): meaning "ruler of men". Key figure in Greek mythology who became a constellation.

57) Ariadne (Greek): meaning "most holy". Daughter of King Minos.

58) Artemis (Greek): meaning "butcher". Greek Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon.

59) Callisto (Greek): meaning "most beautiful". Mythological nymph.

60) Circe (Greek): meaning "hawk". Mythological witch.

61) Diana (Indo-European): meaning "supplier of beneficence and wellness". The Roman Goddess of the Hunt.

62) Electra (Greek): meaning "sparkling" or "the fiery sun". Daughter of Agamemnon.

63) Selene (Greek): meaning "moon". Mythological deity of the moon.

64) Valkyrie (Scandinavian): meaning "chooser of the slain". Mythological warriors.

Heroic Names

All of the modern baby names in this list have heroic meanings, from "immortal glory" to "dark battle", one of these epic hero names could be the one to suit your young child.

65) Alosia (German): meaning "famous fighter".

66) Arabella (Latin): meaning "yielding to prayer".

67) Destiny (Latin): meaning "fate".

68) Gloria (Latin): meaning "immortal glory".

69) Halle (Scandinavian): meaning "heroine".

70) Hope (English): meaning "desire of fulfilment".

71) Inga (Scandinavian): meaning "guarded by Ing", Ing being the Norse Goddess of Peace and Fertility.

72) Ingrid (Scandinavian): meaning "Ing is beautiful".

73) Marcella (Italian): meaning "warlike" or "young warrior"

74) Marcia (Latin): meaning "dedicated to Mars".

75) Nadia (Slavic): meaning "hope".

76) Raven (English): meaning "dark-haired" or "wise".

77) Nebula (Latin): meaning "mist", in space a nebula is an interstellar cloud.

78) Nova (Latin): meaning "new", in space a nova is the colourful explosion of a star.

79) Venus (Latin): meaning "love", the Roman Goddess of Love.

80) Zelda (German): meaning "dark battle" or "female warrior".

Unisex Names

For some modern baby names that could suit any gender, why not take a look at this collection of the top unisex heroic names for some inspiration?

Historical Heroes

Here are a few hero names from history that could be perfect for your new baby.

81) Argo (Greek): the ship of Jason, the Greek Hero.

82) Echo (Latin): meaning "reflected sound", a mythological nymph.

83) Paris (French): a prominent Trojan soldier in the Trojan War,

Heroic Names

One of these next few baby names could be the modern yet timeless name you've been looking for. All of these heroic names are words relating to battle, glory or heroism that could make a stunning name for your child.

84) Akio (Japanese): meaning "bright" and "hero".

85) Armani (Italian): meaning "freeman" or "warrior".

86) Blade (English): meaning "sword" or "knife".

87) Blaine (Scottish): meaning "yellow".

88) Cadell (Welsh): meaning "spirit of the battle".

89) Cain (Hebrew): meaning "spear" or "possessed".

90) Cassander (Greek): meaning "light of man".

91) Elysium (Latin): meaning "field of heroes", Heaven in Greek and Roman mythology.

92) Emmanuel(le) (Hebrew): meaning "God is with us".

93) Gabriel(le) (Hebrew): meaning "God is my strength".

94) Harley (English): meaning "hare's meadow".

95) Harlow (English): meaning "army hill".

96) Hunter (English): meaning "the one who hunts".

97) Lou (German): meaning "famed warrior".

98) Malin (Scandinavian): meaning "high tower".

99) Payton/Peyton (English): meaning "fighting man's estate".

100) Rainier (German): meaning "judgement warrior".

101) Raynor (Scandinavian): meaning "mighty army", after the Norse God Ragnar.

102) Rogue (English): meaning "savage" and "unpredictable".

103) Sacha (Greek): meaning "protector" or "defender of mankind".

104) Shanley (Irish): meaning "old hero".

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Written by Megan Wynne

Bachelor's degree specializing in Art

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Megan WynneBachelor's degree specializing in Art

Dublin resident Megan is a lover of all things artistic. She's currently pursuing a degree in Art and enjoys experimenting with photography and painting. When she's not in the darkroom or the studio, you can find her enjoying the newest films at the cinema. She also loves spending quality time with her two younger sisters and discovering new things to do in the city.

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