Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way. 
 Amos was an eighth century BC prophet whose sayings are collected in the biblical book named after him. The name was also popular among the Puritans.
 There are characters named Amos in novels by George Eliot and Thomas Hardy, and its most famous contemporary bearer is Israeli author Amos Oz. The name has also been associated with Famous Amos cookies, a company founded by Wally Amos.

Amos

Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry. 
 Arlo is even more popular in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Arlo is also one of the top baby names among Nameberry's visitors from leading US cities.

 
Once strongly associated with shaggy singer Arlo Guthrie, Arlo has an animated and cheery feel, thanks to its upbeat o ending. It was chosen by Toni Colette for her son in 2011, which brought the name back into the spotlight. Previously, Arlo was in regular use in the first half of the twentieth century—it was Number 667 in 1915, for example, but it had dropped off the charts in 1944.
 Arlo has many possible derivations along with its Irish and English roots. It may be a shortened form of the Italian name Carlo or the Spanish Carlos, and in Basque-speaking regions it is the word for area. In English, Arlo was used as a place name, Arlo Hill, by Edmund Spenser in his epic poem The Faerie Queene and is thought to derive from the Celtic word Aherlow, meaning "between two highlands."

 A growing number of girls are also named Arlo in the US each year, with a handful more babies of both sexes receiving the Arlow and Arlowe spellings, which take this name more into smart surname territory.

Arlo

It may have peaked at #1 for girls in 1991 and 1992 in the US, but Ashley actually has a long history as a male given name, as evidenced by the sensitive Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind. It's always been more popular for boys in England and Wales, where it currently ranks at #414.

Ashley

Austin is one of the most attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/572/names-for-city-babies">city names for babies</a>, with an appealing southwestern feel and place-name panache.
 Austin has been an Anglo-Saxon surname and a first name since medieval times. Austin reached the Top 10 in the 1990s, but in 2022 slipped out of the US Top 100 for boys. 
 Literary namesakes include Austin Sloper in Henry James' novel Washington Square, and there have been several Austins in soap operas and films.
 The Austen spelling is also used fairly evenly for boys and girls, sometimes as an homage to Jane Austen.

Austin

Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid. 

Bart

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.
 Beau also has something of a dapper image, thanks to the fashionable Beau Brummell (born George), which led to the stylish New York mayor Jimmy Walker being called Beau James. Other notable Beaus had more formal names at birth—Beaus Bridges and Biden were both the third sons in their families to carry their fathers' names: Lloyd Vernet Bridges III and Joseph Robinette Biden III.
 P.C. Wren's novel Beau Geste was a major bestseller in its day and was also a popular movie—in that case Michael was the character's birth name. Many will remember that the child of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes in Gone With the Wind was called Beau, and there was also a Beau on the old TV western Maverick.
 And if you want a more substantial name on the birth certificate, try Beauregard.
 Art Garfunkel, Emma Bunton, Wendy Wilson, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and now Tori Spelling all have sons named Beau.

Beau

Cute kid with freckles, bouncing a Spalding ball. Cool couple Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton put the name Billy Burton on their son's birth certificate. While the classic William, name of the future king of England, may in fact be German, the nickname Billy along with such other classic short forms as Jim and Joe are authentically <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/502/english-names-for-boys">English names for boys</a>.

Billy

Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree. 
 The best known bearer of the name is former high-ranking Democratic Senator Birch Evans Bayh, who carried the name of his father and was the principal Senate sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment.
 The birch tree has many notable qualities and uses &mdash; including the making of furniture, paper, canoes, and drums, is considered the national tree of Russia (where it used to be worshiped as a goddess), the state tree of New Hampshire, and has spiritual significance in several cultures.

Birch

Blake -- an early unisex option -- dropped out of the Top 100 in 2017 for the first time since 1988, but remains a sophisticated choice. And yes, both conflicting meanings of Blake are accurate. It originated as a surname in England derived from a nickname. Much of its masculine image was influenced by the wealthy, silver-haired character Blake Carrington in the massively popular 80s TV series Dynasty. Rosie O'Donnell has a son named Blake.

Blake

A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters.
In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".

Boone is one of the advancing herd of lean and lanky cowboy names with a laid-back, backwoods, Western feel—and surprising French roots. It's inevitably linked with legendary frontiersman Daniel, and also with the positive connotations of the word boon. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015.
 T. (for Thomas) Boone Pickens is a high-profile business magnate; Boone Carlyle was a fiery character on TV's Lost.

Boone

Brock is a rock solid name, with a touch of preppy sophistication. It ranked solidly in the 200s-300s from 1975 until 2014, but has since tumbled a bit.
 Among Brocks who lived up to their name are Brock Peters (actually born George), who played Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird; Brock Pemberton, a founder of the Tony Awards; and Brock Chisholm, the first director-general of the World Health Organization.
 Brock is the traditional name given to a badger in folk tales.

Brock

For the parent who might also have Buck and Ryder on his list. 

Bronco

This spelling of Brice relates the name to Utah's spectacular Bryce Canyon -- and is much more popular for both genders than the original Brice. Basketball's LeBron James named his son Bryce Maximus James, and in one of his early movies, John Cusack played a Bryce in Sixteen Candles.

Bryce

Comedian Roseanne Barr chose this macho nature name for her son. In the 18th century it was used to describe a dashing, fashionable dressed man. Buck fits in well alongside names like Beck, Jack and Huck. 

 The traditional name of the full moon in July, Buck Moon, relates to the fact that the antlers of male deer reach their peak growth around this time of year.

Buck

An old-fashioned nickname in the Bud/Buzz/Biff mold; this one's kind of belligerent. Michelle Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller moved outside the box when they used it for their son--given the safer middle name of Timothy.

Buster

Old-school nickname ala Spike and Babe that's favored by some hipster parents.

Butch

Carson is one of the most long-running popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">androgynous baby names</a>, with a dash of the Wild West via the legendary Missouri frontiersman Kit Carson. Dating back to when it was the name of Nancy Drew's Dad, Carson is still steadily in the Top 100 <a href="https://nameberry.com">baby names</a>.
Current Carsons include TV personalities Carson Daly and Carson Kressley, and Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer. Carson Wells was the bounty hunter character played by Woody Harrelson in No Country for Old Men, and Carson is the name chosen by actress Kathryn Erbe for her son.
 Although its best known namesake is writer Carson McCullers, Carson has not caught on as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girl's name</a>.

Carson

Carter has ranked in the Top 100 since the the turn of the millennium, but despite its recent popularity, it's not a trendy new name. In fact, Carter is one of those names that just misses ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire 140+ year history. 
 
Carter's off its recent popularity peak now, but it's getting some fresh style via Beyonce's country album Cowboy Carter, which references the surname of her husband Jay-Z aka Shawn Carter.
 
Having hot characters named Carter on both Gossip Girl and The OC probably didn't hurt Carter's rise, along with Noah Wyle's Dr. John Carter on ER, who was always called by his last name. Carter also, of course, has presidential cred.
 Carter is especially popular in the Midwest, having recently been Number 2 in Nebraska and Number 3 in Iowa, as well as spreading north to Canadian provinces Saskatchewan (recently Number 2) and Manitoba (recently Number 5). It does straddle the line between country and city, another reason for its longtime appeal.

Carter

Casey is a name with a big wide grin, Irish, friendly, and open, and associated with several American folk heroes--Casey Jones, the engine driver of the Cannonball Express who gave his life to save his passengers, and the legendary Casey at the Bat.
 Casey was at its height of popularity in the 1980s bur recently has started climbing the charts again in the US, maybe because some of the Caseys born in the 1980s have become famous in the 2020s.

Casey

Whether it's due to its economic connotations, or its link to American legend Johnny Cash, this name is widely used, and has been used by several celebrities including Annabeth Gish and Joshua Morrow.

Cash

Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the name's popularity.

Chance

Chet is an old-fashioned short form that, ala Ned and Joe, is starting to sound cool again.

Chet

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 characters called Clay on The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, and 13 Reasons Why, and the name's most prominent recent bearers are American Idol Clay (born Clayton) Aiken and Green Bay Packer linebacker Clay (born William Clay) Matthews.

Clay

Clint

Clive started life as a surname for someone who lived near a cliff, making it a secret outdoorsy name.

Its use as a first name began in honor of Robert Clive (aka Clive of India), an eighteenth-century British statesman and military leader, essentially the founder of British India — which in the past has given the name something of a gung-ho, mustachioed image. In England today it's a grandpa name, most common on men born in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and would be a surprising (pleasantly counter-cultural!) choice for a baby.

In the States, Clive has never been widely used, though there are signs that more parents are starting to consider it. It has been given to more boys in the last decade than ever before, though still under one hundred a year. If you're looking for a short, no-nonsense nature name that everyone knows but hardly anyone's using, Clive could be a great option.

Famous Clives helping to shake off the colonial image include British silver fox actor Clive Owen; Narnia author Clive Staples Lewis; and most recently Clive Rosfield, the hero of Final Fantasy XVI.

Clive

In the early 1990s, Cody was in the Top 25 most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' names</a> in the USA; but it has been in decline since then. It retains a greater degree of popularity in the UK, however. Cody might be short for Dakota but despite its nickname feeling, it's a name of its own.

Cody

Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland.
 Old King Cole -- which refers to a real British king -- is familiar to all kids. Cole was the name of the child in The Sixth Sense and was also the name of -- sorry -- the notorious outlaw Cole Younger, who was born Thomas Coleman.

Cole

Colt is the kind of unconventionally macho name that is so trendy right now, because of or in spite of its association with horses and guns. 
 Samuel Colt was the inventor and industrialist credited with popularizing the revolver.
 Colt is a perfect jock name, associated both with Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy and an entire football team, the Indianapolis Colts.

Colt

Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.

Craig

A light and breezy nature name that's currently in style limbo, despite its pleasant meaning.

Dale

Relaxed, laid-back cowboy name with broad appeal and more staying power than you might guess: Dallas has ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US since records began in 1880.

Today, Dallas is increasingly a gender-neutral option, still given to three times as many baby boys as girls though the gap is narrowing. Still, Dallas's star as a boys' name continues to rise, up more than 100 places since the turn of the century.

For boys, Dallas might be considered one of those golden names that's trending but not trendy.

Dallas

With its sharp, succinct sounds and cool, laidback style, Eli is a popular choice among parents today. Compact and punchy, it is a Biblical name with plenty of charm. 
Derived from the Hebrew ’aly, the name Eli means “high” or “ascended.” In the Old Testament, Eli was a high priest of the Israelites, who trained and gave guidance to the prophet Samuel. 
While the Biblical Eli suffered an unhappy end due to his sons’ misdeeds, his name hasn’t shared the same fate. Used since the 17th century, Eli has never been out of the US Top 1000. It has featured in the Top 100 for the last decade, and is currently popular in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and The Netherlands too. 
Eli is also used as a shortened form of Elijah, Elias, Eliezer, or even Elliot and in some Scandinavian countries, is it used as a feminine name, most often as a nickname for Elisabet or Elin. With its unisex potential and its longer forms ranking highly, Eli might feel more popular than it actually is. 
Notable namesakes include Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, Eli Long, a Civil War general, and Eli Roth, a film director, screenwriter, and actor. Enjoyed by the general public and celebrities alike, Eli has been chosen by CNN anchor Campbell Brown, SNL alum Rachel Dratch, and actor Kevin Weisman. 
Spirited but solid, no-fuss Eli is given to over 4000 boys each year, so you wouldn’t be alone in loving the name. If you don’t want your baby to have share however, you could consider other Biblical E names such as Eben, Elim, Enosh, or Eran, or perhaps other 3 letter gems, like Ira, Ari, Jem, Nye, or Ivo.

Strong, charismatic, and sleek, Elias has followed in the footsteps of Elijah and Eli to become a popular choice among parents today. 
While it may sound cool and fresh, Elias is a name with history and substance. It is the Greek form of the name Elijah, meaning “Yahweh is God,” and was used in both the Greek New Testament and medieval tales. Elias was then given to early saints, to honor the miracles and work of the popular Biblical figure. 
Revived by Puritans in the 18th century, notable namesakes include the inventor of the sewing machine, Elias Howe, writer Elias Canetti and Walter Elias Disney. 
Felix Mendelssohn composed a popular oratorio named “Elias”, while Sir Walter Scott, Anthony Trollope, and Thomas Hardy all have characters called Elias in their novels, giving the name literary and classical charm. 
In the US, Elias has seen significant usage from the 90’s onwards with its popularity doubling during the 2010’s. Given to over 6000 boys each year, Elias continues to climb the charts and has overtaken Eli as a go to El- choice. 
While still outranked by Elijah in the US, across Europe and South America, Elias is the preferred form. Popular in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Mexico, Elias travels well. 
The name has been chosen for characters in the popular horror podcast, The Magnus Archives, Cassandra Clare’s trilogy “The Infernal Devices”, and the TV series “Person of Interest.” Elias has the celebrity seal of approval too, with singer Michael Bublé, actor Robert Downey Jr, tennis player Boris Becker and actress Barbara Becker choosing to use it for their sons. 
Handsome and refined as it is, the main problem with Elias is deciding whether you want to use it, or keep Elijah, Eli, Elliot, Elio, Eliza, Elizabeth, or Elise in the running. To avoid the problem, you could go with similar but lower ranking Tobias, Linus, or Ozias.

Elias

Emmett, honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, is on the rise as a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, not to mention being a character in the popular Twilight series.
 Emmett originated in England as a masculine diminutive of the German Emma; the Hebrew characters pronounced eh-MEHT mean truth, so that might be considered another definition. Emmet is another, less popular spelling.
The death of young Emmett Till helped spark the civil rights movement.

Emmett

Flint is one of the new macho names on the rise today, part old-school tough guy, part rebel. You won't find a tougher, steelier-sounding name; it's part of a genre on the rise along with cousins Slate, Stone and Steel. 
 Flint found itself on the popularity list for a few years in 1959-60, but would prove a distinctive choice today.
 Flint has superhero overtones--there's one in "Spiderman"--aka Sandman--and Captain Flint was a Marvel comic, and Flint is both a legendary pirate and a parrot in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. But on the softer side, there's also inventor Flint Lockwood in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

Flint

A distinctive surname that, despite its meaning, has a cowboy swagger, a la Autry. 

Gentry

Gideon is a no-longer neglected Old Testament name, but still makes an excellent choice for parents looking to move beyond such overused biblicals as Benjamin and Jacob. In the Old Testament, Gideon was a judge called on by God to rescue the Jews from the Midianites, and the name was popular among the Puritans.
 Gideon was given a spike by the short-lived TV series Gideon's Crossing, and has been heard more recently as a main character in Criminal Minds, as Molly Weasley's brother Gideon Prewett in the Harry Potter series, and as an anti-hero, Gideon Gordon Graves, in the Scott Pilgrim series.
 The ubiquitous, in-every-hotel-room Gideon bibles were named because Gideon symbolizes great work done by few people.
 Among the celebs who have chosen Gideon for their sons are Neil Patrick Harris and Ziggy Marley.

Gideon

Pronounced zheel, it's a dashing conquistador; as gill, it's the nice and slightly boring guy down the street. 

Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas?  Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.

Houston

Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.

Huck

Jace may sound like only half a name -- it's usually pronounced like the first half of Jason though some may consider it a spelling-out of the initials J. C. -- but it's a popular choice for baby boys. Jace has been heard on such TV shows as Teen Mom 2 and Duck Dynasty</e>.

Jace

Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. There were nearly 17,000 baby boys named Jackson -- along Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, and Jaxsyn -- which counted together makes it the Number 3 boys' name.
 
Jackson in this spelling is now slightly more popular than father name John, from which it's derived, though slightly less popular than Jack, which it's often shortened to.
 
With its gentleman cowboy feel, Jackson is now popular throughout the English-speaking world, though it fails to achieve the true international popularity of other top boys' names such as Lucas, Leo, and even Liam. 
 
It's been chosen over the years by several celebrities for their sons, including Spike Lee, Poppy Montgomery, Carson Daly, Maria Bello, Natalie Maines, Scott Wolf, Maya Rudolph, Katey Sagal, and Charlize Theron, though its heyday as a celebrity baby name was at least a decade ago.
 One of the most common surnames in America, it's got a presidential ring via Andrew Jackson and an artistic one through Abstract Expressionist painter Jackson Pollock.

Jackson

James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
 James, which reentered the Top 5 in 2016, is a current favorite among fashionable parents looking for a baby name that has both style and substance. Like Henry and Theodore, it manages to combine these two stellar qualities.
 
An English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob, James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), and presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives -- six -- than any other name). The name James is also shared by countless great writers and entertainers.
 
There are fewer Jimmys, Jimbos or even Jamies these days; the most fashionable form of the name is James itself. Several stylish celebrities have chosen it in recent years for their sons, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liz Phair, Colin Farrell and Isaac Hanson. Brendan Fehr thought out of the box and named his daughter James, which has now become a fashionable middle names for baby girls..
James has some interesting foreign variations: Diego and Jaime (Spanish), Jacques (French), Giacomo (Italian), Hamish (Scottish), Jaako (Finnish), Seamus (Irish), Jaap (Dutch) and Jago (Cornish).
 Along with being one of the most popular first names in the US, James is also one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/top-last-names-in-the-us">most common American last names </a>.

James

Jarrod

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
 
Jasper has a lot going for it—it's been rocketing up the ranks in the US, after long being considered a posh and charming name in England. Distinctly masculine, Jasper represents a variety of quartz—one of the few gem <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">names for boys</a>—and is the first name of the great modern artist Jasper Johns. Our only caveat: Jasper is a favorite of a lot of hip parents, and has gotten even more popular since its strong appearance in the Twilight books and movies.
 Jasper has considerable literary cred as well, appearing in works by Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper, Thackeray, and Thomas Hardy--as well as Stephenie Meyer. 
 Casper/Caspar is the German version.

Jasper

Both Jeb and Jed are very attractive Old Testament short forms with long and bright futures. Jeb's main current association is with the Bush brother and former governor of Florida, but the name was a mainstay on early TV westerns, and then went upscale as the nickname (his birth name being Josiah) of the President on "The West Wing."
 Jebediah Obadiah Zachariah Jedediah Springfield was the fictitious founder of the Simpsons' hometown. As for Civil War Confederate General Jeb Stuart, his nickname sprang from his initials--his full name was James Ewell Brown.

Cowboyish short form that's both macho and cool.  Got prime time exposure on The West Wing.

This one-time trendy form of Jeremiah hovered just outside the Top 25 throughout the 1970s and 80s.
 Scout's brother Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird was christened Jeremy Atticus Finch, Jem being a very appealing nickname. Jeremy Piven and Jeremy Renner are two current bearers.

Jeremy

A biblical place name with trumpeting verve and strength.
 Though rarely heard as a first name, Jericho has appeared in the titles of films, TV series, songs, bands, comics, and video games (Clive Barker's Jericho). It's perhaps these references that helped it enter the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013 -- as one of the year's fastest-rising names.

Jericho

King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity. The name is associated with a wide variety of bearers, from outlaw Jesse James to Olympic athlete Jesse Owens to activist Jesse Jackson to current actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Eisenberg. The spelling Jesse is more usual as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' name</a> while Jessie is more traditional for girls.

Jesse

Peaked in the 1940s, but still an amiable classic, a la Joe and Tom -- though rarely used on its own. 

Josh

Justice, one of the rare virtue names for boys, entered the popularity ranks in 1992, and has remained on the list ever since. Parents' search for names implying virtue has led to a mini-revival of this long-neglected name in both its German homonymic form, Justus, and as the word itself. Steven Seagal was ahead of the curve when he used it back in 1976.
 Another plus: Justice is one of the truest nonbinary names, given to nearly equal numbers of girls and boys in the US.
 With the Justus spelling, it was the name of several saints and noted scholars and scientists.

Justice

Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt. 

Kent

Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son. 
Kit is one of those names that is gender-neutral but has a different derivation for boys and girls. For boys, it originated as a short form of Christopher, while for girls, it's an updated diminutive of Katherine.
Kit as a full name is still beneath the Top 1000 for both sexes in the US, but it's getting more popular. In 2022, 166 baby girls and 137 baby boys were named Kit, up from 104 and 129 in 2021.

Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to the point where it entered the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> list in 2009. Knox now ranks among the most influential <a href="https://nameberry.com/fameberry">celebrity baby names</a>.
 With Knox, the Jolie-Pitts established their own tradition: instead of their sons bearing the same first inital, they share the final letter 'x'--Maddox, Pax and Knox-- as well as a final 'n' for their <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>. It's celebrity shine has made the formerly obscure Knox one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
 The surname Knox dates back at least to the thirteenth century, and John Knox was the priest who brought about the Reformation in Scotland.

Knox

Lane is a recent hit name, that could be used for either gender, but is much more popular for boys. It's a surname that projects the pleasant picture of narrow, tree-lined country roads.
 Holding steady between Number 200 and 300 in the US Top 1000 for more than a quarter century, Lane might be considered a modern classic for boys.
 Metallica's Lars Ulrich used the Layne spelling for his son.

Lane

Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. 
 Now it's being rediscovered in a major way—Levi has been shooting up the charts in recent years. Extremely popular in the US, it's also a Top 100 name throughout the English-speaking world as well as in a diverse range of countries from Germany to Brazil.
 
In the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Leah and Jacob, from whom the priestly tribe of Levites descended; in the New Testament, Levi was Matthew's given name before he became an apostle. It is suspected that Levi derives from the Hebrew word yillaweh, meaning "he will join." 
 Levi received a lot of attention as the sons of Matthew McConaughey, Sheryl Crow and Sara Gilbert.
 In the Thomas Hardy novel Far from the Madding Crowd, Levi Everdene is the father of the heroine. 
 <br/
Levon is a related name.

Levi

Recently chosen by singer Elle King for her son. Lucky is a name that could see a considerable rise in the near future, as word names continue to heat up.

Lucky

Malcolm is a warm and welcoming Scottish appellation (originally Mael-Colium) that fits into that golden circle of names that are distinctive but not at all odd. A royal name in Scotland, Malcolm is also a hero name for many via radical civil rights activist Malcolm X. 
 Malcolm was the name of four Scottish kings — including the son of Duncan who succeeded to the throne after Macbeth murdered his father — and has been a standard in that country.
 Denzel Washington named one of his sons Malcolm, as did Harrison Ford.
 Actor Malcolm McDowell is one current bearer. Other namesakes are writer Lowry; bestselling author and trendspotter Gladwell; Sex Pistols musician McLaren; and actor Jamal Warner. There have also been several Malcolms on TV — e.g., in Malcolm in the Middle, Firefly and in the Outlander series. There were no fewer than three characters named Malcolm in the Harry Potter books.

Malcolm

Soft and mellifluous nature-surname name, situated miles away from the dated Marshall. 

Marsh

It's ironic that the name Maverick is not such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun, Maverick symbolizes an unfettered, free spirit. 

In fact, Maverick is the name of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/dna/type/maverick">Baby Name DNA type</a> that's the least conventional and the most adventurous. But the name Maverick is far too popular to appeal to someone whose Baby Name DNA type is Maverick.

Maverick

The bright, playful Micah feels like the middle ground between the safe, solid qualities of Michael and the flair and energy of Luca. Both Biblical and stylish, Micah is proving popular among parents today. 
A shortened form of Micaiah, Micah is an Old Testament name, meaning “who is like the Lord”. The biblical figure is a minor prophet who denounced oppression from the ruling classes and alternated between prophecies of doom and hope. 
Micah was among the Old Testament names revived by the Puritans in the 17th century, and it was used by early Pilgrim settlers in America. It wasn’t until the 1970s, however, that it really saw significant usage. 
Entering into the Top 200 back in the 80s, Micah has since made a slow and steady climb to the Top 100. Given to over 3000 boys – and 200 girls – each year, Micah now feels established but not overused. 
In pop culture, Micah has been used for characters in the animated series She-Ra: Princess of Power and in television show Heroes. It was also selected by Arthur Conan Doyle as the central character for his non-Holmes novel, Micah Clarke. 
Other noteworthy namesakes include Micah Hyde, an American football player, Micah Kogo, a Kenyan long-distance runner, and Micah Richards, an English footballer. Celebrities including actress Sarah Drew, basketball player Moses Malone, singer Lauryn Hill, musician Willie Nelson, and singer Neil Diamond all have sons called Micah. 
Popular in New Zealand and climbing the UK charts too, Micah makes a sleek but sparky choice for anyone honoring a Michael or wanting a name with history that still feels fresh. 
If you like Micah but prefer something outside the Top 100, or just want more inspiration, you could try a lesser-known <a href=“https://nameberry.com/list/456/unusual-biblical-baby-names”> Biblical name</a>, like Nekoda, Neriah, Tekoa, Zaccai, Ira, Jethro, or Jarah.

Micah

Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century but has never been TOO popular.
 
Miles is a favorite of celebrity baby namers, given to their sons by Elisabeth Shue, Mayim Bialik, Larenz Tate, Joan Cusack and Lionel Ritchie. It also makes a great honor name for all the Grandpa Michaels out there.
 Miles was the name of the first translator of the Bible into English--the English monk Miles Coverdale, which is also the name of a character in Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance. Miles Hendon figures in Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, and Miles was one of the young children in Henry James's The Turn of the Screw. Miles--or Myles--Standish was the leader of the Pilgrim fathers.
 Miles has also been a favorite movie and TV character name from the days of Murphy Brown to 24 and Avatar.

Miles

Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles, meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the Slavic root milu, meaning "merciful." Milo predates brother name Miles, a variation that evolved when the name immigrated to the British Isles in the Middle Ages. Mylo is an alternate spelling.
 
Milo has long been a favorite <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' name</a> on Nameberry, also getting some well-deserved appreciation in the wider world. Milo combines the strength of the ancient Greek Olympic wrestler of that name—a six-time winner of the Olympic games—with the debonair charm of a WWII RAF pilot.
 More recently, Milo has been associated with the dashing Milo Ventimiglia of This Is Us fame, and it has also been the name of characters in books Catch-22 and The Phantom Tollbooth, and on screen in Milo and Otis, Alias, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
 Ricki Lake, Camryn Manheim, Sherry Stringfield, Liv Tyler, Craig Ferguson, and Alyssa Milano are six celebrity parents who share our enthusiasm for Milo, as do many Nameberry baby namers.
 Milo is often heard in Ireland. Milo O'Shea was a renowned Irish character actor.

Milo

Relaxed western place-name that still has some masculine punch, but be warned: this whole posse of similarly trendy names, like Sierra and Dakota, will soon ride toward the sunset. 

Montana

Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were given the name in one recent year, vs. 362 boys – though it's one of the most traditional unisex choices. Morgan was actually a Top 200 pick for boys in Victorian Britain!
 Distinguished actor Morgan Freeman is a worthy male namesake.

Morgan

Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering fallout from his identification with Morris the cat's ("the world's most finicky cat") 9 Lives cat food commercials.
 A more distingushed namesake is Morris (Mo) Udall, an influential congressman, and, from literature, Morris Townsend in the Henry James novel Washington Square, which was made into a movie titled "The Heiress," with Montgomery Clift playing the part.
The usual nicknames for Morris are Morrie/Maury or Moe; a more distinctive one would be Moss. Morrie Schwartz, subject of the bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie was born Morris.

Morris

Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson in the late nineties, and also via mathematician John Nash, played by Russell Crowe in the acclaimed film A Beautiful Mind. 
 Nash first entered the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list in 1997.
 As a surname, Nash has been associated with witty poet Ogden (born Frederic Ogden), auto manufacturer Charles, maker of the defunct brand, and rock musician Graham, of Crosby, Stills and Nash—as well as Clarence "Ducky" Nash, the voice of Donald Duck. Iron Chef Cat Cora named her son Nash Lemuel. Teenage dreamboat Nash Grier was one of the first celebrities to gain fame on social media platform Vine.

Nash

For the seriously audacious biblical baby namer who wants to move beyond Elijah and Josiah, this name has considerable old-fangled charm. Obadiah, who gave his name to one of the shortest books in the Bible, was a rich man who had the gift of prophecy. There are several other men named Obadiah in the Bible, as well as a Saint Obadiah. There have been two prominent U.S. senators named Obadiah.
 In literature, there is an Obadiah in Laurence Sterne's novel Tristan Shandy, one in Tobias Smollett's The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, and another in Anthony Trollope's Barchester Towers--as well as a villain in the Iron Man series.

Obadiah

Palmer is a name that derives from the fact that pilgrims often carried palms, thus the double meaning. It's a fresher sounding twist on such upper-crusty surname names as Porter and Parker. Despite its long history as a boy's name, Palmer has been most successful recently on the US girl's charts — solidly in the Top 300. Nonetheless, Palmer is sitting quietly just inside the Top 1000 boy's list, and would make a respectably stylish choice for any gender.

Palmer

Paxton stands out from a lot of other two-syllable surname names for two reasons: the dynamic letter X in the middle, and its admirable peace association, providing the great nickname Pax.
 One well known bearer is the British actor Paxton Whitehead.

Paxton

Sixties-style short form that sounds cool again -- though the unscrupulous Pete on "Mad Men" is not a character to emulate.

Pete

The field of nature names is constantly expanding to include all species of flowers and trees and animals and birds and even fish. In addition to its appeal for anglers, Pike recalls Zebulon Pike, the explorer who discovered and gave his name to Pike's Peak.
 While Pike also shares the friendly feel of names like Mike and Ike, the word pike can also be a noun or verb referring to a long sharp weapon used to do not-very-friendly things to people.

Pike

It may surprise you to know that surname name Porter was fairly popular in the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries, then went underground for 40 years only to reemerge at the turn of this century and climb the ladder again.

Now, it's wobbling around the middle of the Top 1000 list for boys, not a bad place to be. Theoretically unisex, Porter is used seven times as often for boys as for girls.

Porter

Powerful surname choice with many distinguished bearers, fresher sounding than Parker. 

Powell

Quentin, an offbeat name with lots of character, relates to the Latin for the number five and is by far the subtlest and most usable of the Latin birth-order names, masculine as well as stylish and distinctive. It was borne by a third-century saint and came to England with the Normans.
 Sir Walter Scott wrote the novel Quentin Durward in 1823, about a young, upper-class Scotsman, and Quentin Compson is both a male and a female character in William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. Real-life bearers include movie director Quentin Tarantino; eccentric British author Quentin Crisp (born Denis); and Quentin Blake, illustrator of Roald Dahl books. Theodore Roosevelt had a son named Quentin.
 Trivia tidbit: St. Quentin is the protector against coughs.

Quentin

Clint with a glint; used for flinty characters in old TV westerns and soap operas. 

Quint

Ever since Austin Powers enlightened Americans that "randy" meant "horny," it's been hard to take this name seriously, and Randy has declined in popularity since.

Randy

The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. And, as trends collide, it also has the popular western, cowboyish feel. A much better choice than the increasingly (and scarily) heard Danger.

Ranger

Ray, still and forever, is one of the all-time hippest <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' names</a>, with its jazzy Ray Charles biopic overtones. It's one of the coolest <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>), but works perfectly fine as a first.
 The list of noteworthy Rays who have brought glory to their nickname name goes on forever—Bradbury, Romano, Milland (born Alfred), Liotta, and Goulding, to name just a few. Ray might still be short for Raymond or a more unusual formal name such as Rainier or Rayford, but it can also stand on its own.

An Anglicized spelling of the Welsh Rhys, this traditional boys' name got a big boost for girls in the early 2000s, thanks to the high-profile Ms. Witherspoon (who was actually born Laura Jeanne Reese, her second middle being her mother's maiden name). This spelling has been on the decline for boys since 2003, possibly for the same reason, but remains a strong, simple choice which might pose fewer spelling and pronunciation issues outside of the UK than the Welsh original.

Reese

Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages. 

Reno

Now that many dogs are named Max, it's safe to use this sleek, solid, regal name again for your child. And with the charm of its final x, its regal meaning, and its offbeat simplicity, Rex is definitely one to consider.
 Coldplay's Will Champion used it for his twin son, and Natascha McElhone gave her little boy the doubly cool appellation Rex Coltrane, and Niki Taylor — intentionally or not — gave her son the full name of the British My Fair Lady star, Rex Harrison (who was actually christened Reginald). And quite fittingly, Rex is name of a toy T-Rex in Toy Story.
 Other options: the French version Regis or the literal King.

This spirited Gaelic classic, which became popular in Ireland via the illustrious twelfth century king Rory O'Connor, makes a highly energetic choice, now used for either sex. Rory's gender split is still trending boyward; it's one of the coolest <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/r">boys' names starting with R</a>. 
 In England and Wales, however, the name is virtually never given to girls. It's seen as thoroughly male (and non-female) as Roger or Richard.
 Rory first came to attention in the US in the person of mid-century pin-up boy Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy). The name entered the popularity list in 1947, peaking at Number 280 in 1959. 
 Young Irish U.S. Open champ Rory Mcllroy makes a worthy namesake. Bill and Melinda Gates chose Rory as the name of their only son.
 Rory is a popular choice all throughout the UK. Skip baffling Gaelic spellings like Ruari and Ruaidhri and stick with the more straightforward Rory.

Rory

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, probably influenced by the main character of Sir Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy, in which the historical character Robert M'ac Gregor is nicknamed Roy for his red hair.
There have been lots of notable non-country namesakes, including baseball's Roy Campanella, humorist Roy Blunt, Jr., Walt's brother and partner Roy Disney, singer Roy Orbison and pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. Roy Hobbs was the protagonist of the Malamud novel The Natural, played in the film by Robert Redford.
 Roy was also the first name of clothing designer Halston.

Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ names</a>, has been in the spotlight since Kate Hudson and her rocker husband Chris Robinson chose it for their son in 2004. Very popular in several provinces of Canada, Ryder was chosen by John Leguzamo for his son and adorns Boy Meets World star Ryder Strong.
 In the past, Ryder was much more prevalent as a surname, as in American Old Master painter Albert Pinkham Ryder and Brideshead Revisited protagonist Charles Ryder. Not all came by it legitimately, however--Winona Ryder was born Winona Horowitz.
Trivia note: The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf tournament with competing teams from Europe and the US.

Ryder

Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">top unisex names</a>. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford. 
 Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg were among the first to discover Sawyer when they used it for their son in 1992, the year it leaped up 356 places. 
 Sawyer is a relatively common surname--think Tom and Diane. It originated as an occupational name for a woodcutter, otherwise known as someone who worked with a saw.

Sawyer

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

Scott

Shane ambled into the picture via the 1953 movie, adding a cowboy twist to its Irish essence. Shane is even more popular in Ireland than in the USA or the UK.
Singer Siobhan O'Connor and actor Kevin Sorbo have sons named Shane. 

Shane

Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and Sebastian: polished and contemporary feeling names with plenty of history. 
The origins of Silas are debated or perhaps multiple. On one hand, it could a simplified form of the Latin Silvanus, meaning “of the forest.” 
In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of trees, and his name was originally bestowed on those who lived in forested areas or who worked with wood. This could bring either a hardy, outdoorsy ruggedness to the name or something more mystical, dark, and intriguing. 
On the other hand, Silas could be a Greek form of the Aramaic Seila or of the Hebrew Saul, meaning “asked for” or “prayed for”. 
Its Biblical roots can then be traced to either Saul, the first King of Israel, or to a companion of Paul the Apostle. Later venerated as a saint, Silas was a leading member of the early Christian community, who accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey. 
Given as an English name from the 17th century onwards, Silas has a rich literary history. Notably used by George Eliot in Silas Marner and by Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code, Sheridan Le Fanu, Charles Dickens, Robert Frost, Willaim D. Howell, Neil Gaiman, and Mark Twain have also featured a Silas in their work. 
A longstanding favorite and <a href=“https://nameberry.com/popular-names/nameberry/boys”>one of the most searched names on Nameberry</a>, in the ‘real world’, Silas had mostly lingered towards the lower end of the US Top 1000 in the 20th century. 
It did gain some attention in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland in the 2000’s, but it took until the 2010’s for it to make significant moves in the US. Now, it is trending upwards and given to nearly 4000 babies each year. 
Based on its Nameberry popularity, its status as ancient but still fresh, and its similarity in sound or style to popular Elijah, Isaac, Lucas, and Samuel, Silas could continue to climb the charts. 
If you love it, but don’t want to be part of the crowd, you could consider one of Silas’s relatives, such as Sylvan, Sylvester, or Sylvius; alternatively, Linus, Rufus, Caius, Laurence, or Ozias might appeal as less popular options.

Silas

Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls, played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we appreciate for its clear, wide-open feel, less hippyish than others like Rainbow and Starlight, and makes an appealing middle name possibility.
 Sky is the name of Sophie's fiance in Mamma Mia, and there are both Power Rangers and Transformers with the name. Elizabeth Berkley used it for her son.
 It is also spelled Skye, as in the island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Plus, it's a logical nickname for the variously spelled Schuylers and Skylers.

While Skylar is currently the most popular spelling choice for girls - and the spelling seen most often - the Skyler option is more (statistically) unisex. Given to boy and girls in nearly equal numbers each year, it ranks around the middle of the US Top 1000 and is given to more than 400 boys every year.
 
Derived from the Dutch surname Schuyler meaning "scholar", this spelling emerged in the 80s and was likely inspired by the popularity of the name Tyler.

Skyler

Taj is a cool-sounding name reflecting the magnificence of the seventeenth-century Indian Taj Mahal, chosen by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler for his son. 
 The musician known as Taj Mahal was born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks. He claimed that his stage name came to him in dreams about India, Gandhi, and social tolerance.
 Taj has actually made it onto the the U.S. Top 1000 twice--in 1976 and 1998.

A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates.
 Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton named her second son Tate Lee.
 Tate also has a cultural vibe via the Tate and Tate Modern museums in London, named for philanthropist Henry Tate. Actor Tate Donovan is a prominent current bearer.

Tate

Tobias is one of a number of s-ending <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' names</a> that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree. 
Tobias is the Greek form of the Hebrew Tobiah, which was derived from the name Toviyah. Toviyah was created from the elements tov, meaning "good" and yah, representing the Hebrew God. Tobias is the name of several biblical figures but is primarily associated with the story of Tobias and the Angel.
 A contemporary bearer is Tobias Wolff, author of A Boy's Life. Tobias Smollett was a major eighteenth century Scottish novelist. Tobias Snape, meanwhile, is a Harry Potter character.
 
The short form Toby has a life of its own, used independently at least as far back as Shakespeare's time, with Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Toby also was the name of a character on The West Wing. Actor Tobey Maguire was born Tobias and named his son Otis Tobias.
 
There is also the rarely used but still viable daddy of them all --Tobiah, the name of a rebel Hebrew king

Tobias

This jaunty unisex nickname name has recently been given a shot of testosterone via actor Tobey Maguire and the gruff, erudite character on West Wing.

Toby

Undoubtedly inspired by country singer Trace Adkins, it has dropped in recent years.

Trace

This strong single-syllable <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> has been finding favor with parents since the fifties, though it's been slipping in recent years; it fell out of the Top 500 for the first time since 1959 in 2015. Its main associations have been with the River Trent, whose name dates back to prehistoric times, and with former Mississippi Senator Trent (born Chester) Lott, and Trent Reznor (born Michael) of Nine Inch Nails. 
 In the eighteenth century, William Trent founded a settlement, which became the city known as Trenton (Trent's town), and that morphed into a first name for boys.
 (James) Trent Olson is the only brother of the three Olson sisters; Trent Ford has been seen on Gosford Park, The West Wing and Vampire Diaries. And the name of the Vince Vaughn character in the 1996 movie Swingers is Trent.

Trent

Nyx's list "Cowboy / Western Names (BOYS)" of 121 great name ideas: Amos - Zeke!

Cowboy / Western Names (BOYS)

These names all have a rugged, strong, masculine feel. Any of these names would feel at home on a ranch, farm, or even just living in the wilderness.