Names That Mean Handsome

Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.

Kenneth may have lost much of its luster now, but Kenneth has had its moments of glory. The first king of Scotland was Kenneth, and Sir Kenneth, a Christian crusader, was the hero of the Sir Walter Scott novel The Talisman.

Kevin came to the US with the large wave of Irish Immigrants after World War I, hitting the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1921 and never leaving.

Popularized in the 1940s by Lana (born Judy) Turner, today Lana is synonymous with American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Although it has been rising steadily since the early 2000s, Lana still sits in the popularity "sweet spot" – familiar, but not overused. Simple, sleek and seamlessly international, it makes a great choice.

Faron, a soft and gentle name, has a diverse group of references. There was the medieval Saint Faron, Bishop of Meaux (who has given his name to a cheese); Faron Young, a colorful midcentury country singer known as The Hillbilly Heartthrob, and a character from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Mackenzie begat McKenna - a catchy but very trendy choice. While the Mc or Mac prefix means "son of," this is much more popular as a girl name in the US, peaking at #177 in 2002.

Variant of Zayyan or Zayn

Hassan is among the more familiar Arabic choices, and also one with an attractive meaning. It has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 1971.

This is one Basque name that is very transferable to the American context — and it has a great meaning, too. The feminine version is Eider or Ederne.

Originating in Ethiopia, this warm-feeling name is now associated with Phoenix Suns basketball player Amare Stoudemire. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 2005.

A simple and charismatic Chinese and Korean name, also spelled Joon.

Keefe is an energetic Irish surname occasionally used as a first. Only caveat: Will people think your little Keefe is a Keith with enunciation problems?

A fancy way to spell Beau.

A simple and charismatic Korean name, also spelled Jun.

Although the Mc or Mac prefix always means "son of", the first names McKenna and MacKenna are used in the US exclusively for girls, with the McKenna spelling outpacing this one 14 to 1. There are no boys recorded with either spelling of the name.

Pleasant Irish last name that could be a more masculine alternative to the overused Cassidy. Early kings of Leinster bore the name, which relates to the first name Caomhan or Kevin and can also be spelled Kavanagh, Cavanagh, Cavenagh, and Kavanaugh.

No longer a one-person name, as a number of parents have been inspired by basketball great Shaquille O'Neal to adopt it for their own future athletes.

Rupin is one of those names that is virtually unknown in the Western world and yet is easily translated because it feels so familiar -- parts Rupert, Robin, and Reuben. A handsome choice.

Any name that means handsome has something going for it, and Nohea may appeal especially due to its proximity to the popular Noah.