Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
If you’re happier on a horse than in a car, chances are you’re a cowboy at heart.
If you’re looking for a folk hero, you simply can’t go wrong with a cowboy.
And if you’re looking for cowboy names, we’ve got the complete list right here.
There’s just something about the freedom, the open space, sleeping under the stars, and the romance of a cowboy’s connection with their horse.
It sets off a longing in the heart of even the slickest of city slickers.
Cowboys may have started out as cattle herders, but they became legends.
So if leather chaps and cowboy hats are your thing, sit back and relax.
We’ve wrangled the 234 best cowboy-themed names for your little peanut (or… baked bean?).
What are some good cowboy names? Let’s take a look.
In this article: 📝
- Our top 5 cowboy names
- Our top 5 cowgirl names
- What about some gender-neutral cowboy names?
- What are some popular cowboy names?
- What are Western names?
- What’s a cowboy nickname?
Our top 5 cowboy names
If it’s cowboy names for boys you’re looking for, let’s saddle up and look at history for inspiration.
Some are famous, some you may never have heard of, but one thing’s for sure: they’ve all got great names.
- Bass Reeves: Formerly enslaved, Bass went on to become the first African American Deputy west of the Mississippi. He is thought to have been the original Lone Ranger. An important figure forgotten by history.
- Jesse James is one of the most famous cowboy outlaws of all time. This gunslinger may have gone bad, but his name is synonymous with the Wild West.
- Christopher (Kit) Carson, a famous cowboy who managed to keep it legal.
- Frank Eaton, the original “Pistol Pete” was a sheriff, cowboy, and military scout.
- Willie Pickett. The cowboy who invented bulldogging worked at raches, rodeos, and Wild West shows.
Our top 5 cowgirl names
Horses, hats, guns, and boots weren’t just for the boys.
Women got in on the action too.
Annie Oakley didn’t stand for nonsense, and neither did these fierce, feisty cowgirls and outlaws.
- Katherine Derre, later Kitty Canutt, is said to have had a diamond tooth. The “Diamond Girl” was a Bronc rider with sass.
- Lillian Smith: Every gunslinger needs a rival to keep them sharp. This was Annie Oakley’s.
- Martha Jane Canary: The whiskey-drinking, sharpshooting wildcat better known as “Calamity Jane.”
- Pearl Heart: A feminist before her time, famous for saying, “I shall not consent to be tried under a law which my sex had no voice in making.”
- Rose Dunn: No wilting flower, “The Rose of Cimarron” was a famous outlaw.
🤠 You might also like: 104 Fearless Cowgirl Baby Names
What about some gender-neutral cowboy names?
What if you’re having a surprise, or maybe you’re not so fussed about sticking to traditional gendered names?
These are some great gender-neutral options for cowboy names.
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- Casey: This Irish name means “vigilant” or “watchful,” the very purpose of a cowboy.
- Montana: This US state is home to many a cowboy.
- Rider/Ryder: This popular name meaning “messenger” is British but conjures up images of galloping over the plains on your prized stallion.
- Sam: Hebrew and English origin. Meaning “told by God.
What are some popular cowboy names?
These are 60 of the most riveting Western names.
Even if you haven’t come across them in years, you can smell the dusty leather the minute you hear them.
They’re all pretty great, and there’s a reason they’ve stood the test of time:
- Abner: Meaning “father of light”.
- Barrett: Meaning “strife” or “bear-like”. A real badass Western name.
- Beau: Meaning “beautiful” or “handsome”. You can always slip “rugged” into the mix for your rustic little wonder.
- Bennet: Meaning “blessed”.
- Billy: Meaning “will helmet”.
- Bonnie: Meaning “pretty”.
- Brock: Meaning “a badger”.
- Buck: Meaning “deer” or, wait for it, “cowboy”.
- Buster: Meaning “tough guy”. Watch out for this one.
- Cal: Meaning “devotion” or “whole-hearted”.
- Callie: Meaning “beautiful”. Amazing how many Western names celebrate beauty!
- Cassidy: Meaning “curly-headed”.
- Cheyenne: A Native American name meaning “people of a different language”.
- Clay: Meaning “clay work”.
- Cliff: Meaning “cliff-side slope”.
- Cole: Meaning “victory of the people”.
- Colt: Meaning “young male horse”.
- Dakota: Meaning “friend” or “ally”.
- Dan: Meaning “God is my judge”.
- Dillon: Meaning “like a lion”. 🦁
- Dixie: Meaning “tenth”.
- Doc: Meaning “doctor”.
- Duke: Meaning “leader”.
- Dusty: Meaning “brave warrior”.
- Earle: Meaning “noble leader”.
- Emmy: Meaning “universal” or “hardworking”.
- Flint: Meaning “hard rock”.
- Gus: Meaning “great” or “majestic”.
- Hank: Meaning “home ruler”.
- Hoss: A southern slang term inspired by “horse”. It’s used to describe a “strong or dependable person” who is as big as a horse, so to speak. 🐴
- Houston: Meaning “from Hugh’s town”.
- Huck: Meaning “sweet berry”. A short form of Huckleberry.
- Hutch: A variation of Hugh meaning “mind” or “intellect”. 🧠
- Jackson: Meaning “son of Jack”.
- Jethro: Meaning “abundance”.
- Judd: Meaning “to flow down”.
- Lawton: Meaning “hill town”.
- Leland: Meaning “meadow land” or, for a more rugged alternative, “uncultivated land”.
- Levi: Meaning “joined” or “united”.
- Marshall: Meaning “caretaker of horse”.
- Maverick: Meaning “an independent person who avoids conformity” – a true Wild West name.
- Nash: Meaning “by the ash tree”.
- Oakley: Meaning “oak clearing”.
- Obadiah: Meaning “servant of God”.
- Otis: Meaning “wealth”.
- Quaid: From the Gaelic name McQuaid, meaning “son of Uaid”.
- Rancher: Literally, “one who works on a ranch”.
- Remington: Meaning “place on the riverbank”.
- Rock: From the German word hrok meaning “rest”.
- Sawyer: Meaning “woodcutter”.
- Tex: Meaning “from Texas”.
- Tucker: Meaning “cloth softener”.
- Walker: Meaning “to walk” or “thread”.
- Willis: Meaning “resolute protector”.
- Woody: Many a Millennial’s favorite Toy Story cowboy, Woody means “from the lane in the wood”.
- Wyatt: Meaning “brave in war”.
- Zeke: Meaning “God strengthens”.
What are Western names?
Consider all that the words the Wild West evokes: nature, excitement, strength, and general bad-assery.
That’s a lot of inspiration to go around.
Some names here are for boys, some for girls, and some that are non-binary.
- Aaron: Meaning “mountain of strength”. 🏔️
- Ames: Meaning “friend”.
- Amos: Meaning “carried by God”.
- Annie: Meaning “grace”.
- Arizona: Meaning “little spring”.
- Austin: Meaning “magnificent” or “majestic”.
- Bandit: Meaning “outlaw”.
- Bart: Meaning “son of the earth”.
- Bear: Meaning “strong and brave” like a bear. 🐻
- Ben: Meaning “son”.
- Betty: Meaning “God is my oath”.
- Blake: Meaning “dark” or “black-haired”.
- Blaze: Meaning “fire”.
- Bo: Meaning “to live” or “dwell”.
- Bobbie Jo: A combination of Bobbie (from the Greek word barbaros, meaning “traveler from a foreign land”) and Jo (meaning “God is gracious”).
- Bobby: Meaning “traveler from a foreign land”. As a pet name for Robert, Bobby can also mean “bright fame”.
- Brandy: Meaning “burnt wine”.
- Brawley: Meaning “meadow at the slope of the hill”.
- Breaker: Undoubtedly edgy, this name comes from the Old English word bræc, meaning “to break” – a fitting horse rider name perhaps?
- Brody: From the Gaelic word brothaigh meaning “fortification”.
- Bronson: Meaning “son of the brown-haired one”.
- Bryce: Meaning “speckled”.
- Bubba: An endearing term meaning “boy” or “brother”.
- Calhoun: Meaning “from the narrow forest”.
- Callum: Meaning “dove”. 🕊️
- Canyon: It may mean “footpath”, but Canyon is anything but.
- Carson: Meaning “son of the marsh-dwellers”.
- Carter: From the Gaelic word cairtear, meaning “tourist” or “sojourner”. A great American Frontier name.
- Cash: Meaning “money case”. It may also stem from the Greek name Cassandra which means “shining upon men”. For true country fans, the title will always represent Johnny Cash and his songs of redemption.
- Colton: Meaning “coal town”.
- Chance: Meaning “good fortune”.
- Chase: Meaning “huntsman”.
- Clarke: Meaning “clerk” or “scholar”.
- Clayton: Meaning “clay settlement”.
- Clifton: Meaning “town by the cliff”.
- Clint: Meaning “fenced settlement”, this moniker of one of Hollywood’s most famous Spaghetti Western stars knows no bounds in the American imagination.
- Clintoon: Meaning “town on a hill”.
- Clyde: Meaning “warm” or “friendly”. We appreciate the irony of this edgy half of the infamous couple.
- Coda: Could be related to the Latin word for tail, cauda.
- Cody: Meaning “helpful person”.
- Colter: Meaning “colt herder”.
- Cooper: Meaning “barrel maker”.
- Corbin: Meaning “crow” or “raven”. 🐦⬛
- Cordially: Meaning “of the heart”.
- Clive: Meaning “cliff”.
- Dallas: Meaning “the valley meadows”.
- Davis: Meaning “beloved”.
- Denver: Meaning “from Anvers”.
- Dustin: Meaning “Thor’s stone” or “thunderstone”.
- Dwayne: Meaning “dark”.
- Easton: Meaning “east-facing”.
- Ethan: Meaning “strong” or “enduring”.
- Forrest: Meaning “of the woods”.
- Gage: Meaning “pledge” or “oath”.
- Galen: Meaning “calm” or “healer”.
- Gannon: Meaning “fair”.
- Garrett: Meaning “rules by the strong spear”
- Garth: Meaning “keeper of the garden”.
- Gill: As a short form of Gilbert, Gill means “bright promise”.
- Goddard: Meaning “God hard”.
- Grayson: Meaning “son of a steward”.
- Gunner: Meaning “bold warrior”.
- Harry: Meaning “home ruler”. Go ahead, make their day.
- Heathe: Meaning “evergreen, flowering plant”.
- Hewitt: Meaning “intellect”.
- Hillary: Meaning “cheerful”.
- Hogan: Meaning “youth”.
- Hudson: Meaning “son of Hugh”.
- Hunter: Meaning “pursuer”.
- Huntly: Meaning “meadow of the hunter”.
- Ike: Meaning “laughter”.
- Jace or Jase: Meaning “healer”.
- Jack: Meaning “God is gracious”.
- Jarrod: Meaning “descent”.
- Jasper: Meaning “treasurer”.
- Jeb: Meaning “beloved friend”.
- Jed: Meaning “beloved of God”.
- Jeff: Meaning “God’s peace”.
- Jem: Meaning “dove”.
- Jessa: Meaning “God beholds”.
- Jim: Meaning “supplanter”.
- Justice: The OG justice baby name.
- Kayce: Meaning “vigilant”. The youngest Dutton from the complicated Yellowstone family.
- Lincoln: Meaning “lake colony”. *Linc makes a slick alternative.
- Luke: Meaning “light-giving”.
- Mack: From the Gaelic word mac, meaning “son”.
- Maggie: Meaning “pearl”.
- Marsh: Meaning “boundary” from the Norman French word marche.
- Mo or Moe: Rooted in the Latin name Maurice, meaning “dark-skinned”.
- Nat: Meaning “gift of God”.
- Nevada: Meaning “snow clad”.
- Oak: Meaning “oak tree” – the epitome of wisdom, strength, and durability.
- Owen: Meaning “noble-born”.
- Palmer: Meaning “pilgrim”.
- Patterson: Meaning “son of Patrick”.
- Phineas: Meaning “serpent’s mouth”. Watch out for this one. 🐍
- Porter: Meaning “gatekeeper”.
- Prescott: Meaning “priest’s cottage”.
- Quinlan: Meaning “well-formed”, “slender”, or “fit”.
- Quint: Meaning “fifth”.
- Randy: From the Old Norse name Randúlfr, meaning “wolf shield”.
- Ranger: Meaning “forest guardian”.
- Ray: Meaning “wise protector”.
- Reese: Meaning “ardent”, “fire”, or “passion”.
- Reno: Meaning “of Moreno” or “dark-haired”.
- Ridge: Meaning “back” from the Old English word hrycg.
- Rip: Another rough-and-ready western name. Meaning “strength and might”, Rip is a strong presence on the Yellowstone ranch.
- Rocco: Meaning “rest” or “repose”.
- Roper: Meaning “rope maker”.
- Roscoe: Meaning “deer wood”. 🦌
- Russel: Meaning “little red”.
- Ruffus: Meaning “red-haired”.
- Sage: Meaning “wise” or “healthy”.
- Scott: Meaning “from Scotland”.
- Shannon: Meaning “wise river”.
- Sherman: Meaning “shear man”.
- Sila: Meaning “united again”, specifically with loved ones and relatives from the hometown.
- Silver: Meaning “silver”.
- Sky: A straight-forward sky name meaning “cloud” or “atmosphere seen from earth”.
- Slade: Meaning “valley”.
- Sterling: Meaning “little star”.
- Stetson: Meaning “boxer” or “fighter”. 🥊
- Tagg: Meaning “lamb”, from the Old English tacca. 🐑
- Tanner: Meaning “leather maker”.
- Tate: Meaning “cheerful”.
- Teddy: Meaning “gift from God”, from the Greek name Theodore.
- Thatcher: Meaning “roof maker”.
- Tobias: Meaning “God is good”.
- Toby: A gender-neutral Hebrew name meaning “God is good”.
- Tom: Meaning “twin”.
- Trace: Born from the Irish surname O’Treasaigh (or Tracey), meaning “war-like” or “fighter”.
- Travis: Meaning “to cross”.
- Tripp: Meaning “trip”, “voyage”, or perhaps even “third-born”.
- Tyler: Meaning “tile maker”.
- Vaughn: Meaning “little”.
- Vern: Meaning “alder tree”.
- Virgil: Meaning “flourishing”.
- Wade: Meaning “to go”.
- Wagner: Meaning “wagonmaker”.
- Waker: Meaning “watchful vigilant”.
- Walter: Meaning “commander of the army”.
- Webb: Meaning “weaver”.
- Wes: Meaning “western meadow”.
- Wesley: Meaning “west meadow”.
- West: An obvious choice we know, but a solid cowboy name.
- Weston: Meaning “from the Western town”.
- Wheeler: Meaning “one who makes wheels”.
- Wilder: Meaning “untamed” or “wild”.
- Will: Meaning “resolute protector”.
- Winston: Meaning “joyful stone”.
- Zane: Meaning “God is gracious”.
- Zeb: Meaning “gift of Jehovah”.
What’s a cowboy nickname?
Every standout cowboy had a nickname.
It’s the thing that made them famous, the stuff that separated them from their peers.
And sometimes, they chose their nicknames just because they sounded good.
The great thing about cowboy nicknames is that they’re so easy to make up.
All you’ve got to do is work out the thing your kid is best (or worst) at.
Then slip it between their first and last names.
These are our 10 favorite nicknames for inspo:
- Big Toe: Does your little squirt have big feet?
- Cactus: Are they prickly but pretty?
- Cotton Mouth: Do they know their own mind and aren’t afraid to tell you all about it?
- Dynamite: Small packages, big personalities.
- Flapjack: Can smell a snack a mile away.
- Little Head: The little-est of the bunch.
- Remington: Are they fiery like the pistol?
- Crazy Eye: Don’t peel the banana the wrong way, or all hell will break loose!
- Small Fry: Tiny and cute as a button. Or to be used ironically, if they’re big and tall.
- Winchester: The famous repeating rifle.
Cowboys are wise, practical, a little wily, and have a twinkle in their eye.
What more could you hope for your little bronco?
So, if you grew up watching westerns, riding horses, or just generally enjoying the great outdoors, consider a cowboy name, or even a Southern name to capture the spirit of the South.
Yee haw, mama!