The rise of cowboy names

[Anonymous]

If you were considering a western-ish cowboy name for your baby boy, no need to consult Nameberry or the SSI list. All you need is my first grader’s soccer team roster that I just received (we’re in Chicago area). There are a few of the Thomas/Michael and Grayson/Sebastian names, but lemme share the surprising number of old west sounding names that are represented. Some are way cute and I totally get a kick out of seeing so many more unique names than the usuals (my son’s comparatively ho hum name included). We’ve got Nash, Knox, Lee, Cash, Jed, Wyatt, Ryder, Sawyer, Mack, Remy, and Colton. A veritable Deadwood cast! Cute trend!

[Anonymous]

😅

[Anonymous]

I'm related to Wyatt Earp, everyone in my family uses it as a middle name. I don't think I would now though.

[Anonymous]

This cracks me up a bit as someone who grew up in real cowboy country -- not the Old West, of course, but a small cowboy town out west where lots of my classmates actually ran cattle with their families and pretty much everyone went to the rodeo several times a year. There's also a corner of my family who were real cowboys in California as recently as the 1940s and 50s, when much of what is now developed around Los Angeles was still horse country and desert.

Some of the names I grew up with include Lee, Dick (yes, in the 80s!), Billy (not a nn for William, a standalone name), Ryder, Levi, and Luke. No Coltons or Wyatts, both of which would have been considered too on-the-nose. Among the girls, I knew multiple Cheyennes, a Winona, and a Juniper (called Junie) that I can remember.

I actually really love a lot of these names as they remind me of the place and people I grew up with. But I would personally never use them because I was a hard-core townie and I'd feel like a poser.

[Anonymous]

I know a bunch of cowboys and I would never consider Remy a cowboy name, although it's my favorite French boy's name.

Real cowboys I know: Bill, Bob, Dick, Rod, Randy, Andy, Cody, Winn, Lucky, and Tejun.

Real cowgirls: Dessa Lou, Shania, Sierra, Kat, Romelle, and Cheyenne.

Re:the boys' names: my friend's teenager asked her why so many cowboys were named Dick, Rod, or Randy and she said, "Compensation?"

[Anonymous]

Wtf is a cowboy name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wtf is a cowboy name?

If you're not able to figure it out from reading the thread, there's not much hope for you.

[Anonymous]

Those are cute! I agree, kind of refreshing, yet also familiar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This cracks me up a bit as someone who grew up in real cowboy country -- not the Old West, of course, but a small cowboy town out west where lots of my classmates actually ran cattle with their families and pretty much everyone went to the rodeo several times a year. There's also a corner of my family who were real cowboys in California as recently as the 1940s and 50s, when much of what is now developed around Los Angeles was still horse country and desert.

Some of the names I grew up with include Lee, Dick (yes, in the 80s!), Billy (not a nn for William, a standalone name), Ryder, Levi, and Luke. No Coltons or Wyatts, both of which would have been considered too on-the-nose. Among the girls, I knew multiple Cheyennes, a Winona, and a Juniper (called Junie) that I can remember.

I actually really love a lot of these names as they remind me of the place and people I grew up with. But I would personally never use them because I was a hard-core townie and I'd feel like a poser.

NP and I'd love to hear from this PP more about their upbringing. What town out west? And where in Los Angeles area? Do you mean the valley before it was paved over? Or maybe the westside? My uncle went to UCLA in the 40s and said he had to walk through orchards in Westwood to get there.

As an aside, I've been at the age for a while where I find it strange to look at a place and remember how it was. Like when my car broke down on the 101 at Las Virgenes and all there was besides land was a Bob's Big Boy and a gas station with a pay phone; now it's Calabasas. I contrast that with an opposite experience; I also used to live in a main section of Boston (Back Bay, Commonwealth Ave) and there is something very comforting to be able to go back 25 years later and the whole area fells exactly the same.

[Anonymous]

Ha funny. I’m from a rodeo town like PP, and thinking of some of my high school friends I wonder if these are cowboy names:

- Colt

- Chase

- Cody

- Dusty

- Colby

- Weston

- Jace

- Kade

- Troy

- Kit


I can’t think of a pattern to the girls’ names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I can’t think of a pattern to the girls’ names.

NP here from a ranching family (my parents got out, I didn't grow up in it). My aunts and female cousins have diminutives of their dad's names. So Carl, Darrel, Shane, and Jessie have daughters Carly, Darrelee, Shaney, and, well, Jessie. If you go a generation back you get variations on the mother's maiden name (Ms. Wood has daughter Woodla) as well as some appearance based names like Goldie for a blonde baby.

[Anonymous]

I hadn't thought we were using cowboy names - DH and I are both from a major city - but apparently we did. Our sons are Cole and Beau.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hadn't thought we were using cowboy names - DH and I are both from a major city - but apparently we did. Our sons are Cole and Beau.

Yes you did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hadn't thought we were using cowboy names - DH and I are both from a major city - but apparently we did. Our sons are Cole and Beau.

Yes you did.

100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hadn't thought we were using cowboy names - DH and I are both from a major city - but apparently we did. Our sons are Cole and Beau.

Yes you did.

That's okay; we love the names and they fit our kids.