Works better as a full name than Arnie does as a nickname. 

Arne

The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US. And deservedly so, given its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames.
THE celebrity baby name of the moment, August was chosen by both Princess Eugenie and Mandy Moore for their baby boys in early 2021. Before that, August had been heating up in Hollywood – used by Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, Lena Olin, Dave Matthews and Jeanne Tripplehorn for their sons
August is the only truly popular month name for boys. The month of August was named after the Emperor Augustus.
 August has two august literary namesakes: the Swedish playwright August Strindberg (it has always been a popular name in Scandinavia), and August Wilson, as well as photographer August Sander.
 The French version is Auguste (ow-GOOST), as in Edgar Allan Poe's clever detective Auguste Dupin and famed sculptor Auguste Rodin.

August

Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class Britishness of Sherlock Holmes portrayer Basil Rathbone, then spiced with the fragrant aroma of the herb that entered with the Pesto generation.
 Now, it's time to take a fresh look at Basil.
 Basil was on the U.S. popularity list quite regularly up till 1970, reaching a high of Number 328 in 1904. Its history includes several rulers of the Byzantine Empire and Eastern Orthodox saints, including one whose grandmother, father, older sister and two younger brothers were all saints as well.
 Basil has also been seen as a figure of fun, as in the manic Basil Fawlty in the British TV comedy classic "Fawlty Towers," in the Disney movie "Basil of Baker Street," and as Basil Brush and Basil Wombat in other kids' entertainment.
 The Russian version, Vassily, is another possibility.

Basil

Caleb is an attractive Old Testament name that has been in the US Top 100 for nearly three decades now. Consistently popular but never too popular, Caleb feels more like a classic than a momentary trend.
 Caleb has two potential derivations, the first being from the Hebrew kelev, meaning "dog," and the second from the Hebrew components kal and lev, together meaning "whole heart." 
 
In the Old Testament Caleb is one of only two ancient Israelites (Joshua was the other) who set out from Egypt to finally enter the promised land. 
 
Caleb Garth is a character in George Eliot's Middlemarch. Caleb was the full name of James Dean's character Cal in East of Eden, and the name has also been heard on Desperate Housewives and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Julianne Moore chose Caleb for her son, as did Bo Bice. The shortform Cale is also rising in popularity, and the current Kaleb spelling picks up on the K-to-C initial trend.

Caleb

Chloe is a pretty springtime name symbolizing new growth. Though slightly off its peak in the Top 10 in 2010, Chloe still ranks in the Top 20 and is solidly a modern classic. 
 Along with the US, Chloe has been also mega-popular throughout the English-speaking world and is also a top girls' name in Spain, Italy, Chile, and the Netherlands. The creative spelling Khloe has been moving up as well, thanks solely to the Kardashian klan.
 Chloe appeared in Greek mythology as an alternative name for the goddess of agriculture and fertility, Demeter. She was referred to as Chloe in the spring months, due to the name’s relation to sprouts and growth. Chloe is also mentioned in the New Testament as the name of a Greek Christian woman. 
 
While Chloe has not been used for any recent celebrity babies, it is the name of the now-grown daughters of Olivia Newton-John and of Candice Bergen and the late French film director Louis Malle. Actress and style leader Chloe Sevigny is another high-profile bearer, as is rising young star Chloe Grace Moretz.
 Chloe is a titular character in the Greek pastoral romance Daphnis and Chloe, appears in Uncle Tom's Cabin, and is the real name of Nobel prize-winning writer Toni Morrison.

Chloe

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

This unusual spelling of a simple name is notable as the name of dancer Cyd Charisse, whose given name was Tula Ellice but whose brother's mispronunciation of Sis begat Sid. Famed dance teacher Arthur Freed varied it to Cyd.


Unlike perennials William, John and James, Edward is a classic that moves in and out of fashion. This royal Anglo-Saxon standard has benefited in recent years from the popularity of the hot hero of the vampire sensation Twilight — Edward Cullen — who has given his name a new infusion of cool.
 
Edward was the name of several Saxon and eight English kings, and is the name of the youngest son of the current queen. It was an early arrival in the New World — there were several Edwards in the Jamestown colony and six on the Mayflower.
 
The Edward name meaning most referenced is "wealthy guardian," as it is derived from elements meaning "rich" and "guard," however, the combined meaning may be a modern interpretation.
 
Youngish actors Edwards Norton, Burns and Furlong help keep the name's image fresh. Parents today are more likely to prefer nicknames Ted or Ned to the traditional Ed or Eddie — or, just as likely, to use the name in full.

Edward

When Gary cracked the Top 10 in 1950, it was one of the first nonclassic <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ names</a> to do so, largely due to Gary (born Frank) Cooper, who was renamed after Gary, Indiana, his agent's hometown. Now, a 65 years later, Gary isn't particularly high in the charts, and has lost any glitter it had. May we suggest the fuller name Gareth?

Gary

Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.

Grace is one of the most luminous of names, recalling the cool elegance of Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. Embraced by Americans of the Victorian era, it was the eleventh most popular name in this country in 1875 and has always ranked among the Top 1000 girl names.

Currently, Grace is the Number 1 girls’ name in Ireland, and ranks highly in other English-speaking countries. In the US, it’s one of the most popular one-syllable middle names for girls.
 
Grace is derived from gratia, the Latin word for "grace." It existed as Gracia in the Middle Ages but was not in common use until the Puritans adopted it along with other Christian attribute names in the sixteenth century. It was used as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/373/virtue-names">virtue name</a>, in reference to divine grace — the love and kindness of God.
 
If Grace is too overused for you, consider an international variation like Engracia or Graziella. Some parents have even migrated into the gender neutral camp in search of Grace equivalents such as Gray or Grayson or even Gracelyn. Choosing the nickname Gracie for the birth certificate is a popular option.

Grace

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 evocative--if slightly somber-- choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney recently named their son Leo Grey.
 A common surname, Gray/Grey is still an unusual first name choice--it hasn't made it into the Top 1000 in this century--while longer forms Grayson and Greyson are climbing rapidly, with Grayson at Number 97, and his twin at 200.
 The best known bearer of the name, former Governor Gray Davis of California, was born Joseph Graham Davis, Jr, and others with Gray names include Graydon Carter (born Edward Graydon), editor of "Vanity Fair," and Grayer, the child in "The Nanny Diaries."

Gray

Greg

Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names—it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 50 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
 Hannah originated as a variation of the Hebrew name Channah, derived from the word channan, meaning "grace." In the Old Testament, Hannah is the mother of Samuel. 
 
Names including Anne, Anna, Nancy, Anya, Annika, and Annabel are all related to Hannah. Alternate spellings such as Hana, Hanna, and Chana are also used.
 The TV show Hannah Montana was a huge TV teen sensation from 2006 to 2011, and more recently was the name Lena Dunham chose for her own character in her hit series Girls. Hannah Baker is a central character on the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why.
 Hannah is also a name that in its varied versions, which include Hana and Hanna, has roots in many cultures, from Hebrew to Arabic, European to Asian. All in all, Hannah is still a wonderful if widely used name.

Hannah

Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. 
Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname, represented by uber-skateboarder Tony Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding. Variations include Hawke, as in actor Ethan, Hawks, as in Golden Age movie director Howard, Hawking, as in scientist Stephen, and Hawkins, as in musicians Coleman, Screamin' Jay and Sophie B, and was recently given to his baby boy by quarterback Tony Romo. There have been characters named or nicknamed Hawk in The Revenant, The Path and Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. Hawk ranks at Number 699 on Nameberry.

Hawk

Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool.
Ivan is, of course, ubiquitous in Russian culture. There is one of the brothers in The Brothers Karamazov, the protagonists of Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and the title character in Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. Real life Ivans include writer Turgnenev, biologist Pavlov, tennis player Lendl, and rulers Ivan the Great and --oops--Ivan the Terrible. Vanya is his warm and appealing nickname.

Ivan

Janna

Joan was the perfect name choice for one of the leading characters on Mad Men, being a quintessential girls' name of the period. A Top 10 name in the 30s, a Top 50 name from the 40s through the early 60s, it was the fifth most popular name in the country for three years running and ranks as one of the most <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a> in the 20th century. But alas, Joan hasn't even appeared in the Top 1000 for a dozen years, and these days it's primarily associated with Joans of the generation of Joan Crawford, Joan Collins and Joan Rivers--just a few of the noted Joans whose ranks also include the singers Joan Sutherland, Joan Baez, Joan Armatrading and Joan Jett. But it's possible that modern parents who are reviving Jane might move on to Joan, inspired by Joan Hollaway Harris.
 The first English bearer of the name was Henry II's daughter, Jhone, but the modern spelling was soon established, which is why Saint Jeanne d'Arc was translated as Joan, making her the most illustrious wearer of the name. By Shakespeare's time, Joan had become so overused that it was ripe for replacement by the newly coined Jane, the reverse of what happened in twentieth-century America.
 Some livelier foreign versions of Joan include Giovanna, Siobhan, Ione and Juana.

Joan

The new Maia, the next Kayla, Kaia has been on the charts since the year 2000. You might see it as a female form of the also-rising Kai, which means sea in Hawaiian and is sometimes used for girls as well, or as a Kardashianization of the ancient goddess name Caia.
 Kaia's star has been floating upwards for the past few decades, along with Kai's. And it still has some distance to go, though we don't anticipate it making the Top 10.
 
Kaia Gerber, daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, is now a supermodel in her own right.

Kaia

Laura is a hauntingly evocative perennial, never trendy, never dated, feminine without being fussy, with literary links stretching back to Dante. All this makes Laura a more solid choice than any of its more decorative counterparts and one of the most classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/l">girl names starting with L</a>. 
 Laura has ranked on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list since official US records have been kept. A frequent Top 20 name from 1963 to 1986, reaching Number 10 in 1969, Laura remained in the Top 100—minus a brief stretch from 1935 to 1944—until as recently as 2001. 
 The meaning of the name, laurel, implies victory via the laurel wreath worn by Olympic athletes and Roman emperors. It was first made famous by the Laura to whom the Italian Renaissance poet Petrarch dedicated many of his love poems and was later used by Dickens in Bleak House.
 Well known Lauras include First Lady Bush, Little House writer Ingalls Wilder, designer Ashley, and actors Dern and Linney.

Laura

Leila was popularized in the West by the poet Byron, who used it in his poem Don Juan for a ten-year-old Turkish girl. Leila also appears as a fairy in the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera Iolanthe.
 The haunting Leila been chosen by such celebs as Al Roker and Greta Scacchi and Vincent D'Onofrio. While Leila has managed to appear on the Top 1000 list in the U.S. since its inception in 1880, phonetic form Layla is now much higher on the list in America. And parents attracted to <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> with the double l sound will find that most examples -- from Leila to Lila to Lily and Lillian and Lilith-- are zooming up the charts and, while classics, are bordering on trendiness.
 Yet another alternative is Lelia, a Latin name used in Roman times.

Leila

Lilo is the name of the spunky little Hawaiian girl character in the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch-- and is also Lindsay Lohan's nickname. Multi-cultural, it can be found in Hawaiian, German and Hebrew nomenclature.

Lilo

A hot starbaby name – chosen by Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Lisa Bonet, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Carnie Wilson, and Annie Lennox, and used as the nickname of Madonna's Lourdes – Lola manages to feel fun and sassy without going over the top. Be warned, though: "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets," to quote a song from the show Damn Yankees.
 In the past, Lola has been associated with such femmes fatale as the nineteenth century courtesan/dancer Lola Montez (born Elizabeth Rosanna), the Marlene Dietrich character Lola Lola in The Blue Angel and Jean Harlow's in Bombshell. And it's the title of a great Kinks song: L-O-L-A Lola.
 Lola is one of the most truly international <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/495/spanish-names-for-girls">Spanish name for girls</a>, enjoying mass popularity around the world. It's also one of the hottest <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/l">girl names starting with L</a>.

Lola

A nickname name heard in Spanish-speaking cultures, might lead to "loopy" jokes here. 

Lupe

Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk. The appealing hero of the British TV show Sex Education has done much to propel Otis into the forefront of cool names.
 Otis originally came into use as a tribute to the Revolutionary hero James Otis, and would be familiar to kids via the Disney film The Adventures of Milo and Otis. 
 Though well used at the turn of the last century, Otis was off the charts for two decades from 1995 to 2014, and now sounds like a fresh choice. Tobey Maguire used the name back in 2009. More recently, and possibly contributing to Otis's return to the Top 1000 in 2015, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis gave the name to their son.

Otis

Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever.
 
Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine history, yet it's right in step with the modern trend for two-syllable, n-ending boys' names. Owen-like choices with less tradition behind them include Logan, Bowen, and Rowan.
 Owen is derived from two names—the Welsh Owain and the Celtic Eoghan. Each are connected to Eugene, which ultimately came from the Greek word eugenes, comprised of the elements eu, meaning good, and genes, "born." 
 
Owen became a Welsh patronymic surname during the Renaissance. The legendary St. Owen was a Benedictine monk who was a follower of St. Chad.
 
In Ireland, Owen may be spelled Eoin, as in Irish writer Eoin Colfer, and Eoghan. Other similar names include the Scottish Ewan or Euan and the French Ouen.
 
Owen's popularity now extends beyond English-speaking countries to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Owen

Phoebe is the Latin variation of the Greek name Phoibe, which derived from phoibos, meaning "bright." In classical mythology, Phoebe is the by-name of Artemis, goddess of the moon and of hunting. The masculine version of Phoebe is Phoebus.
 
A mythological, biblical, Shakepearean, and Salinger name, the warm and captivating Phoebe was given a boost in popularity by one of the Friends.
 
In the New Testament, Phoebe is a church deaconess. Shakespeare used the name (spelled Phebe) for a rustic denizen of the forest in As You Like It, Phoebe Pynchon was a cheerful young girl in Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables, while Phoebe is Holden Caulfield's sympathetic, precocious ten-year-old sister in Catcher in the Rye.
 Bill and Melinda Gates used Phoebe for their daughter.

Phoebe

Reida

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.

One of the glamour girl names of the Rita Hayworth 1940s, Rita was once a Top 50 name and stayed on the SSA list until 2002.
 The name Rita still has enough Latin zip to be a lively, revivable short form of Margarita. Other namesakes include Puerto Rican actress/singer Rita Moreno (born Rosa), poet Rita Dove and novelist Rita Mae Brown. Rita Skeeter is a Harry Potter character.

 In Indian religion and philosophy, Rita is the cosmic order mentioned in the Vedas.

Rita

Some parents just use Steve on the birth certificate, but it doesn't have the breezy charm of trendy short forms like Max, Sam, and Jake. Regardless of how much you love Steve as a given name, it might be smart to give your son a longer option to fall back on.

Steve

Especially for parents of Scandinavian descent, Sven is an accessible and attractive name with an appealing mix of strength and swagger. It comes from the ancient Swedish tribe, the Sviars, who gave their name to Svealand, which later morphed into Sweden.
 Sven is now most popular not in its native Sweden but in The Netherlands, where it is currently in the Top 20. But for many parents in English-speaking countries, Sven is one of the most quintessentially <a href="https://nameberry.com//baby-names/190/swedish-names">Swedish names</a>.
 An internationally noted bearer is Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist, known for his work on Ingmar Bergman films. Svens have appeared as characters in Titanic, Pixar's Cars (voiced by Arnold Schwarzenegger), as a Nintendo Pokemon and a manga character, and Marlon Brando portrayed an unlikely Sven in one of his late movies, Free Money.

Sven

Old World Italian name that might become fashionable in a so-far-out-it's-in way, like Enzo and Rocco. Main recommendation: It's among the rare <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/608/boy-names-that-mean-life">boy names that mean life</a>.

Vito

Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills.
 Will has a nice old-fashioned, down-home charm, and with recent references such as Will Smith, Good Will Hunting, and Will and Grace, it has taken on an air of understated cool.
 Most celebrities known as Will were christened William—Shakespeare, legendary humorist Rogers, cartoonist Eisner, and actor Arnett—but others were not. Will Smith was born Willard and Will Ferrell was originally John William.
 A key character on Glee was Will Schuester.

Will

RenG's list "Ancient Numerology 4 Names" of 35 great name ideas: Arne - Yan!

Ancient Numerology 4 Names

Spiritual Venus Energies. Duplication. Passing along exactly what they've learned. Lavish, comforting and loving. Warmly expressive. Resentful of separations. Excessive desire to be special. Positive mindset of an achiever.
Life Lesson - Trusting the flow of the natural progression of things. 
Tarot Card - The Empress 