Rebellious Free-Spirited Pirate Names for Both Boys Girls
For as long as we can remember, there has been a fascination with the life, and the world of a pirate. They live on the sea with no rules, embracing a life full of adventure, thievery, precious jewels, and hidden treasures. We know there’s a lot of dark stuff surrounding the real-life world of pirates, but we’re just going to talk about the Hollywood-esque version that we have known and loved, especially since so many people who love pirates are looking for adventurous, powerful names for their future children. That’s right, you can give your child a super cool pirate name that embodies all the bold, adventurous spirit that comes along with the genre.
There’s a lot of history surrounding pirates, and a lot of projects in Hollywood like Pirates of the Caribbean, (and for our anime lovers, One Piece). And with all of these come a lot of cool name ideas — but we’re not just limited to characters, because there are a lot more names than you may think that can be related to pirates. To be a pirate, you must protect your crew, have a heart full of adventure, and be steadfast in everything you do, so we’ve included some unique names that can mean adventure, heart, protection, and relating to the open sea.
Below, you will see our top picks for pirate names:
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Aegea
When you think of the name Aegea, chances are you think about the deep, dark Aegean sea that is featured in countless Greek mythological stories. So not only is it a unique, mythological name, but it also means “shield” in Greek.
Aurora
Aurora means “dawn” in Latin. While you instinctively think about the Disney princess of the romanticism behind it, it actually fits perfectly with the pirate aesthetic as well. In Roman Mythology, Aurora is the name of the goddess who brought the rising sun, something pirates looked forward to after a hard night at sea.
Azure
Azure is a unisex name that means “sky blue” in Persian, but if you want a more feminine version, you can always go with Azura. This works for the pirate aestehtci for the big blue sky pirates spend their days floating under, and the blueness of the precious gemstone, lapis lazuli.
Balthier
Calling all Final Fantasy XII and XII fans, because chances are you know this name since it’s one of the names of the sky pirates in the game: Balthier. Many believe this is a unique twist on Balthazar, which means the god “Baal protects the king” or “God protects the king” in Hebrew. Either way, it’s perfect for a pirate protecting the ship and crew … and, of course, the treasure!
Barrett
Barrett is a truly strong name that actually means “bear strength” in German, which is definitely good requirement for a pirate. Along with that, there’s a sea-shanty folk song from Stan Rogers called “Barrett’s Privateers,” so it’s perfect!
Bay
Did you know that Bay is an Old English name? The origins are already perfect for the pirate aesthetic, but its meaning also fits: Bay is a name meaning “an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward.” Geographical names are perfect, especially the ones that combine the land and sea.
Buck
Y’know, because buccaneers? Anyway, Buck not only works because it can be short for buccaneer, but it’s also the name of a male deer. If you wanna go even deeper into the name, we can talk about the Buck Moon: the full moon in July that relates to when a male deer reaches their peak growth. So it’s also a name symbolizing growth!
Calypso
Calypso is a truly beautiful girl’s name. Not only is it the name of the ancient Greek goddess who ruled over the sea, but it’s also the name of a famous and important ship — Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s research ship!
Cordelia
Cordelia has so many meanings behind it. For instance, it’s Latin for “heart,” which pirates obviously have a lot of, and Celtic for “daughter of the sea.” It’s perfect for a pirate gal, yet refined enough for even the most elegant of ladies.
Dawn
You really think we’d have Aurora on our list of pirate names, and not Dawn? It’s another nod to the beautiful ocean sunrises that pirates are privy to from the middle of the sea.
Doria
Like so many names before, Doria is an ancient Greek word meaning “of the sea!” And if you need another meaning, it’s also considered a variation of Dorothy, meaning “gift of God,” which is so sweet!
Edward
Edward is a classic name that fits with any aesthetic you put it in. It’s English for “wealthy,” which is a pirate’s big goal. Plus, the name Edward Teach is important in pirate lore — it’s the real name of Blackbeard the pirate.
Elizabeth
The name Elizabeth has always been linked to strong women, including Lady Elizabeth Killigrew, a Cornish pirate. It also means “pledged to God,” and is the name of Keira Knightley’s character in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Esmeralda
Esmeralda is another character in the Pirates of the Caribbean universe, and this one matches the pirate theme so well. What is a pirate without their treasure? Give your daughter a treasured name like Esmeralda, which means Spanish and Portuguese for “emerald.” Plus, there are some really cute nickname possibillities here — like Essy or Esme.
Gemma
Gemma is the perfect, unique name for a pirate girl, especially since it means “precious stone” in Italian.
Gulliver
Gulliver is an adventurer’s name, especially since it’s often linked to the title character in Gulliver’s Travels, who is a sea captain. The name Gulliver was made for pirates, and a lil’ history lesson: it’s linked to the Old French word goulafre, which is linked to money-driven people.
Isla
Isla is a beautiful girl’s name that’s both Scottish and Spanish, meaning “island,” which is another geographical name that’s perfect for a pirate. Plus, it’s been linked to quite a few members of royalty — like Isla Phillips, the great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II.
Jack
Jack is a traditional name that’s often linked to adventurous people and leaders of action. As many know, it’s a diminutive of the name John, meaning “God is gracious.” However, many link the name Jack to someone who’s capable, especially because of the phrase “jack-of-all-trades.” And we’d be remiss not to mention Johnny Depp’s famously swaggery character, Captain Jack Sparrow!
Plus, the name Jack is linked to both real-life and fictional pirates. There’s John “Calico Jack” Rackham, a legendary English pirate, and Jack Sparrow, the captain in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Jasper
Jasper is a unique Persian name that actually means “bringer of treasure,” which couldn’t be more perfect for a pirate! It’s also a vintage name, often linked to a precious gemstone that is said to represent strength, vitality, and endurance, and believed to ward off negativity and evil spirits.
Jewel
Like Gemma, Jewel is a name that just sounds like a treasure. Not only is it French for “precious stone,” but it fits perfectly with the pirate theme since that’s what they search for while at sea.
Laverna
Did you know that the name Laverna is the name of the Roman goddess of thieves? Fitting, since any successful pirate has to have perfected the art of thievery!
Lysander
Lysander is a truly unforgettable name. It’s a strong name that is based on the Greek name Lysandros, meaning “liberator.” And we can’t think of anything more liberating than living a high-spirited life on the open sea!
Ocean
Ocean is the perfect way to mix pirate theme with nautical for your child. When you hear the name “Ocean,” you are instantly taken to the waves crashing, and the vast sea.
Pirate
Yes, Pirate is a unisex name! It can’t get any more pirate-themed than Pirate, which is Greek for “to attempt, attack.” Plus, as it’s one of Billie Eilish’s unique middle names (Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell), so it’s gaining traction!
Thaddeus
Thaddeus is a name linked to having heart and courageousness, which is perfect for a lil’ pirate. It’s also Aramaic for “gift of God.”
Thane
That’s right, we had to have at least one One Piece pirate character name in here. Thane is the name of the red-haired captain of the Matchstick Pirates in the show, and besides that, it’s Scottish for “clan chieftain.”
Tiara
Tiara can work as both a royal name and a pirate name. It’s Latin for “crown, jeweled headdress,” which is perfect for a princess — or a pirate wanting to loot the valuable tiara for themselves.
Valerie
There are so many bold meanings behind the French name Valerie, including “healthy and strong,” “valiant,” “fierce,” and “brave.”
Varun
Varun is a striking Hindi name, specifically the name of a God known as the water god.
Xander
Xander is a chic diminutive of Alexander, which is Greek for “defending men,” which is a must for a pirate defending their crew. If you want to ensure no mispronunciations, you could always change the spelling to Zander. Sandro is also a unique version of this name!
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