Name Archive

Elijah

Hebrew

"Yahweh is God"

The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah , both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to…

Levi

Hebrew

"joined, attached"

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…

Elias

Greek variation of Elijah, Hebrew

"Yahweh is God"

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…

Asher

Hebrew

"fortunate, blessed, happy one"

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a…

Maverick

American

"independent, nonconformist"

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…

Josiah

Hebrew

"God supports, heals"

Josiah—a biblical name with lots of quaint, old-fashioned charm—makes a much fresher sounding alternative to either Joseph or Joshua, combining the best of both. Josiah is among the several Biblical…

Ezekiel

Hebrew

"God strengthens"

Ezekiel used to be reduced to its nickname Zeke, but modern parents now embrace it in full for its power and dignity. Along with biblical brethren Asher and Ezra, Ezekiel is rising steadily up the…

Damian

Greek

"to tame, subdue"

Damian has sidestepped its demonic horror movie overtones, leaving a basically friendly and charming Irish image. A well-used upper-class name in England, it is growing in popularity here. There are…

Harrison

English

"son of Harry"

Harrison, a name made viable by Harrison Ford, is increasingly popular with parents who want an H name that's more formal than Harry or Hank but doesn't veer into the stiff Huntington-Harrington…

Leon

Greek variation of Leo

"lion"

Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart. Just as leonine as Leo and Leonardo, Leon is…

Jayce

Modern invented name

"to heal"

Jayce, which probably started out as an abbreviation of names like Jason, with the 'y' borrowed from Jayden, now has a life of its own, making a strong showing on the popularity lists. It is…

Matias

Spanish variation of Matthias

The single T version of Matias is, like Mateo, the Spanish variation of the Hebrew Biblical Matthias or Matthew, while the double T version as in Mattias and Matteo is usually Italian.

Maddox

Welsh

"son of Madoc"

Maddox, a previously obscure Welsh family name with a powerfully masculine image, suddenly came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie chose it for her son in 2003. By the following year it was in…

Malakai

Fijian and Tongan form of Malachi

Malakai puts a South Sea Island spin on the Biblical Malachi, which may be just what It needs to fit in with contemporary trends.

Cyrus

Persian

"sun"

Cyrus is one of those surprising names that have always ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US. On an upward trend since the mid-90s, Cyrus now sits in that comfortable place between too…