100 Sporty Baby Names for Your Future Athlete

Do athletics run in your family? Or maybe you want to inspire strength and sports in your little one? Consider giving your baby a sports-inspired moniker. Naming your little girl or boy after an Olympian can help bring out sporty vibes. Professional athletes who have won championships, and trailblazing Olympic competitors serve as great baby name inspirations.

The people behind these monikers can serve as role models of strength for your little one, both literally and figuratively. Whether they’ve won gold, silver, or bronze medals, or were the first to break a record in their sport, athletes and Olympians symbolize hard work and perseverance.

Related: The 100 Coolest Baby Names in the World

Giving your little boy or girl a sporty baby name can guide your little one in whatever life throws their way.

Sporty Girl Names that Start with A to L

Sporty female athletes are strong inspirations for your little lady. Choose a baby girl name dedicated to a tennis player, wrestler, snowboarder, or WNBA player to instill ingenuity.

1. Amanda - Latin meaning “who/which is to be loved.” After Amanda Nunes, Brazillian mixed martial artist.
2. Abby - American name meaning “father’s joy.” After US women’s national soccer player Abby Wambach.
3. Alice - German name meaning “noble.” After German middle-distance runner Alice Schmidt.
4. Angelique - French name meaning “messenger of God.” After German tennis player Angelique Kerber.
5. Allyson - German meaning “noble, exalted.” After retired US Olympic track and field athlete.
6. Becky (Rebecca) - English/Hebrew name, meaning “captivating" or “a snare.” After Irish professional wrestler Becky Lynch.
7. Bonnie - French/Scottish name meaning “pretty” or “good.” After Bonnie Blair, retired USA Olympic Speed skater.
8. Caroline - German meaning “free man” or “free woman.” After Danish former professional tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.
9. Chloe - Greek name meaning “blooming” or “fertility.” After Chloe Kim, Olympic gold medalist American snowboarder, the youngest woman to win gold in her category.
10. Cynthia - Greek meaning “from Mount Kynthos.” After Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, retired Houston Comets WNBA player.
11. Dara - Persian meaning “well-off,” or Hebrew meaning “pearl of wisdom.” After American former competitive swimmer Dara Grace Torres.
12. Diana - Greek/Roman meaning “to shine,” “sky” or “deity.” After Diana Taurasi, a retired WNBA player from the Phoenix Mercury.
13. Danica - Slavic name meaning “morning star.” After American former professional racing driver Danica Patrick.
14. Elena - Italian/Spanish version of Helen or Selene, meaning “torch/light" or “moon.” After Elena Delle Donne, a WNBA player for the Washington Mystics.
15. Flora - Latin meaning “flower.” After Flora Duffy, Bermudian Olympic triathlete.
16. Florence - Latin for “blossoming” or “Flourishing.” After “Flo-Jo” (Florence Griffith Joyner), a former record-setting American track and field athlete.
17. Katie - English/Greek name meaning “pure.” After Katie Ledecky, US Olympic medalist swimmer.
18. Kaylee - British name meaning “laurel” or “crown.” After Australian Olympic swimmer Kaylee McKeown
19. Laila - Hebrew/Arabic meaning “night” or “dark.” After retired professional boxer Laila Ali.
20. Larisa - Greek name meaning “sea bird.” After Larisa Latynina, former Soviet Olympic artistic gymnast.
21. Lisa - Hebrew name meaning “oath from God.” After Lisa Leslie, former WNBA professional basketball player and current head coach.

Sporty Girl Names that Start with M to Z

22. Maria - Latin name meaning “of the sea,” “bitter.” After Former No. 1 Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova
23. Mary Lou - Latin/English name meaning “drop of the sea,” rebelliousness.” After Mary Lou Retton, retired US gold medalist Olympic gymnast.
24. Megan - Greek name meaning “pearl.” After US Women’s national soccer player Megan Rapinoe.
25. Mia - Spanish name meaning “mine” or Slavic meaning “dear, darling.” After Mia Hamm, retired professional FIFA Women’s World Cup champion American soccer player and Olympic gold medalist.
26. Michelle - French name meaning “who is like God.” After Michelle Akers, former American soccer player.
27. Mikaela - Hebrew name meaning “who is like God.” After Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic American gold medalist alpine skier.
28. Marta - Latin name meaning “the lady.” After Marta Vieira de Silva, known as “Marta,” a professional footballer on the Orlando Pride.
29. Maya - Sanskrit name meaning “dream” or “illusion.” After retired Minnesota Lynx WNBA player Maya Moore.
30. Nadia - Slavic/Arabic name meaning “hope, delicate, fragile.” After Nadia Comăneci, retired Romanian Olympic gymnast and five-time gold medalist.
31. Nancy - Hebrew name meaning “grace.” After Nancy Elizabeth Lieberman, also known as “Lady Magic,” retired WNBA player and coach.
32. Naomi - Hebrew name meaning “pleasantness.” After Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka.
33. Paige - Latin name meaning “young helper” or “young noble.” After Paige VanZant, American mixed martial artist, boxer, and professional wrestler.
34. Peggy - Greek meaning “pearl.” After Peggy Fleming, former US Olympic figure skater.
35. Ronda - Welsh/Hebrew name meaning “loud” or “grand.” After Ronda Rousey American professional wrestler, and mixed martial artist.
36. Simone - Greek meaning “he has heard” or “God has heard.” After Olympic gymnast Simone Biles
37. Serena - Latin meaning “clear” or “tranquil.” After tennis star Serena Williams
38. Shelly - Hebrew/English meaning “ewe, female sheep,” “sloped meadow,” or “little rock.” After Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a Jamaican Olympic athlete.
39. Sheryl - French name meaning “beloved” or “darling.” After Sheryl Swoopes, the first player to be signed in the WNBA at its start, and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist USA basketball player.
40. Simona - Hebrew meaning “hear” or “listen.” After Romanian tennis player Simona Halep.
41. Sonja - Greek meaning “wisdom.” After Sonja Henie, former Norwegian Olympic champion Norwegian figure skater.
42. Sue - Hebrew meaning “lily.” After Sue Bird, a retired WNBA player from the Seattle Storm.
43. Tamika - Japanese name meaning “beautiful child,” or Swahili meaning “flower of the rising sun.” After Tamika Catchings, former WNBA player on the Indiana Fever.
44. Venus - Latin origin meaning “Goddess of love.” After tennis star Venus Williams
45. Wilma - German meaning “resolute protector.” After Wilma Rudolph, record-holding Olympic US sprinting champion.

Sporty Boy Names that Start with A to I

From quarterbacks to runners, skiers, NBA players or soccer stars, there are many sporty boy baby names.

46. Aaron - Greek/Hebrew name meaning “exalted,” “strong,” or “teacher.” After football player Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.
47. Alberto - Spanish name meaning “noble and bright.” After Olympic Alpine skier Alberto Tomba.
48. Alexei - Russian/Bulgarian name meaning “defender.” After Olympic figure skater Alexei Yagudin.
49. Antonio - Latin/Roman name meaning “praiseworthy” or “priceless.” After NFL player Antonio Brown, wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
50. Barry - Irish name meaning “fair-haired” or “fair-headed.” After retired Detroit Lions NFL football player Barry Sanders.
51. Bryce - Scottish name meaning “freckled.” After American MLB player Bryce Harper, right fielder and designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies.
52. Carl - English/German/Scandinavian name meaning “free man.” After Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis.
53. Cristiano - Latin name meaning “follower of Christ.” After Manchester United F.C. player Cristiano Ronaldo.
54. Dale - Old English name meaning “valley.” After NASCAR race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
55. Deion - American name meaning "god of wine and revelry.” After Deion Sanders, Jackson State head football coach and former Atlanta Falcons NFL player.
56. Derek - English/old Germanic meaning “people-ruler.” After Olympic speed skater Derek Parra.
57. Dwyane - English/Welsh name meaning “dark, black.” After former American NBA player Dwyane Wade.
58. Eric - Old Norse name meaning “forever ruler.” After speed skater Eric Heiden
59. Floyd - Welsh name meaning “gray-haired.” After American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
60. Gary - Old English name meaning “spear.” After Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr.
61. Hank - German name meaning “home-ruler.” After Hank Aaron, an American former professional MLB right fielder.

Sporty Boy Names that Start with J to Z

62. Jerry - British name meaning “spear.” After retired Los Angeles Lakers player Jerry West.
63. Kareem - Arabic name meaning “generous.” After Los Angeles Lakers NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
64. Kobe - Greek/Swahili name meaning “tortoise” or “turtle.” After Kobe Bryant, former Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball player
65. Kristof - Scandinavian name meaning “bearing Christ.” After Hungarian Olympic swimmer Kristoff Milak
66. Jim - Hebrew meaning “he who supplants.” After Jim Thorpe, American athlete, and Olympic gold medalist.
67. Lance - English meaning “God-like.” After former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong
68. LeBron - African American name meaning “king.” French meaning “brown-haired one.” After LeBron James, one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
69. Lionel - Latin name meaning “little lion.” After Paris Saint-Germain F.C. player Lionel Messi.
70. Michael - Hebrew name meaning “who is like God.” After Michael Jordan, one of the greatest NBA players of all time, and Michael Phelps, an Olympic swimmer.
71. Mike - Irish name meaning “who is like God.” After American professional former boxer Mike Tyson.
72. Muhammad - Arabic name meaning “the praiseworthy.” After boxer Muhammad Ali.
73. Nathan - Hebrew/Yiddish name meaning “gift from God.” After Olympic figure skater Nathan Chen.
74. Roger - German meaning “fame” and “spear.” After former professional Swiss tennis player Roger Federer
75. Ryan - Irish name meaning “little king.” After professional boxer Ryan Garcia.
76. Russell - French name meaning “red-haired.” After NFL player Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Denver Broncos.
77. Stephen - Greek name meaning “wreath” or “crown.” After Stephen “Steph” Curry, Golden State Warriors professional basketball player.
78. Steven - Greek name meaning “wreath” or “crown.” After American bobsledder Steven Langton.
79. Tiger - American name meaning “powerful cat.” After professional golfer Tiger Woods.
80. Tom - Aramaic name meaning “twin” or “innocence.” After NFL star Tom Brady
81. Usain - Arabic name meaning “beautiful” or “good.” After retired Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt
82. Wayne - British name meaning “wagon builder” or “driver.” After Wayne Gretzky, a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach.
83. Willie - German name meaning “resolute protector.” After Willie Mays, former San Francisco Giants MLB center fielder.

Sporty Gender-Neutral Names

Want to keep things neutral? These unisex sporty baby names are perfect for your strong little one.

84. Alex - Greek name meaning “defender of humankind.” After Alex Morgan, US Women’s soccer player.
85. Ashton - English name meaning “ash tree town.” After Ashton Eaton, retired American decathlete and Olympic champion.
86. Babe - Greek name meaning “baby.” After New York Yankees player Babe Ruth or American Olympic athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
87. Billie - English name meaning “determination” or “resolute protection.” After former No. 1 tennis player Billie Jean King.
88. Blake - British meaning “black," “bright,” “dark,” “shining,” or “pale.” After American NBA player Blake Griffith, of the Boston Celtics.
89. Casey - Irish and Gaelic name meaning “vigilant” or “watchful.” After Olympic speed skater Casey Fitz Randolph.
90. Cameron - Gaelic name that means “crooked nose” or “crooked river.” After Cam Newton the American football quarterback.
91. Chris - Greek name meaning “bearing Christ.” After American former tennis player Chris Evert.
92. Jackie - English meaning “may God protect.” After Jackie Robinson, former MLB player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, retired Olympic track and field athlete.
93. Jamie - Hebrew meaning “he who supplants.” After Jamie Anderson, Olympic snowboarder
94. Jordan - Hebrew meaning “to flow down” or “descend.” After Jordan Chiles, American Olympic gymnast, American freestyle and Folkstyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs.
95. Kye - Welsh/Scandinavian/Gaelic meaning “keeper of the keys,” “earth,” and “narrow.” After former George Washington University basketball player Kyle Allums, the first openly transgender NCAA Division I college athlete.
96. Lindsey - English meaning “Lincoln’s marsh” or “island of linden trees.” After Lindsey Vonn, US Olympic alpine ski racer.
97. Magic - American meaning “full of wonder.” After retired Los Angeles Lakers player Magic Johnson.
98. Peyton - Irish name meaning “fighting man’s estate.” After Indianapolis Colts football player Peyton Manning.
99. Quinn - Irish name meaning “wise.” After Quinn, a Canadian professional soccer player, and Olympic medalist.
100. Schuyler - Dutch meaning “scholar.” After Schuyler Miwon Hong Bailar, the first openly transgender NCAA Division I swimmer.

Looking for more cool baby names? Check out these popular baby name lists:

• 100 Coolest Baby Names from Around the World
• Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in the U.S.
• Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the U.S.

Want to use a sporty name for your baby? Pin this list to save it for later: