239 Tough & Unique Western Boy Names With Meanings

The American West has inspired the imagination of people worldwide with rugged pioneers and tales of outlaws. As such, I have selected 239 tough and unique Western boy names with meanings included.

List Of Unique and Tough Western Boy Names with Meanings:

Montgomery

Montgomery has French origin and comes from a former commune in the Normandy region in northwestern France, Saint-Germain-de-Montgommery.

Sutter

”Shoemaker,” and gold at Sutter’s Mill started California’s gold rush.

Nehemiah

Yahweh comforts.

Bridger

Bridge dweller, and Fort Bridger in Wyoming is after mountain man Jim Bridger.

Sadler

”Saddle maker.”

James

James is a derivative of the name Jacob who is biblical patriarch of the Israelites. James means ”supplanter.” Other variants and diminutives include Jem, Jamison, Jake, and Jakie.

Hosea

”Salvation.”

Tucker

Fabric fuller.

Walter

Walter is made of the elements walt (power) and hari (army). In Dutch is Wouter, Gualtiero in Italian, Gualter in Portuguese, Gutierre in Spanish, and Gauthier in French.

Jonah

”Dove,” and a prophet swallowed by a great fish.

Winston

”Joy stone.”

Samuel

”God has heard,” and Samuel Colt patented a revolver.

Wells

Spring water.

Cletus

”Called.”

William

From the Germanic Willehelm, Williams, “valiant protector.” It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in the 11th century. Vilhjalmr, Vilius, Viliam, Uilliam, Guildhelm, and Williama are all variants of William.

Tex

It comes from Texas, a Caddo word for ”friends.”

Orville

Gold town.

Alfred

It is from the Old English Ælfræd, “elf counsel.” Alfred the Great was King of the West Saxons.

Clint

Clint was initially a short form of Clinton, English for a “settlement on a hill.”

John

It comes from Hebrew Yohanan, “God is gracious.”

Thomas

It has its origins in the Aramaic “Toma” and has a meaning that I like, “twin. In the United States Thomas is usually in the top 10. Thomas the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is the patron of architects, and his feast day is July 3rd.

Earl

”Nobleman.”

Grant

”Tall,” or ”great.”

Booth

Herdsman’s hut.

Elias

Elias is the Greek form of Elijah that is from the Hebrew for “my God is Yahweh.”

Cornelius

Horn.

Wilder

”Wild.”

Beau

French for handsome.

Jethro

Abundance, and Jethro Tull invented a horse-drawn seed drill.

Houston

”Hugh’s town,” as well as a Texas city after Sam Houston.

Judd

It comes from Jordan, ”to flow down.”

Seth

”Appointed.”

Richard

It is from Old High German Ricohard, ”strong in rule.” Richard the Lionheart was King of England from 1189 until 1199. His recumbent remains can now be seen at Fontevraud Royal Abbey.

Sullivan

Dark-eyed.

Charles

“Free man.” With such a strong etymology, It comes from the Old English word ceorl.

Harold

”Powerful leader” or ”ruler of the army.”

George

George is a modern version of Georgios (earth-worker). It is one of the most popular in Greece. Georgina and Georgia are the feminine forms.

Henry

”Sovereign of the homeland.” Henry VIII was the King of England who had six wives.

Edward

Edward has its origins in English and means wealthy guardian.

Leonard

Leonard is popular in England and Ireland and is symbolizing “brave lion.”

Emmett

”Universal”. Emmett Dalton lived through twenty-three bullet wounds at Coffeyville.

Archer

Bowman.

Absalom

”Father of peace.”

Kane

From the Irish Cathán, battler.

Arthur

It has its roots in Welsh culture meaning bear man. King Arthur was a legendary king of Britain who was the owner of the magical sword, Excalibur. Arthur’s sword is also known as Caledfwlch.

Ransom

Ransom (”son of Rand”) Stoddard is a lawyer in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Elisha

”God is salvation.”

Solomon

”Peace,” and a king famed for wisdom.

Marshall

It comes from the Old French mareschal, a horse servant.

Holden

”Deep valley.”

Weston

Western town.

Lee

”Meadow,” ”clearing,” ”plum” or ”poet.”

Ryder

Mounted warrior.

Cooper

Barrel maker. Gary Cooper starred in High Noon.

Brady

”Spirited,” or ”broad island.”

Robert

Robert comes from the Proto-Germanic and means ”shining glory.” The feminine version is Roberta.

Bernard

”Brave as a bear,” and it has French and German origins. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was the co-founder of the Knights Templar.

Frederick

Frederick is the English form of the Old German name Friedrich, “peaceful ruler.” Frederica is a feminine variant.

Norman

Norman is a habitational name for someone from Normandy.

Ezra

“Help,” and comes from the Hebrew ezer. Ezra the scribe led a return of exiles to Jerusalem and has a book of the Bible.

Moses

”Drawn out.” Moses is a prophet who brought down the Ten Commandments.

Fletcher

From the Old French flechier, arrow maker.

Granger

Farm steward.

Benjamin

”Son of the right hand.”

Langston

Long town.

Oakley

”Oak clearing,” and a stage surname sharpshooter Annie Oakley chose.

Phineas

Phineas (”oracle”) Gage lived after an iron rod went through his skull.

Hayes

Hedged area.

Arlo

”Fortified hill,” or ”barberry.”

Joseph

”Yahweh will add.”

Rhett

From the Dutch de Raedt, advice.

Dustin

”Thor’s stone.”

Jasper

”Treasurer,” and a semi-precious stone.

Albert

Albert has German roots and means famous. Alberta is the feminine form.

Ralph

Ralph has its roots in the Old Norse Ráðúlfr (wise counselor). Rádhulbh is the Irish form while Raúl is the Spanish variant.

Ernest

It is from the Old English word earnest (serious). American novelist Ernest Miller Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Josiah

“Yahweh supports” or “heals”.

Frank

Frank comes from the Old French word franc, ”free.”

Herbert

It has German origins and means illustrious warrior. Saint Herbert has his feast day on 22 November.

Forrest

From the Old French forest, woodland.

Porter

”Gate guard.”

Sheridan

”Seeker,” and a Wyoming city after General Philip Sheridan.

Theodore

Theodore is of Greek origin and is meaning divine gift or gift of God. The feminine variant of Theodore is Theodora.

Calhoun

”Narrow forest.”

Jeremiah

”Yahweh exalts.”

Everett

Brave as a wild boar.

Woodrow

Woodrow (”row by the wood”) Call is a Texas Ranger captain in Lonesome Dove.

Walker

”Cloth walker”. Chuck Norris played Walker, Texas Ranger.

Luke

”Light,” or ”man from Lucania.”

Baxter

Baker.

Raymond

”Wise protector.” Raymond has numerous variations including Ramon and Remondi.

Odell

Woad hill.

Lamar

From the French la mare, pool, and Mirabeau Lamar was president of the Republic of Texas.

Wallace

”Foreigner,” or ”Welshman.”

Isaac

”He will laugh.”

Sherman

It comes from shearman, a cutter of cloth.

Carter

Cart driver.

Ross

”Headland,” ”moor,” ”red-haired” or ”horse.”

Cash

From the Latin capsa, box, and Johnny Cash was country music’s Man in Black.

Mason

Stone worker.

Obadiah

”Servant of God.”

Amos

Amos means “carried” or “borne” and is from the Hebrew verb amas.

Nathaniel

God’s gift.

Buck

”Male deer,” and slang for a dollar from frontier deerskin trading.

Lowell

Young wolf.

Denver

”Dane’s ford,” and a city after Kansas Territory governor James Denver.

Lyle

From the French l’isle, island.

Enoch

”Dedicated.”

Lincoln

”Lake colony,” and Nebraska’s capital is after Abraham Lincoln.

Dakota

”Friend,” or ”ally.”

Gage

From the Old French gage, pledge.

Mordecai

”Servant of Marduk,” and cousin of Queen Esther.

Emory

It combines amal, work, and ric, ruler.

Tanner

”Leather worker.”

Clay

From Old English clæg, clay.

Isaiah

Yahweh is salvation.

Rowdy

Rowdy (”rough, noisy”) Yates was Clint Eastwood’s role in Rawhide.

Lazarus

”God has helped,” and a man Jesus raised from the dead.

Micah

”Who is like God?”

Montana

From the Spanish montaña, mountain.

Coy

”Quiet.”

Elwood

Elder tree forest.

Nash

”At the ash tree.”

Crockett

”Crooked,” and Davy Crockett served Tennessee in Congress.

Abraham

Father of many.

Clement

”Merciful,” or ”gentle.”

Clarence

Illustrious or bright.

Jesse

It is from the Hebrew Yishai, “gift”. In the Old Testament he is the father of King David. The outlaw Jesse James was the leader of the James–Younger Gang.

Harvey

”Battle worthy.”

Roscoe

Deer forest.

Garth

”Enclosure.”

Stanley

Stanley has origins in Old English and means ”stony clearing.”

Donald

Donald is a Scottish masculine name and is symbolizing ”ruler of the world.” The feminine form is Donella. A short form of Donald is Don.

Percival

Sir Percival was one of the Knights of the Round Table. It means ”pierce the vale.”

Victor

Victor derives from Latin and means ”conqueror.”

Chester

”A camp of soldiers” or ”a fortress.”

Archibald

From Old High German Erkanbald Archibald, ”truly brave.”

Wyatt

Wyatt Earp was involved in the 1881 gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It has roots in the Old English Wigheard and combines wig (”war”) and heard (”brave”). It was in the US top 100 for boys through the 2010s.

Ridge

A line of hills.

Rio

River, in Spanish.

Cole

“Swarthy” or “coal-black,” and is from the Old English col. It is also a short form of Nicholas.

Monroe

”Mouth of the Roe,” a river in Ireland.

Cruz

”Cross.”

Ebenezer

”Stone of help,” and Scrooge’s first name in A Christmas Carol.

Jericho

”City of the moon,” and its walls came down at the sound of trumpets.

Conrad

It is made of kuon, bold, and rad, counsel.

Colt

A colt is a young male horse. You can hear the ranch in a single syllable.

Brody

”Muddy place.”

Gideon

”Hewe,”. One of Gideon’s tasks was to destroy his father’s altar to Baal.

Hardy

From the Old French hardi, bold.

Alvin

Elf friend.

David

”Beloved.”

Travis

”Toll collector”. William Travis commanded at the Alamo.

Flint

From Old English flint, a hard stone.

Bennett

”Blessed.”

Cassidy

Butch Cassidy took the surname of a rancher he worked for. The root is the Irish O Caiside, “curly-haired.”

Vernon

”Alder grove.”

Jubal

”Ram’s horn,” and a Western film with Glenn Ford.

Dalton

Valley town.

Levi

It has Hebrew origins and means “joined” or “attached.” He was also the 3rd son of Jacob and Leah in Genesis.

Barrett

Strife.

Quincy

From the Latin Quintus, fifth.

Silas

Silas comes from Silvanus, Latin for silva, “wood” or “forest.” Silvanus was the Roman god of woodlands.

Hoyt

From Middle English hoit, a long stick, as a nickname for a tall man.

Thatcher

A roofer who worked with straw.

Lewis

Famous warrior.

Zebulon

”Dwelling,” and Pikes Peak is after explorer Zebulon Pike.

Meriwether

Meriwether (”merry weather”) Lewis reached the Pacific with William Clark.

Clark

”Scribe.”

Milo

”Soldier,” or ”merciful.”

Wayne

”Wagon maker.”

Boone

Boone is from the Old French bon, “good,” and was initially a nickname for an agreeable sort.

Roy

Roy comes from the Gaelic ruadh (“red”) as well as the Old French roi, “king.”

Augustus

Augustus means “venerable” or “great” and is from the Latin augere, “to increase.” Rome’s 1st emperor has this title.

Cyrus

Cyrus the Great founded the Persian Empire and freed the exiled Jews from Babylon. It has origins in the Old Persian Kurush and means “young”.

Virgil

“Flourishing.”

Reuben

“Behold, a son” is the meaning of Reuben and comes from the Hebrew Re’uven.

Ambrose

”Divine” or “immortal.”

Elmer

Elmer has roots in the Old English Aethelmaer and is made of aethel (”noble”) and maer (”famous”). Aylmer is the older English variation.

Homer

Homer was a Greek poet who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. It means “hostage” or “pledge.”

Ulysses

Ulysses is the Latin for Odysseus.

Zachariah

“Yahweh remembers,” and has origins in the Hebrew Zekharyah. Diminutives that I like are Zach or Zeke.

Abner

“Father of light.”

Grover

Grover is about someone who lived near a grove of trees.

Waylon

“Land beside the road” and is a variant of Wayland.

Cody

”Helpful,” and a Wyoming town founded by Buffalo Bill Cody.

Lemuel

”Devoted to God.”

Gene

Gene (”well born”) Autry was the Singing Cowboy of radio and film.

Calvin

It has origins in the Latin word calvus, bald.

Merle

Merle is the word for a blackbird in Old French.

Brooks

Stream.

Hiram

”Exalted brother,” and the first name of Ulysses S. Grant at birth.

Floyd

Floyd comes from the Welsh Llwyd, “grey” or “grey-haired.”

Ezekiel

God will strengthen.

Asa

”Healer.”

Thaddeus

”Heart,” or ”courageous.”

Knox

Round hill.

Maverick

”Independent,” from Texas rancher Samuel Maverick, who left his calves unbranded.

Harlan

”Army land”.

Grady

Grady is from the Irish O Gradaigh, “noble” or “illustrious.”

Rufus

Rufus is Latin for “red-haired”.

Jedediah

Jedediah (”beloved of Yahweh”) Smith reached California overland as a fur trapper.

Ford

”River crossing.”

Hollis

From Old English holegn, holly trees.

Otis

Wealth.

Tobias

”God is good”.

Hezekiah

”Yahweh is my strength.”

Luther

It combines liut, people, and heri, army.

Daniel

”God is my judge,” and a prophet who walked out of a lions’ den.

Doyle

”Dark stranger.”

Caleb

”Dog,” or ”whole-hearted.”

Uriah

”God is my light.”

Remington

”Raven farm”. Frederic Remington specialized in the genre of Western American Art.

Ephraim

Fruitful.

Gunner

Bold warrior.

Jefferson

Son of Geoffrey.

Bronson

”Son of the brown-haired one.”

Ranger

”Forest warden.”

Sterling

”Little star,” or ”of high quality.”

Ira

Watchful.

Wesley

Wesley (”western meadow”) is the middle name of Texas gunfighter John Wesley Hardin.

Wade

From wadan, ”to go.”

Duke

It comes from the Latin dux, commander, and was John Wayne’s nickname.

Lane

Narrow road.

Dallas

From a Scottish village, ”meadow dwelling.”

Truman

”Faithful man”.

Abel

”Breath.”

Cimarron

From the Spanish cimarrón, wild, and a river that runs through Oklahoma.

Carson

”Son of the marsh dwellers.” Nevada’s capital is after scout Kit Carson.

Bowie

”Yellow-haired,” and a knife has roots in Jim Bowie.

Tate

Tate has a meaning that I like: ”cheerful.”

Malachi

”My messenger.”

Garrett

”Spear strength,” and sheriff Pat Garrett shot Billy the Kid.

Sawyer

”Woodcutter.”

Joaquin

Joaquin is pronounced wah-KEEN and means ”Yahweh will establish.”

Morgan

”Sea circle,” ”sea-born,” ”bright sea” or ”sea chief.”

Vance

Marshland.

Rex

Latin for king.

Hunter

One who hunts.