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 And the cool part is that they all have diverse origins and historical references or uses.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
Ethan 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
Max, 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
The 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
The 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
The 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
Kwan 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
One 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
Another 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
Aaron 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
Everette, 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
The meaning of Griffin is "strong lord," perfect for little ones defying the odds on a regular basis. It's also a creature that's half eagle, half lion, and if that doesn't scream strength, we don't know what does.
VALENTINA
Coming from Latin, Valentina means "strong, vigorous, and powerful." Actress Salma Hayek and Instagram influencer Sazan both named their daughters Valentina.
AUDREY
Audrey is an English name that means "noble strength." And of course, one of the most famous Audreys out there is Audrey Hepburn — the epitome of beauty, class, and brains. Who wouldn't want their little one to emulate that?
BRIANNA
A 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
The 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
Adira 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
The 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
Valencia 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
The 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
Lenna 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
A 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
Imala is an uncommon name and holds a really special meaning. According to Nameberry, Imala is a Native American girls' names that means "strong-minded." Similar names are Inaya and Imiza.
WARRICK
Some people might know the name from the character on CSI, but for the unfamiliar Warrick is a pretty boss name. According to Nameberry, it means "strong leader who defends" and is of English origin.
MILLICENT
Although 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
One 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
A Greek name that sounds almost Southern, we think Alsie is pretty darn cute. It means "strong-willed" and is the diminutive of Alcina.
BARRETT
This baby name is on the rise! Since 2000, Barrett has been getting steadily more popular and has English origins. Originally a surname, Barrett has become a first name in its own right.
VEDA
A Sanskirt name meaning "knowledge," Nameberry states that the name is often found through the most sacred texts of Hinduism. Popular variations would be Vera, Vita, and Vida.
MIKA
A 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
The 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
A name for boys and girls, Aimilios is a Greek name. Nameberry states that the name means "strength," and we like that it's less common here in the US. Good variations are Emilios and Aemilios.
GESINE
Gesine 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
According to Nameberry, Arne is of Scandinavian and Dutch origins and is a variation of the name Arnold. Meaning "ruler, or strong as an eagle" Arne can also be spelled Arnie, but we think it's super sweet as is.
SAGE
One of the most popular names of the 2000s, Sage is short and sweet. Derived from the name of the plant that has both healing and culinary properties, Sage is bound to feel fresh and cool for years to come.
BERNARD
This 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
Bidu is the diminutive of Bridget and we like that it's a little different. An Irish name, Bidu means "strength" or "power" and we like that no one else will have it on the playground.
SWITHUN
There are a few ways to spell this name, which means that Swithun has a lot of variability. Nameberry reports that the name means "quick" and "strong" and originated from England. So unusual!
TRUDY
A vintage name with a contemporary flair, Trudy is gosh darn cute. Meaning "spear" and "maiden," Trudy was originally a nickname of Gertrude, but has become a name in its own right.
UZI
Uzi is a Hebrew name and means "Jehovah is my strength" and we like that it's pretty uncommon. But while some people might be nervous to go for such an unusual name, we think this name has a lot of potential.
TETSU
Tetsu is a strong, powerful girl's name that originates from Japan, Nameberry explains. Meaning "strong as iron," Tetsu is a modern name that sounds spunky too. Go Tetsu!
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