If you're on the hunt for trendy baby names for your boy, then a cowboy name might be just what you're looking for. While you might think cowboy names would sound old fashioned, there are some increasingly popular choices on this list. Not only is the cowboy trend taking over in fashion (think cowboy boots and hats), but this trend is also beginning to influence baby names.
Many of these cowboy names are gender neutral, suiting both baby boys and baby girls, but they're also very modern sounding and are ideal if you're looking for a more unique and unusual boy name that you might not have heard before. We've also included a few from cowboy films and books, so if you have a favourite western movie character it's sure to be on our list! If you're ready for your baby to have the most hipster, cool-sounding name on the register, then we've compiled a list of the best cowboy names for your new arrival that you might want to consider.
Cool cowboy names
We think all the names on our list are cool, but these ones have a particular extra something. These names bring to mind someone with the swagger of a cowboy, confident and worldly.
Beau – French, meaning ‘handsome’
Dylan – Welsh, meaning ‘son of the sea’
Zane – Alternative spellings include Zain or Zayn and is an Arabic name meaning 'beauty, grace'
Wilder – An English and German surname, which can also be used as a first name, meaning 'untamed' or 'wild'
Kit – Can be used as a boy's name and a girl's name of English origin meaning 'pure'
Bowen – Welsh, meaning ‘son of Owen’
Levi – With a Hebrew origin, meaning 'attached', it is also a biblical name too
Ranger – This is both a boy's name and a girl's name of French origin meaning 'forest guardian'
Colt – Meaning a 'young, male horse', this name makes the perfect cowboy name
Roscoe – Roscoe, also spelt Rosco, Roscow, and Ruscoe, is a Cornish name originating from the Old Norse words for 'doe wood'
Cowboy names from books and films
As mentioned earlier, you may be intrigued by giving your baby a cowboy name inspired by your favourite western film, TV show or book, whether it's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or Yellowstone. These are a few of our picks.
Jesse – A Hebrew name, meaning ‘the Lord exists’. Jesse James was a Wild West outlaw and train robber in the 1870s, not to mention Jesse from Toy Story!
Rooster – This works as both a boy's name and a girl's name and means 'roosting bird'
Butch – Primarily a gender-neutral name of American origin that means 'manly'
Wyatt – Meaning ‘from wood’ or ‘from the wide water’
Josey – This cool Hebrew variation on Joseph can be used for both boys and girls and means 'he will add'
Billy – From the Old High German name, Willahelm, from will, meaning "will, desire" and helm
Zeke – The short form of Ezekiel, from the Hebrew word, meaning 'God strengthens'
Jett – This name is simple yet super cool, meaning 'mineral'
Rex – Latin, meaning ‘king’
Clint – Old English, meaning ‘fenced settlement’ and is also the name of famous actor, writer and director Clint Eastwood
Cowboy style last names for first names
Many characters in westerns are referred to by their surnames rather than their first names, so you might prefer using one of these for your new arrival.
West – West is a gender-neutral name of Old English origins, meaning 'western stream'
Brooks – A gender-neutral name with German and English origins meaning 'water, small stream'
Reeves – A boy's name of British origin meaning 'Bailiff or steward'
Walker – An English name, meaning ‘a fuller’
Jameson – An English name, meaning ‘son of James’, can also be spelt 'Jamison'
Miller – Meaning 'one who grinds grain' and is a gender-neutral name
Wade – English, meaning ‘to move forward' or ‘to go’
Clyde – Scottish, from the river that passes through Glasgow and is also the name of famous American bank robber Clyde Barrow of the duo Bonnie and Clyde
Hudson – An English name, meaning ‘adventurous’
Sterling – This adorable old English baby name means 'little star'
Gender-neutral cowboy names
A lot of the options above sound quite masculine, so if you're wanting something more gender neutral, or want to give your baby girl a cowboy inspired name, some of the below might be a good fit.
Ashley – English, meaning ‘ash tree meadow’ with the alternative spellings Ashely, Ashlee, Ashleigh, Ashli, Ashlie, Ashly
Dakota – A Native American name, meaning ‘allies’
Andy – Andy, also spelt Andi, Andie or Andee is a gender-neutral form of Andrew meaning 'manlike' or 'brave'
Casey – A very popular name in the US from Irish Gaelic origins, meaning ‘watchful’, with the alternative spellings Kacey, Kaci, Kacie, Kacy, Kasey, Kasie, Kassie
Ryder – An English name, meaning ‘horseman’
Cassidy – An Irish name, meaning ‘clever’ or ‘curly-haired’
Dallas – Scottish Gaelic, from the village of the same name and also the name of a city in Texas, USA
River – English, from ‘river’ and can be used as both a boy’s and a girl’s name
Shiloh – Hebrew, meaning ‘his gift’, from the biblical place of the same name, made popular by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s child
Sawyer – An English occupational name for someone who earned their living by sawing wood
We hope this list has inspired you to choose your own cowboy name for your child, but if you're still stuck for ideas, make sure to check out some more of our baby name lists. If you like the idea of cowboy baby names for the wild side of the west, perhaps a nature-inspired baby name will be a good fit. Or you could widen your search and look for an American baby name. If you still can't seem to pick a favourite, it's a good idea to note down 3 or 4 names you particularly like, then decide when baby arrives.
Lorna White is the Senior Digital Writer for Mother&Baby. After running the Yours magazine website, specialising in content about caring for kids and grandchildren, Lorna brought her expertise to Mother&Baby in 2020. She has a keen interest in a range of topics from potty training and nutrition to baby names and early development and has a wide range of experienced medical experts and professionals at her fingertips. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two young sisters, dog walking and enjoying the outdoors with her family.