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Popular, rare, and unisex names for tomboys, plus their meanings and origins
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Are you an expectant parent looking for an adorable and spunky name for your little tomboy-to-be? Or are you looking for a name for a tomboy character for a novel or short story? Either way, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled the ultimate list of tomboy girl names, including popular, unique, and unisex options. We’ve also included a few traditional girl names that have tomboy-esque nicknames, if you want the best of both worlds. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

Tomboy Girl Names

  • Popular: Avery, Billie, Cleo, Erin, Hayden, Jude, Marley, Paige, Piper, Quinn, Rory, Sage, Scout, Stevie, Tatum, Wren
  • Unique: August, Beatrix, Bowie, Chandler, Darcy, Emery, Finley, Greer, Kirby, Lennon, Marlowe, Reagan, Sloane, Vesper
  • Unisex: Adrian, Alexis, Bryce, Cameron, Drew, Dylan, Hunter, Jordan, Kai, Kendall, Logan, Mackenzie, Parker, Reese, Taylor
  • Names with Tomboy Nicknames: Alexandra (Alex), Andrea (Andy), Charlotte (Charlie), Danielle (Dani), Francesca (Frankie), Jessica (Jesse), Josephine (Jo), Louisa (Lou), Maxine (Max), Samantha (Sam)
Section 1 of 5:

Popular Tomboy Girl Names

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  1. These tomboy names are well-known and popular, which means you pretty much can’t go wrong with them! They’ve withstood the test of time, and they’re universally liked. Here are some of our favorite options, plus their meanings and origins:
    • Avery: “Elf counsel” or “ruler of the elves,” British origin.
    • Bailey: “Bailiff” or “fortification,” French and English origins.
    • Billie: “Wise” or “resolution,” English origin.
    • Blake: “Black” or “dark,” English origin.
    • Brooke: “Small stream,” English and German origins.
    • Cassidy: “Curly-haired,” Irish origin.
    • Cleo: “To celebrate,” Greek origin.
    • Devon: “Divine person” or “poet,” British, Irish, and French origins.
    • Eden: “Delight,” Hebrew origin.
    • Erin: “Ireland,” Irish origin.
    • Harper: “Harpist,” English origin.
    • Harriet: “Home ruler,” French and German origins.[1]
    • Hayden: “Hedged valley,” British and German origins.
    • Jamie: “He who supplants,” Hebrew origin.
    • Jude: “Praised,” Hebrew origin.
    • Lane: “Path” or “roadway,” English origin.
    • Maeve: “Intoxicating” or “she who rules,” Irish origin.
    • Marley: “Marshy meadow,” British origin.
    • Morgan: “Circling sea,” Welsh origin.
    • Olive: “Olive tree,” Latin origin.
    • Paige: “Young servant,” French and Roman origins.
    • Peyton: “Fighting man’s estate,” Irish and British origins.
    • Piper: “Pipe player,” British origin.
    • Quinn: “Chief,” “counsel,” or “wisdom,” Gaelic origins.
    • Rory: “Red king,” Irish origin.
    • Riley: “Courageous” or “valiant,” British and Irish origins.
    • Sage: “Wise” or “prophet,” Latin origin.
    • Scout: “Sent to discover,” French origin.
    • Shawn: “God is gracious,” Irish and Hebrew origins.
    • Sidney: “Wide island,” British origin.
    • Skylar: “Scholar,” Dutch origin.
    • Stevie: “Crown,” Greek origin.
    • Tatum: “Tata’s homestead,” British origin.
    • Wren: “Small brown songbird,” British origin.
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Section 2 of 5:

Unique Tomboy Girl Names

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  1. These rare tomboy names are perfect for a one-of-a-kind little girl. They’re super memorable and unique, and they also increase the odds that your little one won’t share a name with any other kids in her class!
    • Ash: “Happy” or “ash tree,” Hebrew and British origins.
    • Aspen: “Aspen tree,” British origin.
    • August: “Great,” Latin origin.
    • Beatrix: “Voyager,” “traveler,” or “blessed,” Latin origin.[2]
    • Bobbie: “Foreign” or “bright fame,” American and British origins.
    • Bowie: “Yellow-haired” or “blonde,” Scottish and Gaelic origins.
    • Chandler: “Candle-maker,” French origin.
    • Clover: “Meadow flower,” British origin.
    • Dallas: “From the dales,” Scottish origin.
    • Darcy: “Dark-haired,” French and Irish origins.
    • Emery: “Industrious,” “powerful,” or “ruler,” German and British origins.
    • Everest: “Dweller on the Eure River,” British origin.
    • Finley: “Fair-haired” or “courageous one,” Irish, Gaelic, Scottish, and British origins.
    • Greer: “Alert,” “watchful,” or “swift,” Scottish origin.
    • Harlow: “Army hill,” British origin.
    • Juniper: “Evergreen,” Latin origin.
    • Kirby: “Settlement by a church,” Norse, Scandinavian, British, and Irish origins.[3]
    • Lennon: “Lover,” “sweetheart,” or “blackbird,” Irish origin.
    • Lennox: “Amid the elms,” Scottish origin.
    • Marlowe: “From the hill by the lake,” British and French origins.
    • Murphy: “Sea warrior,” Irish origin.
    • Onyx: “Claw” or “nail,” Greek origin.
    • Phoenix: “Dark red” or “legendary bird,” Greek and Latin origins.
    • Reagan: “Little king,” Irish origin.
    • Ridley: “Reed meadow,” British origin.
    • River: “A flowing body of water,” English origin.
    • Robin: “Bright,” “shining,” or “famous,” German origin.
    • Sailor: “Sea-farer,” German origin.
    • Shiloh: “Tranquil” or “His gift,” Hebrew origin.
    • Sloane: “Raider” or “warrior,” Irish origin.
    • Sutton: “Southern homestead,” British origin.
    • Vesper: “Evening star,” Latin origin.
    • Waverly: “Meadow of quivering aspens,” English origin.
Section 3 of 5:

Unisex Tomboy Girl Names

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  1. These names are popular for both boys and girls, so they have classic tomboy energy. Unisex and gender-neutral names are also experiencing a surge in popularity, so these options are very trendy and of-the-moment.[4]
    • Adrian: “From Hadria” or “rich,” Latin and Greek origins.
    • Alexis: “Defender” or “protector,” Greek origin.
    • Bryce: “Speckled” or “freckled,” Scottish origin.
    • Camden: “Winding valley,” Scottish origin.
    • Cameron: “Crooked nose,” Scottish origin.
    • Campbell: “Crooked or wry mouth,” Scottish origin.
    • Carter: “Transporter of goods by cart,” British origin.[5]
    • Casey: “Brave” or “watchful,” Irish origin.[6]
    • Cody: “Descendant of Cuidightheach,” Irish origin.
    • Corey: “In or from the hollow,” Irish origin.
    • Drew: “Wise,” Welsh origin.
    • Dylan: “Great tide” or “great flow,” Welsh origin.
    • Ellis: “Benevolent” or “kind,” Welsh, Greek, and Hebrew origins.
    • Emerson: “Brave” or “son of Emery,” German origin.
    • Hunter: “One who hunts,” British origin.
    • James: “Grabs the heel,” Hebrew and Greek origins.[7]
    • Jett: “Black stone,” British and French origins.
    • Jordan: “To flow down” or “descend,” Hebrew origin.
    • Kai: “Keeper of the keys” or “earth,” Welsh and Japanese origins.
    • Kendall: “The Kent river valley,” British origin.
    • Kit: “Bearing Christ” or “musical instrument,” Greek origin.
    • Leslie: “Holly garden,” Scottish origin.
    • Logan: “Hollow,” Scottish origin.
    • Mackenzie: “Fire-born” or “good-looking,” Scottish origin.
    • Micah: “Who resembles God?” Hebrew origin.
    • Noah: “Peaceful,” Hebrew origin.
    • Parker: “Park keeper,” British origin.
    • Presley: “Priest’s meadow,” British origin.
    • Reed: “Red,” British origin.
    • Reese: “Enthusiasm,” “fire,” or “ardor,” Welsh origin.
    • Remy: “Oarsman” or “rower,” French and Latin origins.
    • Ryan: “Little king,” Gaelic and Irish origins.
    • Spencer: “Dispenser of provisions,” British origin.
    • Taylor: “To cut,” French origin.
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Section 4 of 5:

Traditional Names with Tomboy Nicknames

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  1. In their full form, these names are elegant and traditionally feminine, but they all have spunky and tough tomboy nicknames as well. This allows your little one to switch things up depending on her preferences or the setting she’s in!
    • Alexandra (Alex): “Defender of mankind,” Greek and English origins.
    • Andrea (Andy): “Strong” or “manly,” Greek origin.
    • Camilla (Cam): “Helper to the priest,” Italian and Roman origins.
    • Cassandra (Cass): “Shining upon man,” Greek origin.
    • Charlotte (Charlie): “Free man,” French and Roman origins.
    • Christina (Chris): “Follower of Christ,” Latin and Greek origins.
    • Dakota (Coda): “Friend,” Native American origin.
    • Danielle (Dani): “God is my judge,” French origin.
    • Eleanor (Ellie): “Shining light,” French and Greek origins.
    • Emma (Em): “Whole” or “universe,” German origin.
    • Evelyn (Evie): “Desired” or “island,” British origin.
    • Francesca (Frankie): “Free” or “Frenchman,” Italian and German origins.
    • Jacqueline (Jackie): “He who supplants,” French origin.
    • Jessica (Jesse): “To behold,” Hebrew origin.
    • Jordyn (Jo): “Down-flowing,” Hebrew origin.
    • Josephine (Jo): “Jehovah increases,” French and Hebrew origins.
    • Louisa (Lou): “Famous warrior,” German origin.
    • Matilda (Mattie): “Mighty in battle,” German origin.
    • Maxine (Max): “Greatest,” Latin origin.
    • Olivia (Ollie): “Olive tree,” Latin and Roman origins.
    • Penelope (Penny): “Weaver,” Greek origin.
    • Samantha (Sam): “God has heard,” Hebrew origin.
    • Valerie (Val): “Strong” or “brave,” French origin.[8]
Section 5 of 5:

More Girl Names

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  1. Looking for more girl name options? We’ve got you! Check out our helpful lists of girl names:
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About This Article

Annabelle Reyes
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Annabelle Reyes. Annabelle earned her B.A. in English with departmental honors from UCLA in 2020. Her writing has appeared in various online publications and magazines. She now writes and edits for the content team at wikiHow with the goal of making expert knowledge accessible to anyone. She loves learning, and she is passionate about writing clear, accessible, and enjoyable content for all of wikiHow’s readers.
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