Hunter

A person who hunts.

Hunter means a person who hunts. As an English given name, it can come from the occupational surname or directly from the ordinary word. That makes its meaning easy to picture: it refers to hunting, rather than to an abstract quality such as courage. Hunter is used for both boys and girls. Its two syllables give it a compact, purposeful rhythm. The English pronunciation stresses the first syllable: /ˈhʌn.tər/ in American English and /ˈhʌn.tə/ in the British pronunciation shown here. The initial h is sounded, and the first vowel is the one in English “cup”. Hunter has an outdoorsy, adventurous feel because its meaning suggests activity in the wild. Whether that image feels appealing depends on how you respond to the hunting association itself. For someone drawn to a plainspoken name with a vivid picture behind it, the directness can be part of its charm.

Etymology: An English name taken from the occupational surname Hunter, or directly from the English word hunter. The surname refers to a huntsman.