Female Warrior Names
History is full of women who led armies, defended cities and fought on the front line — Boudica against Rome, Joan of Arc at Orléans, Tomoe Gozen in the Genpei War, the Dahomey Amazons of West Africa. Their names, and the names of goddesses and heroines from myth, make some of the most powerful choices for a daughter, a fictional character or a game avatar.
This list gathers 100+ female warrior names, each with its meaning and origin. You’ll find real warrior women, goddesses of war, Norse shieldmaiden names, names built from Old Germanic words for “battle”, and heroines from around the world. For more inspiration, see names that mean warrior, strong girl names and female Viking names.
Real female warriors from history
These women led troops or fought in battle. Their names carry real courage.
| Name | Who she was | Name meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Boudica | Queen of the Iceni who led a revolt against Rome, AD 60–61 | Victory (Brittonic bouda) |
| Joan | Joan of Arc, who led French forces at Orléans in 1429 | God is gracious |
| Tomoe | Tomoe Gozen, 12th-century Japanese onna-musha | Comma-shaped swirl symbol |
| Zenobia | Queen of Palmyra who challenged Rome, 3rd century | Life of Zeus (Greek form) |
| Artemisia | Artemisia I of Caria, naval commander at Salamis | Of Artemis |
| Lakshmi | Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, leader in the 1857 rebellion | Goddess of wealth and good fortune |
| Nzinga | Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba, resisted Portuguese conquest | Possibly “to twist” (Kimbundu) |
| Tamar | Queen Tamar of Georgia, who led military campaigns | Date palm |
| Fu Hao | Shang dynasty general of the 13th century BC | Hao: “good” |
| Khutulun | Mongol princess and undefeated wrestler | Often glossed as “moonlight” (uncertain) |
| Æthelflæd | Lady of the Mercians who fought the Vikings | Noble beauty |
| Mariya | Mariya Bochkareva, founder of Russia’s Women’s Battalion of Death | Russian form of Mary |
| Lozen | Chiricahua Apache warrior and prophet | Commonly said to mean “dexterous horse thief” |
| Nhi | Trưng Nhị, one of the Trưng Sisters who drove the Han from Vietnam in AD 40 | Second (child) |
| Amanirenas | Kandake of Kush who fought Rome | Royal Meroitic name |
| Mulan | Hua Mulan, legendary Chinese heroine | Magnolia |
| Grace | Grace O’Malley, Irish pirate queen | Grace, charm |
War goddess names
Almost every culture has a goddess of war or battle. More in goddess names.
| Name | Role | Mythology |
|---|---|---|
| Athena | Goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare | Greek |
| Enyo | Goddess of war and destruction | Greek |
| Bellona | Goddess of war | Roman |
| Minerva | Goddess of wisdom and war | Roman |
| Freya | Goddess who receives half of those slain in battle | Norse |
| Morrigan | Phantom queen of fate and battle | Irish |
| Macha | War goddess linked to horses and sovereignty | Irish |
| Badb | Battle crow goddess | Irish |
| Sekhmet | Lioness goddess of war | Egyptian |
| Neith | Goddess of war and weaving | Egyptian |
| Anat | Goddess of war and the hunt | Canaanite |
| Ishtar | Goddess of love and war | Mesopotamian |
| Durga | Invincible warrior goddess | Hindu |
| Kali | Fierce goddess of time and destruction | Hindu |
| Oya | Orisha of wind, storms and battle | Yoruba |
| Andraste | Goddess invoked by Boudica | Celtic (Briton) |
Norse shieldmaiden and Valkyrie names
Sagas tell of shieldmaidens and the Valkyries who chose the slain. Browse Viking names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Brunhilde | Armored battle | Germanic / Norse |
| Lagertha | Possibly “honor, fame”; legendary shieldmaiden | Old Norse |
| Hervor | Army guardian | Old Norse |
| Valkyrie | Chooser of the slain | Old Norse |
| Skuld | Debt, future; a Valkyrie and Norn | Old Norse |
| Göndul | Wand-wielder; a Valkyrie | Old Norse |
| Hild | Battle | Old Norse |
| Sigrun | Secret of victory | Old Norse |
| Thora | Thunder, from Thor | Old Norse |
| Gunnhild | War battle | Old Norse |
| Svanhild | Swan battle | Old Norse |
| Eir | Mercy; Valkyrie and healer | Old Norse |
| Randi | Shield-beautiful | Old Norse |
| Solveig | Strong house, strength of the sun (disputed) | Old Norse |
Names that literally mean battle or warrior
Old Germanic names built on hild and gund (both “battle”), plus other names with fighter meanings.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Matilda | Mighty in battle | Germanic |
| Hilda | Battle | Germanic |
| Louisa | Famous warrior | Germanic via Latin |
| Gertrude | Spear strength | Germanic |
| Clotilde | Famous in battle | Germanic |
| Griselda | Grey battle maiden | Germanic |
| Bathilda | Fighting battle | Germanic |
| Kelsey | Ship victory | English |
| Alvilda | Elf battle | Old Norse |
| Marcia | Of Mars, god of war | Latin |
| Imelda | Whole battle | Germanic |
| Hedwig | Battle, fight | Germanic |
| Louise | Famous warrior | French |
| Nike | Victory; goddess of victory | Greek |
| Andrea | Manly, brave | Greek |
| Valeria | Strong, valiant | Latin |
| Bridget | Exalted one; strength | Irish |
More warrior women from around the world
From West African queen mothers to Indian ranis and American Revolution legends, these women fought for their people.
| Name | Who she was | Name meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Yaa | Yaa Asantewaa, Ashanti queen mother who led the War of the Golden Stool, 1900 | Born on Thursday (Akan) |
| Amina | Queen Amina of Zazzau, Hausa warrior queen, 16th century | Trustworthy, faithful (Arabic) |
| Nehanda | Mbuya Nehanda, spirit medium who inspired the 1896 Shona uprising | Name of an ancestral spirit (Shona) |
| Kandake | Title of the warrior queen mothers of Kush | Queen mother (Meroitic) |
| Ahhotep | Egyptian queen honored for her role against the Hyksos | The moon is satisfied |
| Takeko | Nakano Takeko, onna-bugeisha who fought at Aizu, 1868 | Bamboo child |
| Bhago | Mai Bhago, Sikh warrior who led soldiers in battle in 1705 | Fortunate (Punjabi) |
| Chand | Chand Bibi, defender of Ahmednagar against the Mughals, 1595 | Moon |
| Durgavati | Rani Durgavati of Gondwana, who fought the Mughals | Named for the goddess Durga |
| Chennamma | Kittur Chennamma, queen who fought the British East India Company, 1824 | Beautiful mother (Kannada) |
| Molly | Molly Pitcher, legend of the Battle of Monmouth, 1778 | From Mary |
| Deborah | Deborah Sampson, who served in the Continental Army | Bee (Hebrew) |
| Hannah | Hannah Snell, who served in the British marines in the 1740s | Grace, favor |
| Agnes | “Black Agnes,” Countess who defended Dunbar Castle, 1338 | Pure, holy |
| Jeanne | Jeanne de Clisson, the “Lioness of Brittany” | God is gracious |
| Hurra | Sayyida al-Hurra, pirate queen of Tétouan | Free, noble woman (Arabic) |
Celtic warrior women
Irish and Welsh legends are filled with fighting women and warrior trainers. See also Celtic girl names.
| Name | Legend | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Scáthach | Warrior woman who trained Cú Chulainn | SKAH-hahk |
| Aífe | Rival warrior of Scáthach | EE-fa |
| Medb | Warrior queen of Connacht (Maeve) | MAYV |
| Cartimandua | Queen of the Brigantes | kar-tih-MAN-doo-ah |
| Cathubodua | Battle crow goddess of Gaul | kah-thoo-BOD-oo-ah |
| Uathach | Daughter of Scáthach | OO-ah-hakh |
| Creidne | Fian warrior woman | KRAYD-neh |
| Aoife | Beauty, radiance | EE-fa |
Fictional warrior heroines
Modern stories have their own iconic women warriors — great for gamers and fans. See superhero names for more.
| Name | Character | Where from |
|---|---|---|
| Diana | Wonder Woman | DC Comics |
| Xena | Xena, Warrior Princess | TV series |
| Éowyn | Shieldmaiden of Rohan | The Lord of the Rings |
| Brienne | Brienne of Tarth | A Song of Ice and Fire |
| Arya | Arya Stark | A Song of Ice and Fire |
| Katniss | Katniss Everdeen | The Hunger Games |
| Okoye | General of the Dora Milaje | Marvel |
| Ripley | Ellen Ripley | Alien |
| Leia | Princess Leia | Star Wars |
| Buffy | Buffy Summers | Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
| Mikasa | Mikasa Ackerman | Attack on Titan |
| Tris | Beatrice Prior | Divergent |
How to choose a female warrior name
- Decide how literal you want it. Matilda and Louisa mean “warrior” but sound gentle; Valkyrie and Boudica wear their fierceness openly.
- Honor your heritage. Norse, Celtic, Japanese and African histories all offer warrior women — pick one that connects to your family.
- Mind pronunciation. Irish names like Scáthach and Aífe look tricky in English; include a pronunciation note if you use them for a character.
- For games and fiction, add an epithet. “Sigrun the Unbroken” or “Hild Ironshield” — browse knight names for title ideas.
- Balance with a soft middle name. A strong first name pairs well with something gentle, like Rose or Grace.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a female warrior?
Boudica, Athena, Freya, Brunhilde, Lagertha, Tomoe and Joan are iconic female warrior names drawn from history and myth.
What girl names mean warrior?
Louisa and Louise (famous warrior), Matilda (mighty in battle), Hilda (battle), Gunnhild (war battle) and Clotilde (famous in battle) all carry warrior meanings.
Who was the most famous female warrior?
Joan of Arc and Boudica are among the most famous. Others include Queen Nzinga of Ndongo, Tomoe Gozen of Japan and the Trưng Sisters of Vietnam.
What are Viking female warrior names?
Lagertha, Hervor, Brunhilde, Sigrun, Gunnhild and Thora are strong Norse names associated with shieldmaidens and Valkyries.
What is a war goddess name?
Athena, Bellona, Enyo, the Morrigan, Sekhmet, Durga and Oya are goddesses of war from Greek, Roman, Irish, Egyptian, Hindu and Yoruba traditions.