240 Daring Outlaw Names to Bring Your Western Story to Life

In Western stories, a character’s name can be really important. It’s like how a whip makes a loud noise or how a sheriff’s badge shines – it gets your attention!

A good outlaw name does more than just tell you who the character is. It gives you clues about their life, what they’re like, and how famous they might become.

A well-chosen name can set the tone for your entire story, evoking the grit and daring of the Wild West before your character even draws their first breath on the page.

Crafting the perfect outlaw name is a delicate balance between authenticity and creativity. You want a name that feels true to the era and setting, yet stands out enough to stick in your readers’ minds.

The best outlaw names often combine rugged simplicity with a touch of the extraordinary. They might hint at the character’s appearance, their infamous deeds, or the land that shaped them.

Historically, outlaw names often fell into a few classic categories:

1. Physical attributes: Names like “One-Eyed Jack” or “Scarface Joe” immediately paint a vivid picture.
2. Infamous deeds: “Stagecoach Charlie” or “Cattle Kate” tell you something about the character’s criminal specialties.
3. Geographical references: “Montana Kid” or “El Paso Sam” root the character in a specific place.

Top Daring Outlaw Name Ideas

1. Whiskey Wes Morgan – Known for his love of whiskey and quick draw
2. Rattlesnake Rosa – As deadly and unpredictable as her namesake
3. Tombstone Tex – Leaves a trail of graves wherever he goes
4. Coyote Kate Hawkins – Cunning and elusive, always one step ahead
5. Deadeye Dan Dalton – Never misses a shot, feared sharpshooter
6. Tumbleweed Tess – Drifts from town to town, causing trouble
7. Bronco Bill Blackwell – Legendary horse thief and skilled rider
8. Sagebrush Sally – Blends into the desert landscape, master of ambush
9. Quickdraw Quentin – Fastest gun in the West, undefeated in duels
10. Maverick Molly Malone – Unpredictable gambler with a silver tongue
11. Thunderbolt Theo – Strikes fast and hard, leaving destruction behind
12. Wildcat Wendy – Fierce fighter with claws as sharp as her wit
13. Shotgun Sam Hawkins – Prefers close-range chaos with his trusty shotgun
14. Dusty Rose Dalton – Beautiful but deadly, like a rose in the desert
15. Lasso Luke – Ropes in victims and valuables with equal skill
16. Calamity Jane Cooper – Disaster follows in her wake
17. Sidewinder Silas – Sneaky and venomous, strikes when least expected
18. Pistol Peg O’Malley – Irish spitfire with deadly aim
19. Mustang Mike – Tames wild horses and wilder towns
20. Bandit Belle – Southern charm meets outlaw spirit
21. Grizzly Gus – As big and mean as a grizzly bear
22. Sunset Sarah – Strikes at dusk, vanishes by dawn
23. Desperado Dave – Wanted in every territory, always on the run
24. Tumbleweed Tina – Rolls into town, leaves chaos in her wake
25. Renegade Rory – Loyal to no one but himself
26. Cactus Cat Callie – Sharp-clawed and prickly-tempered
27. Outlaw Ollie – Born bad, proud of it
28. Bonanza Betty – Strikes it rich in gold and crime
29. Gunsmoke Gabe – Leaves a trail of smoke and empty gun barrels
30. Prairie Pearl – Rare beauty of the plains with a dark side
31. Lone Wolf Logan – Solitary and dangerous, howls at danger
32. Saloon Sal – Runs the roughest saloon in the territory
33. Bronco Buster Bob – Tames wild horses and wilder women
34. Wildfire Winnie – Spreads trouble faster than a prairie fire
35. Hangman Hank – Judge, jury, and executioner all in one

Daring Female Outlaw Names

1. Scarlett “Red” Raven – Known for her fiery hair and swift escapes
2. Whiskey Jane – Infamous for her love of strong spirits and even stronger heists
3. Calamity Rose – Brings disaster wherever she roams
4. Pistol Penny – Quick on the draw with deadly accuracy
5. Wildcat Willa – Fierce and unpredictable in a fight
6. Rattlesnake Rita – As dangerous as her namesake
7. Shotgun Sally – Never seen without her trusty shotgun
8. Maverick Molly – Plays by her own rules
9. Dynamite Daisy – Explosives expert with a penchant for chaos
10. Quickdraw Quinn – Fastest gun in the West
11. Bronco Betty – Unbeatable horse thief and rider
12. Lasso Lily – Expert with a rope, capturing both cattle and lawmen
13. Thunderbolt Tess – Strikes fear as quickly as lightning
14. Cactus Kate – Tough as the desert plants she’s named after
15. Sagebrush Sarah – Blends into the landscape like a ghost
16. Bandit Belle – Southern charm meets outlaw spirit
17. Tornado Trixie – Leaves destruction in her wake
18. Gunsmoke Gina – Always found where bullets fly
19. Outlaw Opal – Shines bright in the criminal underworld
20. Renegade Ruby – Rebel with a cause and a hefty bounty
21. Desperado Daphne – Wanted in five states for daring robberies
22. Tumbleweed Tanya – Drifts from town to town, causing trouble
23. Mustang Mabel – Wild and free, impossible to catch
24. Rustler Ruth – Cattle thief extraordinaire
25. Stagecoach Stella – Notorious for her daring coach robberies
26. Bounty Bonnie – Turns the tables by hunting other outlaws
27. Wildfire Winnie – Spreads chaos as rapidly as a prairie fire
28. Coyote Clara – Cunning and elusive, always one step ahead
29. Drifter Dolly – Mysterious wanderer with a dark past
30. Viper Vera – Her bite is as deadly as her aim

A Long List of Outlaw Name Ideas

1. “Six-Shot” – Silas McGraw
2. “The Viper” – Jesse Vaughn
3. “Dagger” – Bill Dawson
4. “The Reaper” – Wyatt Kane
5. Grady Mercer – “Blood Moon”
6. “Deadeye” – Harlan Briggs
7. Cyrus Tate – “The Devil’s Hand”
8. Boone Slade – “Iron Grip”
9. Jaxon Blackwood – “The Crimson Rider”
10. “Bad Luck” – Quincy Malone
11. “Ghost” – Ryder Calhoun
12. “Whisper” – Jonah Graves
13. “Phantom” – Ezekiel Boone
14. “Shade” – Morgan
15. Desmond Lee – “Dust Devil”
16. Luther Hays – “Storm Rider”
17. “No Name” – Caine Mercer
18. Hollis Tate – “Black Mist”
19. Knox Walker – “The Midnight Rider”
20. “The Shadow” – Cassius Holt
21. Fiona Fitzgerald – “Frontier”
22. “Reckless” – Reno Jackson
23. “Maverick” – Kane
24. “Lawless” – Jack Callahan
25. “Hellbound” – Cass Harper
26. Tex Vaughn – “The Wild Shot”
27. “Mad Dog” – Cordell Shaw
28. “The Rogue” – Hawk Sutherland
29. Dustin Graves – “Outcast”
30. “Wildfire” – Colton Nash
31. Travis Rawlins – “Thunderhand”
32. “Bullet” – Brett Bowman
33. Scarlett Monroe – “The Vixen”
34. “Bullet” – Bonnie Sinclair
35. Lydia Mercer – “Lady Death”
36. Savannah Lane – “Deadly Rose”
37. “The Pistol Queen” – Maeve Carter
38. “Firebrand” – Roxanne Hayes
39. Eleanor Prescott – “The Black Widow”
40. “Dust Storm” – Jolene Cassidy
41. “The Siren” – Charlotte Boone
42. Daisy Hollis – “The Devil’s Belle”
43. “Lone Star” – Jericho Hayes
44. “The Outcast” – Gideon Shaw
45. “Silver Bullet” – Sawyer Creed
46. “Coyote” – Rowan Maddox
47. “Blackjack” – Wesley Boone
48. “Razor” – Hank Grayson
49. Rhett Calloway – “The Gambler”
50. “The Revenant” – Tucker Malone
51. “The Undertaker” – Flynn Carver
52. “Crooked-Nose” – Ned
53. “Two-Gun” – Tessa
54. “Tall” – Tom Tucker
55. “Red-Beard” – Rory
56. “Squinty-Eye” – Sam
57. “Long-Legs” – Lucy
58. “Bald” – Bill Barker
59. “Hook-Hand” – Harry
60. “Scar-Face” – Sally
61. “Big-Ears” – Bart
62. “Bank-Robber” – Bob
63. “Dynamite” – Dan
64. “Cattle-Rustler” – Clem
65. “Jailbreak” – Jake
66. “Gold-Digger” – Gina
67. “Stagecoach Stealer” – Steve
68. “Moonshine” – Molly
69. “Card-Shark” – Charlie
70. “Quick-Draw” – Quinn
71. “Arizona” – Annie
72. “Tombstone” – Ted
73. “Deadwood” – Daisy
74. “Rio Grande” – Ricky
75. “Dodge City” – Dolores
76. “Cheyenne” – Chuck
77. “Laramie” – Lou
78. “Tucson” – Tess
79. “Abilene” – Al
80. “Yuma” – Yancy
81. Parker Phelps – “Pegleg”
82. Quincy Quade – “Quicksand”
83. Bridgette Blake – “Blackwater”
84. Riley Reid – “Raven”
85. “Rattlesnake” – Ruby Ross
86. Zeke Zephyr – “The Whirlwind”
87. “Tumbleweed” – Toby Tucker
88. “Sandstorm” – Sienna Sage
89. Wyatt Wolfe – “The Lone Wolf”
90. “Thunderbolt” – Thaddeus Thompson
91. “Wildcat” – Willa Carson
92. “Bronco” – Buck Bronson
93. “Shotgun” – Sadie Sinclair
94. Levi Lynch – “The Hangman”
95. “Sidewinder” – Seth Sloan
96. “Bandit Queen” – Bella Blackheart
97. “Desperado” – Diego Diaz
98. “Nighthawk” – Nora Nightingale
99. Caleb Colt – “The Quick”
100. “Gunsmoke” – Garrett Graves
101. “Wildfire” – Winifred West
102. “Bounty” – Brock Boudreaux
103. “Stormcrow” – Stella Steele
104. “Rustler” – Rory Redmond
105. Jasper Jett – “The Drifter”
106. “Outlaw” – Orion Oakley
107. “Tumbleweed” – Tessa Thorn
108. “Gunslinger” – Gideon Gray
109. “Maverick” – Mack Morrison
110. Lena Lark – “The Songbird”
111. “Badlands” – Butch Blackwell
112. “Cactus Jack” – Jackson James
113. “Wildcard” – Wade Wilson
114. “Sundown” – Silas Stone
115. Abigail Ash – “The Phoenix”
116. “Deadshot” – Dexter Drake
117. “Quicksilver” – Quinn Quinn
118. “Tornado” – Tyson Twister
119. “Scorpion” – Scarlett Sting
120. Liam Lawless – “The Judge”
121. “Dust Devil” – Darcy Dune
122. “Nightshade” – Nyx Noir
123. “Tumbleweed” – Tobias Tanner
124. “Wildfire” – Wren Wilder
125. Colt Caine – “The Executioner”
126. “Sandstorm” – Sahara Smith
127. “Rattler” – Remy Rattle
128. “Gunhawk” – Griffin Gauge
129. “Moonshine” – Mabel Moonbeam
130. “Deadwood” – Dirk Dawson
131. Lola Lynch – “The Lariat”
132. “Sidewinder” – Slade Slither
133. “Tumbleweed” – Tango Turner
134. “Wildcat” – Willow Wilds
135. “Bronco” – Blaze Buckaroo
136. Zane Zephyr – “The Cyclone”
137. “Quickdraw” – Quentin Quill
138. “Bandit” – Bonnie Blaze
139. “Desperado” – Django Dusk
140. “Nightrider” – Nora Noir
141. Cody Colt – “The Marksman”
142. “Gunsmoke” – Gage Gallows
143. “Wildfire” – Wyatt Wrangler
144. “Bounty” – Blaine Bloodhound
145. “Stormcrow” – Sage Shadow
146. “Rustler” – Rogue Rivers
147. Jett Jackson – “The Phantom”
148. “Outlaw” – Oakley Obsidian
149. “Tumbleweed” – Tango Thorn
150. “Gunslinger” – Grit Graveyard

Tips for Creating Your Own Outlaw Names

1. Research historical figures for inspiration. Real outlaws often had colorful names you can use as springboards.
2. Mix and match elements. Combine a descriptive word with a common name, or a place name with a nickname.
3. Avoid clichés and overused tropes. “Black Bart” might have been intimidating once, but now it feels worn out.
4. Use alliteration for memorable names. Repeating initial sounds can make a name stick, like “Whistling Will” or “Cactus Kate.”
5. Incorporate local flora, fauna, or geography. Names like “Tumbleweed Tom” or “Coyote Creek Carl” add a sense of place to your character.
6. Play with contrasts. Combine a tough descriptor with a gentle name or vice versa, like “Gentle Giant George” or “Tiny Tim the Terrible.”
7. Draw inspiration from the character’s signature weapon or tool. “Lasso Larry” or “Shotgun Sally” immediately suggest the character’s preferred method of operation.
8. Use ironic or unexpected nicknames. A hulking brute called “Tiny” or a notorious thief named “Honest Abe” can add depth to your character.

Famous Outlaw’s in History, Literature and Film

Historical Outlaws

1. Jesse James
2. Billy the Kid
3. Butch Cassidy
4. Sundance Kid (Harry Longabaugh)
5. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow
6. John Dillinger
7. Al Capone
8. Pretty Boy Floyd
9. Ma Barker
10. Black Bart (Charles Boles)

Literary Outlaws

1. Robin Hood (English folklore)
2. Jean Valjean (Les Misérables by Victor Hugo)
3. Long John Silver (Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson)
4. Arsène Lupin (created by Maurice Leblanc)
5. Artful Dodger (Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)
6. Injun Joe (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain)
7. Raskolnikov (Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky)
8. Mack the Knife (The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht)
9. Captain Ahab (Moby-Dick by Herman Melville)
10. Fagin (Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)

Film Outlaws

1. Michael Corleone (The Godfather trilogy)
2. Tony Montana (Scarface)
3. Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs)
4. Tyler Durden (Fight Club)
5. Joker (Batman franchise)
6. Darth Vader (Star Wars franchise)
7. Hans Gruber (Die Hard)
8. Keyser Söze (The Usual Suspects)
9. Vito Corleone (The Godfather)
10. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise)

Conclusion

In conclusion, these 185 daring outlaw names offer a wealth of inspiration for Western storytellers. From rugged to cunning, each name opens a window into a character’s personality and potential legend.

They’re perfect for novels, games, or any Wild West-themed creation, adding authenticity and flair to your narratives.

A great outlaw name is more than just a label; it’s the first step in creating a character that will ride through your readers’ imaginations long after they’ve finished your story.

By blending historical authenticity with creative flair, you can craft names that capture the essence of the Wild West and bring your outlaws roaring to life on the page.

Now, it’s time for you to take the reins and breathe life into your own band of memorable rogues and renegades. Which name speaks to you? Drop your favorite below!

Frequently Asked Questions – Outlaw Name Ideas

Q. Why are outlaw names important in Western stories?
A: Outlaw names help create memorable characters, set the tone for your story, and give readers a quick insight into a character’s personality or background.

Q. Can I use these names in my own writing?
A: Yes, these names are meant to inspire your writing. Feel free to use them as-is or as a starting point for creating your own unique outlaw names.

Q. What makes a good outlaw name?
A: A good outlaw name is memorable, evocative of the character’s personality or appearance, and fits well within the Western genre.

Q. How can I avoid clichéd outlaw names?
A: Research lesser-known historical figures, combine unexpected elements, or create names that subvert common Western tropes.

Q. Can I use these names for female outlaws?
A: Absolutely! Many of the names can be adapted for female characters, and there are specific female outlaw names included in the list.