Maverick

It's ironic that the name Maverick is not such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun, Maverick symbolizes an unfettered, free spirit.

In fact, Maverick is the name of the Baby Name DNA type that's the least conventional and the most adventurous of all. But the name Maverick is too popular these days to appeal to someone whose Baby Name DNA type is Maverick these days, having shot up into the US Top 100 back in 2017.

Also on the rise in the UK and Canada, Maverick was given to 6962 boys in the US in 2023 — nearly six times the number who were given the name a decade ago. With its cool, cowboy vibes and surname-feel, it does appeal to contemporary tastes and fits in with the likes of Waylon, Walker, Brody, and Cooper.

As a word, Maverick came about in the 19th century, derived from the surname of a nonconforming Texas rancher who didn't brand his calves. If it was this unconventional feel you were hoping for, you could consider Ranger, Merritt, Cormac, or Whittaker.