Baby Girl Names That Mean ‘Wild’ for a Spitfire in the Making

Sometimes you get a sense, even before your child is born, they’re going to be a wild one. Or maybe you were an adventurous kid, and thus expect you might just be tasked with a similarly rambunctious baby. So why not embrace it and give your baby girl a name that means “wild”?

We’ve collected several names that are perfect fits for a wild child. They’re gorgeous, but not too popular, so she’ll stand out. And although some of these literally mean “wild,” we’ve also included some more poetic interpretations of the word — for example, Olinda, which means “wild fig”; Chanda, which means “fierce”; or Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and wild animals.

More: Baby Girl Names With Great Meanings You’re Going to Love

So, whether you hope to raise your little girl in the wilderness or just hope she lives a wild life in the city, we’ve got you covered with the name choices below.

• Alanza: Meaning “ready for battle,” this name has Old German roots
• Artemis: This familiar Greek goddess ruled over the hunt and wild animals, among others
• Artio: This was the Gaulish goddess of the wilderness
• Averil: This Old English name means “wild boar”
• Beda: This name, which means “battle maid,” has Old English origins
• Chanda: A Hindi name, this means “hot, fierce, passionate”

• Cybele: An ancient mother goddess whose companions included wild animals
• Earnestine: Meaning “serious, battle to the death,” this name has Old German roots
• Fauve: This French name means “wild”
• Hilda: This name, which means “battle,” has Old German origins
• Ignacia: This name with Latin roots means “ardent, burning”
• Imelda: This gorgeous name means “universal battle”
• Kelly: A traditional name, this means “war”
• Matilda: Meaning “mighty in battle,” this name has Old German roots
• Olinda: This Greek name means “wild fig”
• Rhea: The Greek goddess of the mountain wilds

• Rhona: Similar to a German name meaning “battle gods”
• Zelda: This Old German name means “dark battle”

A version of this article was originally published in February 2016.