Boy Names Always in the Top 1000

Pedro

Spanish; Portuguese variation of Peter, Greek

"rock, stone"

Pedro is one of the most familiar Spanish names for boys , via baseball star Pedro Rodriguez and many others. Like its Anglo equivalent Peter, Pedro is not as popular as it once was. But it's among…

Jake

Hebrew, diminutive of Jacob

"supplanter"

This unpretentious, accessible, and optimistic ("everything's jake" -- meaning OK) short form of the top name Jacob is itself widely used, though more parents these days are opting for the full name…

Johnny

Diminutive of John

"God is gracious"

The ultimate midcentury nickname, retaining a good measure of retro charm, was chosen for her son by Mira Sorvino.

Ruben

Dutch; German; French; Italian, Polish; Swedish; Norwegian; Danish; Armenian, from Hebrew

"behold, a son"

The streamlined Ruben is much more popular than the original Biblical Hebrew version in the US. Ruben is definitely a simpler and more intuitive spelling of this rich attractive name. Ruben and Ruby…

Edgar

English

"wealthy spearman"

Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland. Edgar has been a stalwart on the US…

Alonzo

Italian diminutive of Alphonso

"noble, ready"

Alonzo is dashing and debonair, with a large measure of Latin flair. You may be surprised to know that Alonzo has been on the Most Popular list since 1880, when such records began to be kept, at…

Frank

Diminutive of Francis or Franklin

"Frenchman or free man"

A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank…

Moses

Egyptian

"delivered from the water"

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's choice of this white-bearded Old Testament name helped bring it into the modern age, along with brethren Elijah, Isaiah and Isaac. User-friendly nicknames include…

Lawrence

Latin

"from Laurentium or bay laurel"

Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s…

Roy

French or Celtic

"king or red-haired"

We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same? Roy came into use in the late nineteenth century,…

Philip

Greek

"lover of horses"

Philip, the name of one of the 12 apostles, is still favored by parents in search of a solid boys' classic that is less neutral than Robert or John and more distinctive than Daniel or Matthew and has…

Troy

Greek, French

"of Troyes"

Troy shot to popularity as a first name in tandem with that of 1960s heartthrob Troy (born Merle) Donahue; its image has now, thanks in part to the Brad Pitt-starring epic, Troy , receded back to…

Scott

English

"from Scotland"

A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.

Bruce

Scottish, English, French

"from the brushwood thicket"

Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…

Morgan

Welsh

"sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"

Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common boys’ name in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were…

Garrett

Irish variation of Gerard

"spear strength"

Garrett, also spelled with one 't', is an Irish-inflected name that was in the Top 100 in the nineties, but has now slipped in popularity. Perhaps best known now as a Twilight name--Garrett was a…

Andy

Diminutive of Andrew, Greek

"strong and manly"

Although we prefer Drew to the old Raggedy Andy, Andy has overtaken Drew as a name in its own right. About twice as many baby boys are named Andy, just Andy -- though about eight times as many…

Clay

English word name; diminutive of Clayton

Clay is a rich, earthy one-syllable name with a southern-inflected handsome-rogue image, featured on soap operas and reality TV. Its longer forms are Clayton and Clayborne. There have been TV…

Emanuel

Spelling variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew

"God is with us"

Fewer letters does not always mean easier—the traditional spelling is the one most people will recognize.

Allen

English and Scottish

"handsome, cheerful"

Allen is the spelling of this name -- other common spellings are Alan and Allan -- most associated with the surname; it might also be the most appropriate if you're trying to steer clear of Al as a…