Last Updated on September 2, 2024
In the wise words of renowned French author and Nobel Prize winner Andre Gide, “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Gide was a firm believer that you must let go of your fear of the unknown in your search for adventure and freedom.
Since the dawn of time, humankind has always been adventurous. Be it out of curiosity or to obtain freedom from oppression, our species has had to venture into unknown waters to acquire treasure and enlightenment at various phases of time.
When I think of freedom, the word “adventure” instantly pops into my head. Like most concepts, people perceive freedom in various manners. Some philosophers believe that we can only achieve true freedom through travel, exploration, and discovery. This belief hinges on the concept that we will gain insight into our true purpose by discovering and interacting with various people and cultures. With that insight comes freedom.
Other schools of thought claim that you do not need to travel far and wide to obtain freedom; they claim true freedom isn’t attached to adventure. What then embodies the true concept of freedom? Acceptance! This school of thought says that only by accepting your inherently flawed nature can you attain true freedom.
Both schools of thought are quite logical and reasonable. However, I resonate with the latter more. Here’s why. You see, by accepting your flaws and working to be a better version of yourself every day, you free yourself from the shackles of perfection and society. As is often said, “perfection can only be attained by the acceptance of our imperfection.”
At this point, you may be wondering the essence of our discussion on freedom and adventure. It’s simple. Today, we are diving into one of the symbols of freedom of the 16th and 17th centuries: Pirates!
Often referred to as the crazy plunderers of the seven seas, pirates were feared, respected, and hated worldwide. Most people view them as robbers on ships, while others see them as the true symbols of adventure and freedom. Regardless of your standpoint, the intrigue that this topic brings is worthy of further exploration.
Without further ado, let us dive into some of the most unique and eye-catching pirate names you’d ever see.
- Nathaniel: This name means “given by God.” It is also the name of one of the most renowned pirates of the Golden Age, Nathaniel North.
- Ramsay: This name has Scandinavian roots, Norse to be precise. It means “island.”
- William: With its English roots, this name means “a resolute protector.”
- Cael: This is an old Gaelic name that means “slim.”
- Bartholomew: This Hebrew name means “son of furrows.”
- Bastian: This name is the short form of Sebastian. It has Greek origins and means “venerable.”
- Thoreau: This name means “ruler of the people.”
- Roger: This name is of English origin. It symbolizes the crossbones and skull flag that is synonymous with the pirate ships. Its full form is the “Jolly Roger.”
- Alistair: With its Anglican origin, this name means “a defender of men.”
- Caspian: This name is derived from the Caspi tribe, which lived in a region of the Caspian Sea.
- Horace: With its Roman origin, this name means “time or season.”
- Drake: This name has English roots. It means “dragon or snake.”
- John: This name means “graced by God.”
- Hadrian: This name has Roman origins and means “one from Hadria.”
- Davy: This name means “beloved.” If you’re familiar with pirate movies, you should have heard the statement “Davy Jones Locker.”
- Archer: With its English origins, this name means “bowman.”
- Finn: This name has Irish roots. It means “reasonable.”
- Ronan: This name means “little seal.” It also has Irish origins.
- Stede: With its Barbadian origins, this name means “German pirate.”
- Edward: This name means “fortune or riches.”
- Edmund: With its English origins, this name means “fortune or riches.”
- Thomas: Popularized by the Rhode Island pirate Thomas Tew, this Hebrew name means “twin.”
- Theo: This name is the short form of Theodore. With its Greek origins, it means “God’s gift.”
- Percy: This English name means “a person from the town of Perci.”
- Hugo: This name means “spirit, heart, or mind.”
- Oscar: This old Norse name means “God’s spear.”
- Castor: With its Greek origins, this name means “to dominate.”
- Alek: This name has Scottish roots. It means “a defender of men.”
- Tarian: This Welsh name means “shield.”
- Marquis: This French name means “one who behaves like a marquis.”
- Richard: This name is Germanic for “brave, hardy, or strong.”
- Lorcan: This Irish name means “little fierce one.”
- Ace: This English name means “highest rank or excellent.”
- Flynn: With its Irish origins, this name means “ruby.”
- Phineas: With its Egyptian roots, this name means “the Nubian.”
- Emmett: This name means “universal or whole.”
- Nicholas: With its Greek origins, this name means “victory of the people.”
- Barbosa: Undoubtedly one of the most popular pirate names, Barbosa means “with many palm trees.”
- Fenix: With its Greek origins, it means “dark red.”
- Benno: This name means “powerful or bear-like.”
- Galen: With its Greek origins, this name means “calm.”
- Kidd: This name means “frisky.”
- Fabian: This Roman name means “bean farmer.”
- Finlay: This name means “blond champion.” It has Gaelic roots.
- Thane: With its Scottish origins, this name means “clan chief or landholder.”
- Raleigh: This English name means “from the red or rye field.”
- Kasper: This name means “treasurer.”
- Gawain: This Welsh name means “white falcon.”
- Laszlo: With its Hungarian origins, this name means “glorious rule.”
- Thelonius: This name is German for “ruler of the people.”
- Echo: This name is Greek for “sound.”
- Bertha: This name means “splendid and acclaimed.”
- Elizabeth: This name means “oath.”
- Marissa: This Latin name means “of the sea.” It can also be spelled as “Merissa or Marisa.”
- Evalyn: With its German origins, this name means “the desired or wished for child.”
- Emeraldas: This name means “precious gemstone.”
- Aegea: With its Greek origins, this name means “from the Aegean Sea.”
- Azure: This name means “semi-valuable stone.”
- Charlotte: This name is of English origins. It is also the name of a popular female pirate, Charlotte de Berry.
- Apulia: This name means “person from Apulia.”
- Marina: This is the female version of Marinus. With its Roman origins, it means “person of the sea.”
- Tia: This name means “joy or happiness.”
- Meredith: With its Welsh origins, this name means “protector of the sea.”
- Gilda: This name has Italian roots. It means “value or sacrifice.”
- Kaia: With its Greek origins, this name means “pure, or untouched.”
- Belle: This name means “delightful.” It is of French origins.
- Ula: With its Celtic origins, this name means “gem of the sea.”
- Sadie: This name means “princess.”
- Rachel: This Hebrew name means “ewe.”
- Battista: This name means “plunge.” It is of Latin origins.
- Valerie: This pirate name means “staying strong.” It has deep Latin roots.
- Calypso: This name means “one who hides.”
- Jade: This name means “the stone of the flank.”
- Nadia: With its French origins, this name means “hope.” It also has Slavic roots.
- Oceane: This name means “god of the open sea.”
- Morgana: This is the female version of the name Morgan. It means “completion.”
- Isola: With its Italian origins, this name means “island.”
- Beryl: This name means “precious.” It is of Greek origins.
- Freeda: This name means “peace.”
- Flora: With its Latin origins, this name means “bloom.”
Ultimately, it is undeniable that we wouldn’t have come this far as a species if we had no drive for adventure and freedom. Regardless of your stance on pirates, we cannot refute that they were critical parts of the 16th Century. They were the symbols of true freedom and adventure.
Though their methods were unlawful and borderline criminal, we can learn something from them about venturing past the borders of fear. To this end, I leave you with the wise words of Judy Blume. “Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”
