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15 Baby Boy Names Inspired By Famous Feminists

by Ni'Kesia Pannell

History has given us a long list of feminists that have done amazing things for women. Whether they identified as feminists during their time or if the title was given to them due to their work as activists, many women have done influential and applaudable things that paved the way for women's rights and beliefs. Though many women may have chosen to name their beautiful little girls after some of these historical women, there are plenty of baby boy names inspired by famous feminists that can be used, too.

Until recently, I never would have thought to name my future baby boy after famous feminists. To be quite honest, I never really understood what a feminist was over the years. As I've gotten older and have seen the impact that women (and men) who are classified as feminists have had on the world, finding names for my child, regardless of the gender, is something that I have no issue with doing. From fighting for equality to standing firmly on their beliefs, many of history's feminists have left an undeniable impact on the way things are done for women currently.

If you're looking for a name for your baby boy that represents the strength, dignity, and courage that these ladies embodied, these 15 names are perfect for you.

1

Scott

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Wife to Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights activist Coretta Scott King has stood up for rights regarding both men and women. The name, which is of Scottish origin, means "painted warrior."

2

Anthony

Susan B. Anthony was one a key player players in the women's suffrage movement as well as a feminist and abolitionist. According to Nameberry, Anthony is Latin for "priceless one."

3

Lorde

Poet, essayist, and civil rights activist Audre Lorde provided work that confronted and addressed the injustices of racism, sexism, and homophobia. Lorde is derived from the English language, is a variant transcription of the name Lord, which means "noble title."

4

Clinton

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Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is making a huge statement for women by being the first to be considered for President. Her last name, Clinton, is a great name for your baby boy and means "settlement on a hill."

5

Barrett

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a Victorian poet who took interest in politics. The name Barrett is a great way to give your future son a prolific name, which happens to mean "bear."

6

Duncan

Isadora Duncan rebelled against traditional dance styles that required women to wear uncomfortable clothing and forced them to move in unnatural ways. Her last name, Duncan, originates from the Scottish term "dark warrior."

7

Austen

Jane Austen may not have called herself a feminist, but her novels on independent thinking women who requested the respect they deserved from their husbands makes her one to me. The name Austen originates from Latin and means "great, magnificent".

8

Eliis

The Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, went under the pseudonyms Currer, Ellis, and Acton to publish their novels in the 1840s and 1850s. Emily Brontë, who went by Ellis, was made famous through her novel Wuthering Heights. Coming from a Hebrew background, Ellis means "The Lord is my God."

9

George

Mary Ann Evans, who went by George Eliot, was one of the leading English novelists of the 19th century. Her novels found fame due to their realism and psychological insights. The name means "farmer."

10

Orlando

Virginia Woolf's gender-bending 1928 novel Orlando: A Biography, tells the story of a man who eventually transforms into a woman by the end of the novel. The story gives you an insight into the barriers of gender. Given its meaning from the Spanish language, Orlando means "famous land."

11

Marlon

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Hollywood actress Marlene Dietrich took a stance on women's fashion by wearing trousers and men's suits in public during a time it was considered taboo. Arrested in the 1930s for publicly wearing her choice of clothing, the famed beauty once stated, "I dress for the image. Not for myself, not for the public, not for fashion, not for men." Though Marlene is a female name, the name Marlon is a derivative of it and has a French meaning of "little falcon."

12

Evan

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Eva Perón was known as a pioneer for Argentina's feminist movement and in the late '40s, founded the Female Peronist Party which gave women the right to vote and attend university. Evan has a Hebrew meaning of "God is gracious."

13

King

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As like above, Coretta Scott King influences another baby boy name with her last name King. The name, originated from the English language and means "monarch."

14

Oliver

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Actress Olivia Wilde has been known to speak out about women's rights and sexism in Hollywood over the years and since becoming a mother, has voiced for female rights to breastfeed in public. Oliver has an English meaning of "peaceful or the olive tree".

15

Christian

Queen Christina of Sweden was widely known as a witty, cultured, and forward-thinking woman during her rule over Stockholm. In addition, she was the face of the most high-profiled covert of her time by abdicating and converting to Catholicism. Christian, which means "follower of Christ," is a unisex name.