17 Baby Names For Badass Women

Parents are getting braver every year when it comes to naming their newborns. Maternity wards aren't just full of Johns and Marys anymore — there are also Jaxons, and Wyatts, and Noras, and Penelopes, and so very many more. 2015 brought on a whole menu of new baby names for badass women, in addition to older and classic baby names like Charlotte and Isabella. Fortunately, there is a great number of inspirational women throughout history — both real and fictional — to give you creative and empowering name ideas for your little bundle of joy. Understandably, parents want to give their babies special, meaningful monikers. So why not pick a woman known for her brains, strength, and passion?

I went on the hunt for some of the most kick-butt female characters and women in the arts, sciences, and more. These women have accomplished enormous feats of strength and are often looked upon as some of the most powerful and motivational females in history. While some of the names are not all that unusual, others certainly offer a more unique and individual touch. If I were ever to have a daughter, I know she'd kick ass. And I'd maybe want to name her one of these.

1. Margaret

In the 1960s, Margaret Hamilton invented the modern concept of software and helped land men on the moon. The spaceship programmer even brought her daughter by the lab sometimes while she worked.

2. Jane

Jane Goodall revolutionized the way we study primates, thanks to her research and time spent with Tanzanian chimps.

3. Jordan

Demi Moore starred in G.I. Jane and played the fictional character Jordan O'Neill — the first woman to train in the Navy Special Warfare Group. She's surrounded by men waiting for her to fail, but she comes out on top.

4. Valentina

In 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to go to space. No big deal or anything.

5. Lilith

While the interpretations vary (and some aren't all that pleasant), one Hebrew translation of the name Lilith is "storm goddess," which is just all kinds of badass.

6. Cherry

If you've seen Planet Terror, then you probably remember Cherry Darling — the go go dancer heroine who wants more out of life and has a semi-automatic for a leg.

7. Maud

Maud Stevens Wagner was the original "Tattooed Woman." Along with her husband — known as the most tattooed man in America — she had a circus sideshow type of act. This was in the early 1900s, BTW.

8. Trinity

Trinity was one of the many unforgettable characters of The Matrix. Her strength, her attitude, her no-nonsense pixie cut, her weaponry skills. A total win.

9. Amelia

Amelia Earhart was the first female pilot to soar across the Atlantic Ocean. Her bravery and determination will always be remembered.

10. Elisa

Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu was the first female engineer in Europe, and possibly even the first in the world, graudating from the Royal Technical Academy in Berlin in 1912.

11. Clarice

The Silence of the Lambs character Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, is a student at the FBI training to track down and apprehend murderers — and with the help of Hannibal Lecter, she does. She's one chick you don't want to mess with.

12. Emma

The impact Emma Watson has left on the fight for equal rights is tangible. Both brains and beauty, she has helped us make huge steps in feminism, uniting men and women under one valuable cause.

13. Taika

The name means "magic spell." How cool is that?

14. Marie

Marie Curie was a French physicist most famous for her work on radioactivity and for winning the Nobel Prize. Twice.

15. Lisbeth

While Lisbeth Salander is very complex and complicated as a character — with a strange, mysterious personality and one shaky past — you can't deny the ultimate badass she is.

16. Anna

In 1978, Dr. Anna Lee Tingle Fisher was one of the first six women ever chosen to be astronauts. Prior to this, women weren't allowed into NASA's training program. She had a doctorate degree in STEM (science, tech, engineering, math) and was incredibly motivated.

17. Beatrix

Beatrix Kiddo, AKA "The Bride," was at the center of the two Kill Bill films. She's deadly, she's hot, she's funny, and she's out to make things right.

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