Maverick

Independent-minded person; from the English word maverick

Maverick is an English boys’ name drawn from a word for someone who thinks or acts independently of a group. Its history takes an unusual turn: the word came from Samuel A. Maverick’s surname and his unbranded cattle in nineteenth-century Texas. The human sense developed from that earlier livestock term. The English pronunciation /ˈmævərɪk/ puts the emphasis at the start; the middle vowel may become very short or disappear. The strong initial beat and crisp final /k/ give Maverick an emphatic, energetic sound. Its appeal is partly the message carried by the word. Maverick feels more outspoken than a name whose meaning stays in the background, and that can be a welcome quality if you enjoy expressive names.

Etymology: The English word comes from the surname of Samuel A. Maverick, associated with unbranded cattle in nineteenth-century Texas.