100 Cool and Colorful Red Names

Red carries a lot in a single syllable: the flush of a sunrise, the warmth of a fox’s coat, the deep glow of garnet and rust. Names built on it tend to feel a little bold and a little warm at the same time, which makes them a fun place to start when you want something with real color.

This list gathers 100 names that mean red or point to a red shade, split into 42 girl names, 40 boy names, and 18 unisex picks. You’ll find familiar favorites alongside quieter finds pulled from many languages, some naming the color straight out and others carrying it through crimson, auburn, or ruby.

Scroll through and see which one feels right for your little one.

42 Girl Names That Mean Red

These sweet names meaning red will cast a beautiful glow over your little rosy princess. For scale, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 name tabulations counted 53,615 different first names that each appeared 100 or more times nationwide ⁽¹⁾, so a red-themed pick can still be one families rarely hear.

1. Afra: A soft Arabic girl name meaning “whitish-red,” an uncommon pick with a gentle, blush-toned feel.
2. Akako: A Japanese name built on aka, the word for red, that reads literally as “red child.”
3. Akane: A popular Japanese girl name meaning “deep red,” after the madder plant once used to make red dye.
4. Alhambra: A Spanish name from Arabic for “the red one,” echoing the rose-red walls of Granada’s Alhambra fortress.
5. Amaryllis: A Greek flower name from amarysso, “to sparkle,” carried by a striking red bloom that stands for pride and determination.
6. Amber: An English gem name for the warm, reddish-honey resin formed from fossilized tree sap.
7. Apple: A fresh, fruity word name in deep apple-red, famously chosen by Gwyneth Paltrow for her daughter.
8. Aruna: A Hindi name for the reddish glow of dawn, and in Hindu myth the charioteer of the sun god.
9. Arusha: A Sanskrit-rooted Indian name meaning “reddish,” capturing the warm colors of first light.
10. Autumn: An English word name for the season of falling red and gold leaves, cozy and nature-loving. Autumn ranked #88 for US girls in 2025, with 2,805 newborns given the name, per the Social Security Administration’s national baby-name data.
11. Cerise: A French word name meaning “cherry,” used in English for a deep pinkish-red hue.
12. Cherry: A playful English fruit name in bright cherry-red, sweet and a little retro.
13. Coral: A nature name for the pinkish-red of ocean reefs, breezy and beach-inspired.
14. Corsen: A rare Welsh girl name tied to “red” and to the reeds (corsen) that line riverbanks.
15. Dang: A Thai girl name that simply means “red,” short and bright.
16. Dawn: An English word name for daybreak, when the sky first flushes red and pink.
17. Flannery: An Irish surname name meaning “descendant of the red-haired one,” shared with author Flannery O’Connor.
18. Fuchsia: A flower name for the bold purplish-red bloom, named after botanist Leonhart Fuchs.
19. Garnet: The deep pomegranate-red January birthstone, rich and pleasingly old-fashioned.
20. Ginger: An English word name with spicy warmth, long tied to bright reddish-orange hair.
21. Humayra: An Arabic name meaning “rosy-cheeked” or “little red one,” a fond nickname of Aisha, wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
22. Kalama: A Hawaiian name meaning “the torch,” glowing with fiery red light.
23. Kamala: A Sanskrit name meaning “lotus” and “pale red,” also another name for the goddess Lakshmi.
24. Omaira: An Arabic name linked to “star” and to a reddish hue, rare and lyrical.
25. Peach: A soft fruit name in shades of pink and orange-red, gentle and a touch whimsical.
26. Poppy: An English flower name for the bright red poppy, a lasting symbol of remembrance.
27. Roisin: An Irish name meaning “little rose,” pronounced ro-SHEEN, romantic and steeped in poetry.
28. Rosa: The Latin and Spanish form of Rose, meaning “rose,” warm and timeless across many cultures.
29. Rose: A classic English flower name for the red rose, a lasting symbol of love.
30. Rosie: A cheerful pet form of Rose, bright and friendly, fit for a rosy-cheeked girl.
31. Rossa: The Italian word for “red,” soft and feminine with a floral lilt.
32. Rubina: An Italian name from “ruby,” a jewel-bright twist on the gemstone Ruby.
33. Ruby: The deep red July birthstone, a vintage gem name back in fashion.
34. Rudite: A Latvian name from “ruds,” meaning “rusty red” or “red-haired.”
35. Rufina: The feminine form of Latin Rufus, meaning “red-haired,” with early Christian saintly roots.
36. Rumena: A Slavic name meaning “rosy” or “red-cheeked,” sweet for a healthy, glowing baby.
37. Rumyana: A Bulgarian name from the same “rosy” root as Rumena, bright and cheerful.
38. Scarlett: An English name for brilliant scarlet red, made famous by Scarlett O’Hara of Gone with the Wind. The name ranked #32 for US girls in 2025, with 5,644 newborns given the name, per the Social Security Administration’s national baby-name data ⁽²⁾.
39. Shani: A Hebrew name meaning “scarlet” or “crimson,” rich and a little mystical.
40. Sienna: An earthy orange-red name from the clay-rich Italian city of Siena, warm and artistic.
41. Solveig: A Nordic name from sol “sun” and veig “strength,” pronounced SOOL-vay, made famous by Ibsen’s Peer Gynt.
42. Sorrel: A botanical name for the reddish-brown herb, soft and nature-rooted.

40 Boy Names That Mean Red

These hot boy names that mean red are full of fire, strength, and passion.

1. Adam: A Hebrew name meaning “red earth,” one of the oldest and most familiar names in history.
2. Altan: A Turkish boy name meaning “red dawn,” bright with the promise of a new day.
3. Anatole: A French name from Greek meaning “sunrise” or “east,” glowing with red dawn imagery.
4. Aodh: An Old Irish name meaning “fire,” pronounced like “ay,” once borne by a Celtic sun god.
5. Arun: A Sanskrit name meaning “reddish-brown” or the red of dawn, short and warm.
6. Blaze: An English word name for a roaring fire, fierce and full of red-hot energy.
7. Brick: A sturdy English word name in the dependable shade of brick-red.
8. Broderick: A Welsh-rooted name meaning “son of Rhydderch,” tied to a brown-red-haired ancestor.
9. Cardinal: A bird and color name for the deep red cardinal, also a common surname.
10. Carmine: A Latin boy name tied to carmine, the deep crimson dye, with the warmth of Latin carmen, “song.”
11. Clay: An English name for a clay worker, earthy and grounded in reddish soil.
12. Edom: A biblical Hebrew name meaning “red,” the name given to Esau for the red stew he traded.
13. Flanagan: An Irish surname name from flann, “red” or “ruddy,” bold and full of character.
14. Flynn: An Irish name meaning “son of the red-haired one,” easygoing and cool.
15. Fox: An animal name for the clever russet fox, sleek and a little wild.
16. Gough: A Welsh surname from coch, “red,” that makes a bold given name.
17. Harkin: An anglicized Gaelic surname meaning “dark red,” rare and rugged.
18. Jasper: A Hebrew boy name meaning “treasurer,” shared with a gemstone often found in earthy red.
19. Lal: A Hindi name meaning “darling” and “red” across several Indian languages, affectionate and warm.
20. Mars: The Roman god of war and the “red planet,” strong and a little fiery.
21. Pyrrhus: A Greek name meaning “flame-colored” or “red-haired,” borne by an ancient warrior king.
22. Radcliff: An English place name meaning “red cliff,” handsome and a touch literary.
23. Redford: An English surname meaning “red ford,” with a quiet Hollywood polish.
24. Reed: An Old English name meaning “red,” first a nickname for someone red-haired.
25. Rogan: An anglicized Gaelic surname meaning “red-haired,” snappy and modern.
26. Rohan: A Sanskrit name meaning “ascending” and “red-haired,” also the kingdom of Rohan in Tolkien’s world.
27. Rohit: A Hindi boy name meaning “red,” linked to the rising sun.
28. Rojo: The Spanish word for “red,” punchy and bold as a first name.
29. Roone: A rare Gaelic name meaning “red-haired,” short and distinctive.
30. Roth: A short Old German surname name meaning “red,” crisp and strong.
31. Roy: A name meaning “red” from Gaelic ruadh, also read as “king” in Norman French.
32. Rua: An Irish name meaning “red,” and a Maori name meaning “lake.”
33. Ruadh: A Gaelic name meaning “red” or “red-haired,” medieval and full of grit.
34. Ruairi: A Scottish name meaning “red king,” a spirited cousin of Rory.
35. Rudyard: An Old English name read as “red yard,” best known through writer Rudyard Kipling.
36. Rufus: A Latin name meaning “red-haired,” hearty and quietly charming.
37. Rumen: A Bulgarian name meaning “red-cheeked” or “rosy,” cheerful for a glowing baby.
38. Russell: A Norman French name meaning “little red one,” classic and warm.
39. Tiger: A bold animal name evoking the big cat’s fiery orange-red coat.
40. Wapasha: A Dakota name meaning “red leaf,” borne by a noted line of Dakota chiefs.

18 Unisex Names That Mean Red

These gender-neutral names meaning red are suitable for any brave warrior.

1. Auburn: An English word name for a warm reddish-brown, soft and autumnal.
2. Blush: A modern word name for the gentle pink-red of a flushed cheek.
3. Clancy: An Irish name from the same flann root as Flannery, meaning “red warrior’s child.”
4. Crimson: An English word name for a deep, rich red, dramatic and bold.
5. Fire: A daring word name full of red-hot energy and passion.
6. Keegan: An Irish name meaning “son of the fiery one,” lively and spirited.
7. Pele: A Hawaiian name for the goddess of fire and volcanoes, glowing with molten red.
8. Phoenix: A Greek name for the mythical bird that rises from ashes, tied to a deep red-purple hue.
9. Reading: A surname name from the English town, pronounced “RED-ing,” with a hidden red twist.
10. Red: The boldest word name of all, sometimes spelled Redd, easygoing and retro.
11. Robin: A nature name for the cheery bird with the bright red breast.
12. Rory: An Irish and Scottish name meaning “red king,” friendly and full of spark.
13. Rosseau: A French surname meaning “red-haired,” smooth and stylish.
14. Rouge: The French word for “red,” sleek and a little daring.
15. Roux: An Old French name meaning “red-haired,” short and effortlessly chic.
16. Rowan: A name meaning “little red one,” also the rowan tree with its bright red berries. Rowan ranked #59 for US boys in 2025, with 5,212 newborns given the name, per the Social Security Administration’s national baby-name data.
17. Rusty: A laid-back nickname name for rust-red hair, friendly and unpretentious.
18. Taylor: An English occupational name for a tailor, tied to red through Taylor Swift’s album of that name.

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