25 Baby Names Inspired by Sports That Are Real Slam Dunks

Goal!!!! Sports bring us so much hope. Whether it’s football, soccer, baseball, basketball, hockey, field hockey, table tennis, tennis tennis, swimming, skiing, sprinting, curling, skating, golf, cricket, volleyball, gymnastics, boxing, lacrosse, bowling, softball, or polo, athletics are a source of inspiration and enjoyment for us all.

If you’re looking for baby name inspiration, consider the world of sport as a guide. Athletes and their achievements are the perfect, awe-inspiring talents to inspire your child’s name. Think of Olympic gold medalists and Super Bowl winners. Unsung heroes who pioneered a path are also excellent choices for inspiration, as these understated names will impart a sense of good energy and a go-getting attitude. Here are our favorite 25 baby names inspired by sports.

25. Dara

Dara Grace Torres is an American former competitive swimmer, who is a 12-time Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in three events. The name Dara has Hebrew origins and means “pearl of wisdom.”

24. Lionel

Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini is a professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team. This famed soccer player also has a fantastic name! Lionel is a popular French name that means “young lion.”

23. Alana

Skateboarder, Alana Smith has broken a lot of barriers and records for skateboarders. She is the youngest medalist in X Game history. Alana The name Alana and its variants can be found in many different languages and cultures. In German, the name means “precious.” In Irish, the name means “child.” In Gaelic, the name Alanna means “serenity.”

22. Ozzie

“The Wizard of Oz” Ozzie Newsome was one of the first great tight ends in NFL history, maybe the greatest. He also possesses one of the greatest names of all time! Ozzie is an English name that’s often considered a nickname for Oswald. The name means “divine power.”

21. Toni

Toni Stone, born as Marcenia Lyle Stone in St. Paul, Minnesota, was the first of three women to play professional baseball, as a part of the Negro leagues. The name Toni is fantastic for a little girl! Toni has Greek roots in the name Antonia and means “priceless one.”

20. Dwayne

Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. is a former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat in the NBA. The name Dwayne has Scottish and Irish roots and means “dark.”

RELATED: Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union Are Proud of Their Daughter for Coming Out as Transgender: ‘It’s OK to Love Your Children Exactly as They Are’

19. Candace

Candace Parker is a professional basketball player for the LA Sparks of the Women’s NBA. She was the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft. Candace is a gorgeous girl’s name and in the bible, Candace is the queen mother in the ancient African Kingdom of Kush.

18. Hugo

Hugo Lloris is a French professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper and is the captain of both Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the France national team. The name Hugo has Germanic origins and means “mind.”

17. Billie

Billie Jean King is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player. King won 39 Grand Slam titles! The name Billie is an excellent gender-neutral name that we especially love for girls. The moniker is commonly used as a nickname for William and means “resolute protector.” Billie is the perfect name for a sporty little one.

16. Hank

Legendary baseball player, Hank Aaron was known as the “hammer.” Hank is an impressive name that’s got vintage charm. Hank is a common nickname for Henry and means “ruler of the home.” We love Hank as a given name.

15. Serena

Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes to ever live. She has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era of professional tennis. The name Serena comes from the Latin word serenus and means “calm.”

RELATED: Mom and Tennis Icon Serena Williams Wins First Major Singles Tournament Since the Birth of Her Daughter

14. Miguel

José Miguel Cabrera Torres, commonly known as Miguel Cabrera and nicknamed “Miggy”, is a professional baseball player. He is the first baseman for the Detroit Tigers. The name Miguel is a handsome boy’s name with Spanish origins that means “who is like God.”

13. Martina

Martina Navratilova was named by Tennis magazine as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1975 through 2005. The name Martina has Latin roots and means “warrior.” This fun-sounding name has a tough meaning which offers balance.

12. Payton

Walter Payton of Chicago Bears’ fame, was known around the NFL as “Sweetness.” He was a running back for the Bears for a total of 13 seasons. The name Payton has English origins and means “fighting man’s estate.” Or indicates a place, “Pœga’s town” in Old English.

11. Megan

Megan Rapinoe is one of the most accomplished soccer stars of all time. She captains the OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League and the United States national team. The victorious champion also has an excellent name! Megan has Welsh origins and means “pearl” or “strong.”  

10. Sergio

Sergio Ramos García is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for and captains both Real Madrid and the Spanish national team as a center-back. The name Sergio belonged to an ancient Roman clan called Sergius and its meaning is disputed. Many consider the name to mean “servant” while others contend the name means “soldier.”

9. Hope

Hope Solo is a former goalkeeper for the United States women’s national soccer team from 2000 to 2016 and is a World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Hope is, of course, an English name that means exactly what you think it does.

RELATED: Hope Solo and Jerramy Stevens Welcome Twins

8. Jordan

Jordan is a popular unisex baby name that sounds so good! Why might that be? Perhaps because it belongs to one of the world’s most beloved athletes, Michael Jordan. The name Jordan is commonly associated with the River Jordan and has Hebrew roots. It means “flow down” or “descend.”

7. Marta

Marta Vieira da Silva is such a singular soccer star that’s she’s known mononomously as Marta. With 17 goals, she holds the record for most goals scored at FIFA World Cup tournaments. Marta is an ancient name with roots in Akkadian, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Roman languages. Thus, the name has many meanings to many people. They include “the daughter,” “the lady,” and “warrior.”

6. Kareem

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a former professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also an accomplished author. The extremely attractive name, Kareem is commonly given to little boys. It has Arabic origins and means “noble,” “generous,” and “honorable.”

5. Hilda

Hilda “Laddie” Sharp was the first British woman to successfully swim the English Chanel from France to the UK. The swim took nearly 15 hours! The name Hilda is not very common in the US, but it is popular across Europe. It has Norse origins and means “battle.”

4. Nile

Nile Wilson, another Brit, is an artistic gymnast. He won an Olympic bronze medal in the men’s horizontal bar at the 2016 Summer Olympics. We love his name! Nile is an Irish name with a winning meaning, it means “champion.”

3. Sidney

Sidney is a handsome name that’s perfect for both boys and girls. Sidney Crosby is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The name means “wide meadow.”

2. Guy

Guy Lafleur was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons. As you might have guessed, Lafleur is Canadian and his name is very French. The name Guy means “guide” or “wood.”

1. Tianna

Tianna Bartoletta is an American track and field athlete who is a two-time Olympian with three gold medals. The beautiful name Tianna has Greek origins and means “christian” or “princess.”

Sports and the athletes who play them are so inspiring for many reasons. The grit, determination, and dedication to a certain athletic field is awe-inspiring. These 25 baby names inspired by sports are some truly great ones and we hope you find them encouraging and winning.