Play ball!

　　Baseball season is underway, and baseball names capture the spirit of the National Pastime. There’s nostalgia in those that remind us of illustrious baseball players, hometown pride in the baseball names connected to our local ballparks.

　　Devoted fans can look towards names of players and teams, even dugout slang terms, for baby name inspiration.

　　Here, we have 100+ baseball-themed names for your little slugger, from familiar favorites such as Camden and Duke, to totally unique options, including, yep, Slugger.

　　

Baseball Player Names

Lovers of the game may wish to pay tribute to a favorite ballplayer by using one of theirnames for a child. Many historic players have vintage first names worth reviving, such as Hank Aaron, Cy Young, and Rogers Hornsby. Depending on your style, you can take inspiration from the first or last names of legendary players Satchel Paige and Ernie Banks.

　　Contemporary players can be honored using surname names. Jeter entered the American charts in 1998 and peaked in 2015 following New York Yankee Derek Jeter’s final season. Other players whose surnames have charted include Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux, and Corey Seager.

　　Of course, you should go with a name connected to a ballplayer who inspires you. But below, see our picks drawn from the names of iconic baseball players.

　　HeartBanksChevron - RightHeartBerraChevron - RightHeartBuckChevron - RightHeartCarewChevron - RightHeartChristyChevron - RightHeartClemensChevron - RightHeartCyChevron - RightHeartDukeChevron - RightHeartEarlyChevron - RightHeartErnieChevron - RightHeartGehrigChevron - RightHeartGibsonChevron - RightHeartGriffeyChevron - RightHeartGroverChevron - RightHeartHankChevron - RightHeartHarmonChevron - RightHeartHonusChevron - RightHeartJeterChevron - RightHeartLajoieChevron - RightHeartMadduxChevron - RightHeartMaggioChevron - RightHeartMarisChevron - RightHeartMcgwireChevron - RightHeartMickeyChevron - RightHeartOzzieChevron - RightHeartPaigeChevron - RightHeartPalmerChevron - RightHeartPujolsChevron - RightHeartRobinsonChevron - RightHeartRogersChevron - RightHeartRollieChevron - RightHeartRuthChevron - RightHeartSatchelChevron - RightHeartSeagerChevron - RightHeartStanChevron - RightHeartTrisChevron - RightHeartTyChevron - RightHeartWilliamsChevron - RightHeartWillieChevron - Right

　　

Ballpark and Team Names

If it’s too hard to choose just one player to honor in a name, go for the whole team! Some teams, like the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Texas Rangers, have names that can be easily adapted for a child. The more obscure choices — think Oriole or Astro or Pirate — would make exciting middle names.

　　Distinctive ballpark names tend to rise in popularity when their home teams have successful seasons. Fenway, after the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park, peaked in 2013 when they won the World Series. Similarly, Wrigley, after the Chicago Cub’s Wrigley Field, was more popular than ever in 2017, the year following their historic World Series win.

　　Here, MLB team names and those of ballparks past and present.

　　HeartAngelChevron - RightHeartAstroChevron - RightHeartBraveChevron - RightHeartBrewerChevron - RightHeartCamdenChevron - RightHeartChaseChevron - RightHeartCubChevron - RightHeartDodgerChevron - RightHeartFenwayChevron - RightHeartJacobChevron - RightHeartJayChevron - RightHeartMarinerChevron - RightHeartMarlinChevron - RightHeartMillerChevron - RightHeartOaklandChevron - RightHeartOrioleChevron - RightHeartPirateChevron - RightHeartRangerChevron - RightHeartRayChevron - RightHeartRockyChevron - RightHeartRogerChevron - RightHeartRoyalChevron - RightHeartSheaChevron - RightHeartTigerChevron - RightHeartTurnerChevron - RightHeartWrigleyChevron - Right

　　

Baseball Terms

Turning dugout lingo into baby names is one of the most creative ways to pay homage to the National Pastime.

　　Baseball terms that are actually names, like Annie (a female groupie), Pearl (a brand-new baseball), or Homer (slang for a home run) are an easy and subtle way to reference your love of the game.

　　Dynamic labels like Slugger, Fielder, Striker, and Catcher have more obvious ties to baseball. None of those names are remotely common — Fielder and Striker were given to eight boys each at last count — but they follow the on-trend formula of two-syllable word names ending in -er, which allows them to fit in and stand out.

　　Below, baby names collected from baseball slang terms and phrases.

　　HeartAceChevron - RightHeartAnnieChevron - RightHeartBanjoChevron - RightHeartBronxChevron - RightHeartCatcherChevron - RightHeartCharlesChevron - RightHeartCharlieChevron - RightHeartChuckChevron - RightHeartCutterChevron - RightHeartDaisyChevron - RightHeartDanChevron - RightHeartDeuceChevron - RightHeartDerbyChevron - RightHeartDiamondChevron - RightHeartDotChevron - RightHeartEastonChevron - RightHeartFielderChevron - RightHeartFieldingChevron - RightHeartFilbertChevron - RightHeartGemChevron - RightHeartHomerChevron - RightHeartJackChevron - RightHeartJakeChevron - RightHeartJudyChevron - RightHeartLaceChevron - RightHeartMarcelChevron - RightHeartMendozaChevron - RightHeartMittChevron - RightHeartOliverChevron - RightHeartPearlChevron - RightHeartPepperChevron - RightHeartRainbowChevron - RightHeartRawlingsChevron - RightHeartSallyChevron - RightHeartSeasonChevron - RightHeartSluggerChevron - RightHeartSpikeChevron - RightHeartStrikerChevron - RightHeartTexasChevron - Right

　　

About the Author

　　

Sophie Kihm

LinkSophie Kihm's Personal Website

　　Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

　　Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at [email protected]. Sophie lives in Chicago.

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