User-created list
One-Syllable word names i love
Across 6 pages
of 6
The names
Gale
Nature name
Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games , it has new force for boys.
Sky
Nature name
Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his…
Brook
English nature name
"small stream"
Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.
Arch
Diminutive of Archibald, Teutonic
"truly brave"
Arch can be used as a nickname for Archibald or a stand-alone word name — perhaps for the child of an architect.
Gray
Color name, also diminutive of Grayson
The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and…
Merle
French
"blackbird"
Originally a nickname for someone who loved to sing or whistle, Merle is sleek but gentle, with a hint of great grandpa about it..
Seal
English word and nature name
Projects the sleek and playful image of the aquatic mammal, plus that of the striking British-born Brazilian/Nigerian/Afro-Caribbean singer (born Sealhenry).
Law
Law is a masculine name with multiple origins and meanings. As an English surname-turned-first-name, it derives from the Old English 'hlaw' meaning 'hill' or as a shortened form of Lawrence, meaning…
Quartz
Mineral name
This may be a bit quirky to make it as a name, especially in first place. If you love it, you might try it in the middle.
Shale
Word name
Slate, Stone and Steel are on the rise, so why not Shale?
Slate
Word name
One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops.
Steel
Word name
Hard and shiny, Steel projects an image that's smooth, macho...and cold to the touch.
Zinc
Color or mineral name
Extreme cool possibilities in either of these modern categories, like a postmodern Linc.
Ash
Diminutive of Asher, English
"ash tree"
Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or…
Beige
Color name
"pale, yellowish-brown"
Sound-wise, Beige fits in with Sage, Gage, Boone, and Brooks, and you could argue it gives off calm, clean vibes. However, its links to total blandness and to the divisive "Beige Mom Aesthetic" mean…
Blue
Color name
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…
Buff
Modern nickname, also color name
Has too many slangy connotations to be considered.
Glade
Nature name
"clearing in a forest"
Shady, leafy nature-boy name.
Pine
Nature name
Worthy sibling for Oak, Elm, Juniper, and Spruce.
Land
Word name or diminutive of Landon
"long hill"
One of the simplest, most down-to-earth yet evocative of the word names, which could work — especially as a middle.