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Animal Names for Boys

  1. Aspen

    • Origin:

      Nature and place-name

    • Meaning:

      "a poplar tree that quakes in the breeze"

    • Description:

      As trendy as the chic Colorado ski resort, with a hint of whimsy from the shimmering trees, Aspen has been climbing the charts for boys since the early 90s. While it has always been more popular for girls, it could work for a boy too.
  2. Iver

    • Origin:

      Norwegian variant of Ivar

    • Meaning:

      "yew wood, archer, warrior"

    • Description:

      Iver is a popular name in its native Norway, but parents in the U.S. are starting to take note of this rugged yet gentle name. Stemming from the original Norse name Ívarr, it is part of a small group of names with similar roots: Ivar, Ivor, Ivo, Ives, and Evander. It was brought to England by Scandinavian settlers in the Middle Ages, and to the US by in the 19th century.
  3. Bertie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Albert, Bertram etc

    • Description:

      Long a royal nickname in England, it's coming back there along with Archie and Alfie. British singer Kate Bush calls her little boy Bertie.
  4. Carlisle

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "from the walled city"

    • Description:

      This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen. Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more widely used for boys than for girls.
  5. Hart

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "stag"

    • Description:

      Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but it also has musical cred via Lorenz Hart, of the classic Rodgers & Hart songwriting duo and a literary tie to playwright Moss Hart.
  6. Damien

    • Origin:

      French from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "to tame, subdue"

    • Description:

      Converting Damian to Damien – or Julian to Julien or Lucian to Lucien – adds a certain je ne sais quoi to names. But most people in English speaking areas will still pronounce this the same as the -an ending form. The French pronunciation is more like "dah-mee-u(n)".
  7. Foster

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "forester"

    • Description:

      Foster is one commonly heard last name that makes a fine first. The word foster means "to nourish" — as in "fostering hope", or "fostering a relationship". The only problem with Foster might be its association with "foster child."
  8. Cain

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "spear; possessed"

    • Description:

      Biblical name Cain was, until recently, seldom heard outside of the Old Testament and soap operas. Although Cain's murderous actions will always make this name difficult for some, Cain, Eve and Adam's firstborn, was a farmer - making this a good choice for those with farming connections. Long outshone by Abel, Cain is starting to find a broader audience, helped along by homophones Kane or Caine.
  9. Coast

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "land near the sea"

    • Description:

      A brisk and beachy word name, conjuring up rugged shorelines and sandy, summery holidays. While Cove seems to have bounced back from its negative (Covid) associations, Coast might be an obvious alternative. In fact, the two names saw a similar amount of use in a recent year, when 184 boys were called Coast and 167 were called Cove.
  10. Cypress

    • Origin:

      botanical name

    • Description:

      Attractive entry into the tree name genre, joining Ash, Oak, and Juniper. Over 110 baby boys were named Cypress in the US last year, along with 70 baby girls.
  11. Grover

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "lives near a grove of trees"

    • Description:

      Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look.
  12. Bradley

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "wide meadow"

    • Description:

      An English surname name, Bradley has a long history, dating way back to at least 1086, but as a first name it actually succeeded in the US before it reached England--though Dickens used it in his novel Our Mutual Friend. Bradley Cooper is one namesake.
  13. Hiram

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "brother of the exalted one"

    • Description:

      Hiram is the kind of forgotten biblical name that adventurous parents who wish to move beyond David and Daniel are beginning to reconsider--even though it has bits of its old stiff-collared image clinging to it, along with a little hillbilly feel as well.
  14. Gene

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Eugene, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "wellborn, noble"

    • Description:

      Like Ray, a formerly funky nickname name that is newly cool. Comedian Amy Schumer used it for her son.
  15. Cullen

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "holly tree"

    • Description:

      Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in 2010, but is still widely used.
  16. Aylan

    • Description:

      Aylan is a masculine name with Middle Eastern origins, found particularly in Turkish, Kurdish, and Arabic cultures. The name can have varying meanings depending on cultural context, including 'moonlight,' 'high mountain,' or 'strength.' Aylan gained international recognition after the tragic drowning of three-year-old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi in 2015, whose heartbreaking photograph brought global attention to the refugee crisis. Before this event, the name was relatively uncommon in Western countries but had moderate usage throughout the Middle East. The name has a melodic quality with its flowing sound and simple pronunciation. For some parents, the name may represent resilience and compassion, while others might choose it to honor Middle Eastern heritage.

  17. Brandon

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "broom-covered hill"

    • Description:

      Brandon, a forebear of the Braden-Caden pack, had a great run of popularity over several decades, being in the Top 10 from 1992 to 1998, one of its inspirations being hearthrob Brandon Walsh played by Jason Priestley on the original Beverly Hills 90210--and it was aso the name of several soap opera characters.
  18. Erasmus

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "beloved, desired"

    • Description:

      Erasmus has long retained the image of the bearded and bespectacled Dutch philosopher, but could be one that the audacious baby namer just might dare to dust off.
  19. Drake

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "dragon; or, male duck"

    • Description:

      A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D.
  20. Albie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Albert, Alban or Albus

    • Description:

      This cute masculine nickname -- with connections to princes, Hogwarts headmasters and the Manzo family of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" -- almost has enough heft to stand on its own. But all of its precursor names have merit.