Cool Classic Boy Names Below the Top 1000

  1. Akiva
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "to protect, shelter"
    • Description:

      Akiva has a distinguished scholarly pedigree and a lovely meaning. Its softer sound is very on trend for masculine names at the moment and is in line with more familiar monikers like Ezra, Elijah and Theo.
  2. Yann
    • Origin:

      French/Breton variation of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      This might be a better choice than the similarly pronounced Jan, to avoid gender confusion.
  3. Pio
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "pious"
    • Description:

      Though the variation Pius is too, well, popeish, Pio might work for an ordinary boy.
  4. Nahum
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "comfort"
    • Description:

      An underused Biblical name borne by a New Testament prophet, Nahum feels like a good option for parents looking for a rare but traditional name that fits in with current trends. Derived from the Hebrew naḥam meaning "console" and "comfort", it has a gentle and amiable feel.
  5. Yahya
    • Origin:

      Arabic, Turkish, and Persian form of Yochanan
    • Meaning:

      "God is Gracious"
    • Description:

      Yahya is an Islamic name derived from the Hebrew Yochanan, making it both an honor for the prophet John the Baptist, and one of many international forms of John. In Islamic tradition, Yahya is celebrated for his gentleness, his goodness, and his dedication to and understanding of scriptures from a young age.
      Currently popular in Tunisia, and Belgium, Yahya has also been on and off of the US Top 1000 charts since 2015. In a recent year, however, it was one of the fastest rising names, climbing 175 places and given to nearly 380 boys. It also made the England and Wales Top 100 for the first time in the same year.
  6. Jaques
    • Origin:

      English and French
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Either an alternative spelling of Jacques (ZHAK), the French form of Jack, or a Shakespearean character from As You Like It, pronounced JAY-kwiss.
  7. Gaetano
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "from the city of Gaeta"
    • Description:

      The progenitor of the English name Guy, Gaetano has a lot more gusto.
  8. Khepri
    • Origin:

      Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "develop, create"
    • Description:

      In Ancient Egyptian mythology, Khepri is a scarab-faced god who represents the rising sun, as well as new life.
  9. Nahuel
    • Origin:

      Mapuche
    • Meaning:

      "jaguar"
    • Description:

      A strong and interesting nature name of Native American (Mapuche) origin.

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