Wild West Names
The American frontier of the late 19th century was short on paperwork and long on nicknames. A man might be born Henry McCarty and die as Billy the Kid; a woman named Martha Jane Canary became Calamity Jane. Behind the legends sat plain, sturdy given names like Wyatt, Jesse, Annie and Belle.
Here are more than 110 Wild West names: the real first names of outlaws and lawmen, frontier names for boys and girls, colorful monikers, Western surnames and invented gunslinger handles for games and fiction. If you love the look, saddle up with our country boy names, country girl names and Western horse names.
Real outlaws and lawmen of the Old West
The given names of the men who became legends on both sides of the law.
| Name | Famous bearer | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Wyatt | Wyatt Earp, lawman at the O.K. Corral | Brave in war (Old English Wigheard) |
| Jesse | Jesse James, outlaw | Gift (Hebrew) |
| Butch | Butch Cassidy (Robert LeRoy Parker) | Slang nickname, “tough guy” |
| Sundance | The Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh) | From Sundance, Wyoming, where he was jailed |
| Billy | Billy the Kid | Pet form of William, “resolute protector” |
| Pat | Pat Garrett, sheriff who killed Billy the Kid | Short for Patrick, “nobleman” |
| Bat | Bat Masterson, lawman | Nickname; born Bartholomew |
| Virgil | Virgil Earp, lawman | From the Roman family Vergilius |
| Morgan | Morgan Earp, lawman | Sea-born or bright sea (Welsh) |
| Cole | Cole Younger, outlaw | Swarthy or coal (English) |
| Frank | Frank James, outlaw | Free man, Frenchman |
| Bass | Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal | Family surname given as a first name |
| John Wesley | John Wesley Hardin, gunfighter | Named after the Methodist founder |
| Ike | Ike Clanton, cowboy at the O.K. Corral | Pet form of Isaac, “he will laugh” |
| Johnny | Johnny Ringo, gunman | Pet form of John |
| Heck | Heck Thomas, lawman | Nickname of Henry Andrew Thomas |
| Tom | Tom Horn, scout and hired gun | Twin (Aramaic) |
| Clay | Clay Allison, gunfighter | English, clay settlement |
| Seth | Seth Bullock, Deadwood sheriff | Appointed (Hebrew) |
| Elfego | Elfego Baca, lawman | Spanish name, possibly from Germanic “elf + high” |
| Kid | Kid Curry (Harvey Logan) | Frontier nickname for a young gunman |
| Dallas | Dallas Stoudenmire, El Paso marshal | Scottish place name |
| Charlie | Charlie Bowdre, rider with Billy the Kid | Free man |
| Temple | Temple Houston, lawyer and gunman | Temple (Latin templum) |
Frontier girl names
Names of real women of the West, from sharpshooters and ranchers to saloon owners, plus other names common on the frontier.
| Name | Meaning | Frontier connection |
|---|---|---|
| Annie | Grace (pet form of Anne) | Annie Oakley, sharpshooter |
| Belle | Beautiful | Belle Starr, “Bandit Queen” |
| Martha | Lady | Martha Jane Canary (Calamity Jane) |
| Pearl | Pearl | Pearl Hart, stagecoach robber |
| Etta | Short for Henrietta, “ruler of the home” | Etta Place, with the Sundance Kid |
| Josephine | God will add | Josephine Marcus, Wyatt Earp’s wife |
| Laura | Laurel | Laura Ingalls Wilder, pioneer author |
| Cattle Kate | Nickname of Ella Watson | Wyoming homesteader |
| Poker Alice | Nickname of Alice Ivers | Professional gambler |
| Stagecoach Mary | Nickname of Mary Fields | First Black woman star-route mail carrier |
| Narcissa | Daffodil (Greek) | Narcissa Whitman, Oregon missionary |
| Sacagawea | Possibly “bird woman” (Hidatsa) | Guide of Lewis and Clark |
| Lozen | Apache name | Apache warrior and prophet |
| Clara | Bright | Common frontier name |
| Hattie | Pet form of Harriet | Common frontier name |
| Abigail | My father is joy | Pioneer family favorite |
| Cora | Maiden (Greek Kore) | Common in the 1870s–80s |
| Dolly | Pet form of Dorothy | Frontier dance-hall favorite |
| Nellie | Pet form of Eleanor or Helen | Common frontier name |
| Eliza | God is my oath | Pioneer diarist favorite |
| Ruth | Friend | Plainspoken frontier classic |
| Mattie | Pet form of Martha or Matilda | Mattie Ross, heroine of True Grit |
| Adeline | Noble | Common 19th-century name |
| Virginia | Maiden (Latin) | Virginia City, Nevada boomtown |
Cowboy names for boys
Rugged, easygoing names with frontier grit. Several come from occupational or place surnames. More in our Southern boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Colt | Young horse | Also the famous revolver maker |
| Cody | Helpful (Irish); Buffalo Bill Cody | Showman classic |
| Wade | To ford a river | Easygoing ranch hand |
| Hank | Pet form of Henry | Old-school cowhand |
| Levi | Joined | Denim legend Levi Strauss |
| Boone | Blessing (Norman bonne); Daniel Boone | Pioneer spirit |
| Rhett | Advice (Dutch surname) | Southern charm |
| Jed | Short for Jedidiah, “beloved of God” | Prospector |
| Amos | Carried by God | Plain frontier farmer |
| Beau | Handsome | Charming drifter |
| Waylon | Land by the road | Outlaw country |
| Buck | Male deer | Tough ranch hand |
| Tucker | Cloth fuller | Friendly cowpoke |
| Ryder | Horseman | Rodeo rider |
| Gus | Short for Augustus | Lonesome Dove’s Gus McCrae |
| Cash | Money | Johnny Cash cool |
| Emmett | Whole, universal | Steady trail boss |
| Rooster | Nickname | Rooster Cogburn, True Grit |
| Zeke | Short for Ezekiel | Old prospector |
| Boyd | Yellow-haired (Scottish Gaelic) | Rancher |
Famous Wild West nicknames
The frontier ran on monikers. These real nicknames make great inspiration for your own; our funny nicknames have more.
| Nickname | Real person | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Bill | James Butler Hickok | Said to come from his wild exploits |
| Buffalo Bill | William F. Cody | Killed bison to feed railroad crews |
| Calamity Jane | Martha Jane Canary | Said to warn that trouble followed anyone who crossed her |
| Doc | John Henry “Doc” Holliday | He was a trained dentist |
| Black Bart | Charles Boles | Poetry-writing stagecoach robber |
| Big Nose Kate | Mary Katharine Horony | Doc Holliday’s companion |
| Curly Bill | William Brocius | Outlaw in Tombstone |
| Dirty Dave | Dave Rudabaugh | Outlaw known for poor hygiene |
| Mysterious Dave | Dave Mather | Gunman with a shadowy past |
| Texas Jack | John Omohundro | Scout and showman |
| Rattlesnake Dick | Richard Barter | Gold-rush outlaw |
| Arkansas Tom | Roy Daugherty | Doolin gang member |
| Bitter Creek | George Newcomb | Doolin gang member |
| Little Britches | Jennie Stevens | Teenage outlaw |
Classic Western surnames
Last names found on ranch deeds, wanted posters and cattle brands. For modern ideas, see cool last names.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Earp | Uncertain English surname | The Earp brothers |
| Holliday | Born on a holy day | Doc Holliday |
| Cassidy | Curly-haired (Irish) | Butch Cassidy |
| McCarty | Son of Cárthach, “loving” | Billy the Kid’s birth name |
| Garrett | Spear strength | Pat Garrett |
| Hickok | Medieval pet form of Richard (Hick) + diminutive | Wild Bill Hickok |
| Clanton | Clay farmstead | The Clanton gang |
| Masterson | Son of the master | Bat Masterson |
| Younger | The younger one | The Younger brothers |
| Dalton | Valley settlement | The Dalton Gang |
| Starr | Star | Belle Starr |
| Goodnight | Good companion (nickname surname) | Charles Goodnight, cattle trail pioneer |
| Chisholm | Water meadow (Scottish place) | The Chisholm Trail |
| Crockett | Crooked (Norman French) | Davy Crockett |
| Bowie | Yellow-haired | Jim Bowie, the Bowie knife |
| Carson | Uncertain Scottish surname | Kit Carson, scout |
Gunslinger names for characters and games
Original handles in the frontier style, ready for a Western novel, tabletop campaign or Red Dead-style game character. Browse gamer names for more.
| Name | Style / vibe | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Dusty Colt | Sun-baked, laconic | Drifting gunslinger |
| Rattlesnake Ruth | Dangerous and quick | Female outlaw |
| Laredo Jack | Border-town swagger | Card sharp |
| Silver Dollar Sal | Flashy saloon owner | Saloon keeper |
| Deadeye Dawson | Sharpshooter | Bounty hunter |
| Whiskey Jim | Rough and rowdy | Comic sidekick |
| Six-Gun Sadie | Fast on the draw | Heroine |
| Tumbleweed Tate | Rootless wanderer | Mysterious stranger |
| Preacher Hollis | Stern and righteous | Vigilante |
| Coyote Kate | Clever trickster | Horse thief |
| Iron Eli | Unshakable | Town marshal |
| Lonesome Luke | Quiet cowboy | Trail rider |
| Red Clay McCoy | Dusty rancher | Cattle baron |
| Mesa Maggie | Frontier tough | Homesteader |
How to pick a Wild West name
- Pair a plain first name with a place. Many handles followed the formula name + home: Texas Jack, Arkansas Tom, Cheyenne Bill.
- Use a trait for a moniker. Curly Bill, Big Nose Kate and Dirty Dave were blunt. Pick a physical trait, habit or weapon and you have a nickname.
- Keep it short for horses and dogs. One-syllable names like Colt, Buck, Belle or Tex carry across a pasture; see Western horse names.
- Mind the real history. Some outlaws were violent men. For a baby, choose a name you love for its sound and meaning, not just the legend.
- For characters, add a contrast. A tough gunslinger named Percival or a sharp-shooting schoolteacher named Pearl is instantly memorable.
Frequently asked questions
What are good Wild West names for boys?
Wyatt, Jesse, Cole, Colt, Levi, Wade, Hank, Boone and Emmett have real frontier roots and remain popular today.
What are good Wild West names for girls?
Annie, Belle, Pearl, Josephine, Clara, Etta, Hattie and Mattie all have strong Old West associations.
What was Billy the Kid’s real name?
He was born Henry McCarty around 1859 and also used the names William H. Bonney and Kid Antrim.
Why did Wild West figures have nicknames?
Nicknames spread through newspapers and dime novels, helped men avoid the law, and described people in a memorable way at a time when many shared the same few first names.
What is a good cowboy name for a character?
Combine a sturdy first name with a trait or place, such as Dusty Colt, Rattlesnake Ruth or Laredo Jack, or borrow a real surname like Goodnight or Chisholm.