the ultimate list of boy names

Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in several European countries, especially England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

This is one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah, deemed by Muhammad to be a recommended name for a male child. In this country, it's been primarily associated with boxing immortal Muhammad Ali, known as "the greatest." But Ali is also one of the most popular unisex names for both boys and girls.

In Turkey, Ali Asaf is currently more popular in its double-barreled form than Ali or Asaf individually.

Alparslan is a combination of the Turkish words alp, meaning "hero," and arslan, "lion." The name is a reference to Alp Arslan, the title given to 11th-century Seljuk sultan Muhammad bin Dawud Chaghri when his army defeated the Byzantines.

Amar is a masculine name found across India and Pakistan. It is popular in expatriate and diaspora communities, especially in Great Britain.

Amari is a name that's rising in popularity for both boys and girls in the US, used last year for about 2000 baby boys and 1000 baby girls. It's among the Top 20 gender neutral names.

A favorite of British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose has an air of blooming well-being and upper-class erudition. It comes from the same Greek root as 'ambrosia', the food of the gods, said to confer immortality.

There are four figures named Ammiel in the Bible. The most notable was the father of Bathsheba.

Andrea may be a gender neutral name in its native Italy and other European countries, but in the US it's 98 percent a girls' name, with only about 20 males to more than 1800 baby girl given that name in the most recent year counted.

Russian, Belarusian, Romanian and Bulgarian form of Andrew

The Spanish form of Andrew is popular enough in the US to rank near the Top 200. As Andrew, Andy, and Drew feel less fresh, Andres is still up-and-coming, with a global feel that could travel well anywhere. Andres has been used in the US dating all the way back to when name data began to be kept, and has never fallen out of the Top 1000. Despite this, it has only been since the 90s that Andres has cracked the Top 200. Andre is a similar-sounding alternative that has French and Portuguese roots.

During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.

As a boys' name, Angel has two distinct name personalities. One is as a perennial favorite Hispanic boys’ name, popular in the US along with Spain, Mexico, and South America.

Substantial, strong, and enduring, Anthony has remained a perennially popular name over the last century. With just a hint of playfulness and just a touch of clunky-coolness, Anthony is a versatile choice that seems comfortable anywhere.

A sweet, simple name with roots in several cultures. In Lithuanian, Aras is a poetic bird name, while in Persian and Kurdish it is both a word ("equal"), and the name of a river that flows through Turkey, Armenia, Iran and Azerbaijan. It is one of the most popular boy names in Turkey, and also ranks in the Netherlands and England and Wales.

Ari, the short form of Ariel (or any other Ari- beginning name, such as Aristotle) stands up better as a boys’ name than its progenitor does. It is also short for Aristotle, as in Onassis, and is a prominent character on TV's Entourage -- the uberagent Ari Gold.