Updated November 2026
Across 2 pages
of 2
Spanish and English
"angel, messenger"
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. Then Buffy the Vampire…
British surname
"cavalryman, messenger"
Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending boys’ names , 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…
Hebrew
"my messenger"
An Old Testament name with a Gaelic lilt, Malachi entered the list in 1987. In the Bible, Malachi (pronounced with the final syllable as EYE), was the last of the twelve Hebrew prophets, who foretold…
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.
Italian
Old-school Italian name that could find new fans thanks to singer Adele, who chose it for her son after months of baby name mystery. Angelo is in the same name category as Rocco, the name of…
Angel is one of those names that has a very different trajectory for girls and boys. As a female name, it was most popular in the US from the 1970s until the turn of this century, almost breaking…
Variation of Malachi, Hebrew
Malachi is one of the surprise Biblical hits of recent years, in the US Top 200, and now spelling variation Malaki is in the Top 1000 too. Both names are pronounced with a long final i , as in "eye,"…
Hebrew, spelling variation of Malachi
In the Bible, Malachi, was the last of the twelve Hebrew prophets, who foretold the coming of Christ. This alternate spelling, which promotes the popular nickname Kai, is given to over 100 boys each…
While Malakhi might appear to some as a modern twist on the more familiar Malachi, it is in fact closer to the Biblical Hebrew form, Mal'akhi.It made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2019,…
Hawaiian
Often written as 'Aulani, this Hawaiian name has also been given to the Aulani Disney Resort & Spa.
English Surname
"post messenger or cavalryman"
Some parents are choosing this popular boys name for their daughters (in the US there were well over 100 female Ryders born last year). Is it the connection to Winona that makes this feel somewhat…
Diminutive of Ryder or Riley or word name, English
"cavalryman, messenger; rye"
Rye has the potential to become the masculine version of Rue—a short and sweet name for nature lovers (and whiskey fans too!). Rye might be short for Ryder or Riley or Rylan or any Ry-beginning name,…
Greek mythology name
"cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker"
These days, some may think of Hermes as an upscale brand name like Chanel and Porsche (spelled as Hermès), or a strange choice thanks to the parcel delivery company. However, with names from Greek…
Arabic
"ambassador, messenger"
Also spelled Safeer or Saphir, this rare Arabic name connotes power and beauty.
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
An elaborate diminutive of Angelo or Ángel, this form may appeal to those who prefer long, intricate names. Pronounced as ang-jeh-LEE-no in Italian and as ang-kheh-LEE-no in Spanish, it is notably…
Maori
"embellishment; spiritual messenger"
Manaia is one of the most popular gender-neutral names in New Zealand, on that country's Maori Top 10 for boys but used nearly equally for girls.
"messenger from God, angel"
Bell-like and original.
Latin
"Roman messenger god"
Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman…
Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew, or Secundus, Latin
"my messenger; second"
This spelling, which came to the attention of readers of the best-selling Angela's Ashes as the name of author Frank McCourt's father and brother, the latter of whom wrote a bestseller of his own,…
English, diminutive of Riley; word name; British surname
Sweet short form of Riley. Nature lovers and whiskey fans alike can appreciate the androgynous simplicity of Rye. It is also the name of a town in England.