Life
When you're naming your child, it's easy to get overwhelmed by choice. You could name them for family... but which side? Are you going to alienate someone? Maybe it's safer to pick a literary character like Darcy or Atticus, or a sports star like Stephan or Meghan. Many parents choose to name their children after people who have inspired them, like union leaders or presidents. To help you find your favorite, I've compiled a list of 86 baby names inspired by badass politicians.
This list isn't limited to traditional politicians like famous mayors and members of congress. Instead, I've opened it up to wives of politicians who made an impact, Supreme Court judges, protest leaders, and suffragettes. I'm also not limiting my list to American politicians. So many people worldwide have made an impact on how the world views and interacts with politics, and it's important we recognize that. Not to mention that we are far from a homogenous nation, and celebrating our vast melting pot in how we name our children is as traditionally American as baseball and awkward conversations at Thanksgiving. I have no doubt that there's a name on this list you'll love.
1
Women Who Make Decisions
These are the women who sit or have sat on the federal court bench. I've chosen women who are passionate in their beliefs, feminist, pro-choice, and all around badass ladies in robes. Their opinions are written with the skill and dexterity of the most persuasive author, and we are lucky they chose to serve.
2
Presidents, Prime Ministers, Spouses, and Family
Some of these are going to be problematic under a microscope. There is no such thing as a perfect president or prime minister. This is especially true of the founding fathers. While Jefferson may have had radical ideas about things like the separation of church and state, he also had tons of slaves. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was essential in turning around the American economy, but hesitated to get involved in World War II, and also created Japanese internment camps. (Realistically, though, there's not a name under the sun that hasn't been on the birth certificate of someone unsavory, so you kind of have to take the good with the bad when you're playing the name game.)
- Eleanor
- Teddy
- William
- Barack
- Michelle
- Hillary
- Clinton
- Roosevelt *as a first name
- Lady (Bird)
- Bird
- Claudia (Lady Bird Johnson's real name)
- Lyndon
- Abraham
- Thomas
- Jefferson
- Adam
- Václav
- Justin
- George
- Washington
- Martha
- Mary
- Zuzana
- Angela
- Golda
- Chelsea
- Rory
- Jacinda
- Toussaint
- Musa (technically an emperor, but definitely a badass)
- Nelson
- Mandela
3
People Who Make Noise (Union leaders, Suffragettes, Movement Leaders, and so on)
These are the world shakers. If you're looking to name your child for someone who actively sought to change the way this country, this planet functions, look no further. These are the ones who put their bodies and minds in action, and made change. I've chosen leaders from the Black Lives Matter movements, gay rights, women's rights, as well as labor and prison reform. Some of these are non-traditional, like Baldwin and Audre (James Baldwin and Audre Lorde) as they were authors and educators, but their words held so much power, that they certainly helped shape generations of politicians.
4
Members of Congress (During Reconstruction & Since)
There is a stark difference between the members of Congress voted in during the progressive period of Reconstruction, and those during and after the Jim Crow era. Much of what was promised during and after the Civil War still hasn't materialized, but there was a shining moment where it looked like it would. However, there have always been stand out members.
Again, some of these have problematic issues, as do all elected officials.
