By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 113 pages
of 113
English
"old, wise friend"
Hot young actor Alden Ehrenreich, the new Han Solo, gives this formerly-stodgy surname name an attractive new image, making it a fresh successor to Aiden or Holden. Before it got this fresh shine,…
Variation of Caden/Kaden
"round or barrel; battle"
A variation of the popular Caden, Kayden, Kaden, and so on, Caiden is in the US Top 500 and the UK Top 1000. When you combine all the spelling variations however, Caiden begins to feel and sound…
Spelling variation of Zaden, modern invented name
Zaiden grafts the fashionable first letter z onto the Aiden/Kaiden/Jaiden group of names, to popular effect. Soundalike Zayden is even more popular.
Hebrew variation of Jadon, modern invention
Jaiden could be a variation of the Hebrew name Jadon, meaning "thankful", however, it may also be a modern invention, taking inspiration from Hayden and Aiden and combining it with the popular J-…
Dutch diminutive of Coenraad
"bold advisor"
A short form popular in the Netherlands, though in the U.S. Koen and Coen are easily confused with Cohen, the Jewish surname meaning "priest" which has recently gained currency as a first name. The…
Irish
"little dog"
Madden is an Irish surname relative of Madigan rising through the charts thanks to its trendy two-syllable, -en ending sound along with its appeal to Madden Football video game-playing dads. John…
French from Latin
"youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
Julien is the handsome French form of Julian, which derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis , meaning "youthfu"; Greek…
Spelling variation of Camden
"winding valley"
Spelling Camden with a K makes it less of a place name—Camden is a downmarket city in New Jersey and an upmarket area of London—and more of a Kardashian-era confection, or maybe konfection. Both…
Modern invented name
Brayden meets Jalen to make Braylen, another entry in this trendy group of names. While Braylen is drifting downward now, it's ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US for two decades and is…
English or German surname, variation of Beauden, French
"hill shaped like a bow; floor; beautiful"
Boden is most often inspired by the clothing catalog of the same name, and it feels like an appropriate first name for boys because of its stylish two-syllable -n ending rhythm, a la Logan, Mason,…
Variation of Kaison
Kai is the it syllable of the moment, spawning this Kai - Jason hybrid. Kaisen made the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, along with similar name Kaizen.
Rayden is yet another example of the dozens of new boys' names with the 'aden' sound.
Spelling variation of Cason
This spelling variation of Cason isn't quite as widely used as the original.
Hebrew
"son of"
Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.
English, variation of Waylon
"land beside the road"
Country singer Waylon Jennings bestowed a kind of outlaw image on his name, and parents have been loving the suave cowboy name Waylon in recent years — enough to crack to Top 100 in 2021.…
Turkish
"universe"
A modern-sounding unisex name which belongs to a dragon in Turkish mythology, Evren has huge potential to rise more globally, thanks to its accessible sound and its wide-reaching meaning "universe".…
Spelling variation of Bryson
This name may be a variation of the more-popular Bryson, but it has appealed to enough parents to make it a widely used name in its own right.
"Kyle's land; little Kyle"
This relatively new name appears to have been created by adding the trendy -en suffix to Kyle, or by tweaking the spelling of the more popular and slightly older Kylan. While its invented status…
"saint, holy person"
Eren ranks among the Top 50 boys' names in Turkey, among the Top 1000 in England and Wales, and is virtually unknown in the US. With a sound that's similar to Aaron or Erin, it may be mistaken for…
"behold, a son"
Reuben is derived from the Hebrew words ra’a , meaning "to see, to understand," and ben , "son." As a phrase it translates to "behold, a son." In the Bible, Reuben is Jacob's first-born son by Leah…
