Powerful Horse Name Ideas

Horses are magnificent and powerful. You’ve likely heard the saying “pull your own weight”, but the fact is that even the smallest horses can pull many times their own weight. If you’ve got an extra big and strong horse, then you’ll need an extra big and strong name. 

What are some great names for big, strong, and powerful horses? There are a variety of names that work perfectly for the largest and fiercest of horses. Some are inspired by famous warhorses, like Copenhagen, and others are inspired by the vast solar system, like Jupiter. You can use wild terrain for inspiration, such as Yukon, or you can use a name like Everest, taken from the tallest mountain peak in the world. Whatever your style or personal inspiration, there are plenty of names that can fit your powerful horse.

Keep reading for some of my favorite name ideas for our larger-than-life equine friends, including names in categories inspired by the military, Greek (and Roman) mythology, the Bible, media, vehicles, our Solar System, wilderness, the weather, and even other languages. 

Strong Horse Names Inspired by the Military

The military is a category that easily inspires tough, robust names for the strongest of horses. You can find a perfectly powerful name from various soldiers and battles throughout history as well as the different ranks in the military. Following are some of my favorite military-inspired horse names.

• Bucephalus – the name of Alexander the Great’s famous warhorse
• Comanche – storied to have been the only survivor after the Battle of Little Big Horn
• Sergeant Reckless – a favorite mare of the US Marines in the Korean War, so loved that she was rumored to have slept in the soldier’s tents
• Copenhagen – prized warhorse of the Duke of Wellington, named for his participation in the Copenhagen battle, which the British won
• Marengo– Napoleon Bonaparte’s Arabian stallion he rode in the battle of Waterloo
• Traveler – General Robert Lee’s famous Civil War horse, said to have “such vim and eagerness…” that he would “…go right ahead so soon as he was mounted.”
• Siege
• Warrior
• Admiral
• Attila – of Attila the Hun, the infamous ancient ruler in Central Asia 

Strong Names Inspired by Medieval Knights

A sub-category of military-inspired names, the following list is based on both real and fictional knights made famous in the Middle Ages.

• Lionheart – after the famous knight Richard the Lionheart
• Bertrand – a renowned medieval knight from France
• Arthur – or, related, “Excalibur”
• Black Prince – for the medieval knight known as Edward the Black Prince
• Lancelot – the knight and close companion of King Arthur

Strong Horse Names Inspired by Ancient Mythology

The stories told through years of Greek and Roman mythology lend themselves to some of the greatest names for extra-large horses. From Zeus to Hercules, legends are full of strong, powerful figures who spend their days slaying villains and avenging their fellow celestial beings.

• Gerd – an ice giantess from Norse mythology
• Athena – a Greek goddess of wisdom
• Juno – a Roman goddess
• Maia – a Greek goddess of the mountain
• Atlas – a Greek god of the sky
• Odin – a Norse god of both war and death
• Xena – a fictional character based on Greek mythology, and the main character of the television series “Xena: Warrior Princess”

Apollo, another Greek god of legend, is said to have had four horses that he used to “pull the sun across the sky”. The following are the names of his four horses:

• Aethon
• Eous
• Phlegon
• Pyrois

The Greek giant Diomedes also had four horses – known as the famous mares of Diomedes. They were known to be wild and fierce and required a meal made from the human victims of their owner in order to remain somewhat tame. As the legend goes, Hercules defeated Diomedes and fed him to his own horses. The mares were named:

• Deimos
• Lampon
• Podagros
• Xanthos

Strong Horse Names Inspired by Superheroes

The legends of Greek and Roman mythology aren’t the only ones storied to have used their powerful might for the good of mankind – modern superheroes that adorn the pages of comic books and movie screens are also busy fighting bad guys and saving the world. Following are some of the best horse names based on superheroes.

• Thor
• Bruce – of Bruce Banner, otherwise known as The Hulk
• Clark – of Clark Kent, otherwise known as Superman
• Black Canary
• Green Arrow
• Ghost Rider
• Wolverine

Strong Horse Names Inspired by the Bible

The real superheroes are found in another Book – the Bible is full of stories of strength and awesome power. Following are some of my favorite mighty names from the Bible.

• Samson
• Goliath – Goliath was a giant, though because King David killed him with a slingshot as a boy, perhaps a better name for a powerful horse would be “David”
• Leviathan
• Behemoth
• Jericho – a city with impenetrable stone walls

Strong Horse Names Inspired by Characters in Media

There is a wealth of great ideas for big, powerful horse names in some of my favorite Disney movies, shows, and books. Below are some great names taken from characters that may be familiar to you.

• Blackjack – the pegasus from Percy Jackson
• Shadowfax 
• Aslan – the lion from The Chronicles of Narnia
• Maximus
• Mufasa
• King Titan
• Te Fiti – the name of the living island in Moana
• Clifford
• Cruella
• Maleficent 

Strong Horse Names Inspired by Vehicles

Nothing screams “power” like a big truck or a roaring motorcycle. Just look at their marketing slogans – the Dodge Ram boasts “Guts. Glory. Ram.” Chevy uses the song “Like a Rock” in their commercials. Ford claims their trucks are “Built Ford Tough”. It is no wonder you can find some rugged, tough names when looking at trucks and motorcycles.

• Ram
• Diesel
• Hemi – after the powerful Hemi engine used by Dodge
• Chopper
• Harley
• Hog
• Challenger

Strong Horse Names Inspired by the Weather

The following names come from some of the most powerful weather phenomena and work excellently as names for large and mighty horses.

• Tornado
• Hurricane
• Typhoon
• Thunder
• Stormy

Strong Horse Names Inspired by the Solar System

Looking for a name even bigger than a tropical storm? You may appreciate the following horse names inspired by celestial bodies found in our solar system.

• Jupiter
• Neptune
• Milky Way

Strong Horse Names Inspired by Mountains

Do you like the idea of a powerful name based on the beauty of nature, but a bit closer to home than outer space? Where better to look for inspiration than some of our world’s most famous mountain ranges and peaks? Following are some of my favorite horse names inspired by the tallest mountains found on Earth.

• Everest
• Denali
• Appalachia – a great name for a big, strong Appaloosa
• Colorado
• Andes – or “Andy” for short

Strong Horse Names Inspired by Wild Regions 

Some of my favorite names for strong horses come from the great outdoors – specifically, they are inspired by the vast wilderness. Following are some names taken from regions that evoke a sense of wonder and awe – either for their expansive landscapes or their representation of the untouched wild. 

• Alaska
• Montana
• Yosemite
• Yukon
• Tundra
• Outback
• Polar

“Strong” Horse Names

I often like to look outside of the English language for name inspiration, especially when it comes to the physical appearance or personality traits of an individual animal. A strong horse deserves a strong name, and that can be found by looking up the words “strong” and “strength” in other languages. 

• Jak – “strong” in Croatian
• Stark – “strong” in German
• Silny – “strong” in Polish
• Sila – “strength” in Czech
• Adira – “strong” in Hebrew
• Vahvuus – “strength” in Finnish

“Powerful” Horse Names

“Strong” isn’t the only word in other languages from which we can gain naming inspiration. “Power” is another word that perfectly describes our horses, and it brings us some pretty cool words outside of our English language. The following are some great names that mean “power” or “powerful”.

• Moc – “power” in both Croatian and Czech
• Valta – “power” in Finnish
• Puissant – “powerful” in French
• Macht – “power” in German
• Styrke – “power” in Danish
• Poderosa – “powerful” in Portuguese
• Kraft – “power” in both German and Norwegian

More Strong and Powerful Names for Horses

Though they may not fit neatly into the above categories, there are plenty more names that may be perfect for your large, imposing friend. Following are some of my favorite “miscellaneous” names for strong and powerful horses. 

• Gladiator
• Widow-Maker – this was the name of Pecos Bill’s horse, said to be so dangerous and wild that no one but Pecos Bill himself could ride him and walk away alive
• Justice
• Hunter
• Mack
• Mammoth – also the name of the largest horse in recorded history, a Belgian who weighed over 3,000 pounds
• Tex
• Bison
• Alpha
• Queen
• King
• Moose
• Dragon

Finding the Perfect Name for Your Horse

I prefer to name my animals as inspired by their natural traits – how better to honor our animals as individuals than by choosing a name as unique as they are? While all horses are powerful and strong, some come in the size extra-large (if not in physical stature, at least in personality). These horses deserve names that are as robust and brawny as they are.

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