Four Syllable Names for Boys

The name of the capital city of ancient Syria, an important centre in early Christianity. Its founder Seleucus I Nictor named it after his father, Antiochus. Antiochus was the name of several early rulers and saints, including the patron saint of Sardinia.

 The name Antioch was used by J. K. Rowling for a minor character in the Harry Potter book.

Antioch

An ancient and dashing princely European name, belonging to one of the Grimaldi princes of Monaco from the 18th and 19th centuries. Florestan is also a character in Ludwig van Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" (1814).

Florestan

An audacious sounding ancient name belonging to an 8th-century Swiss saint, an abbot of Saint Gall.

Audamar

A beautiful English surname that's also a type of richly colored timber, Rosewood makes an interesting spin on the Rose names for a boy. It is also the surname of Dr Beaumont Rosewood, Jr from the Fox police drama series Rosewood.

Rosewood

A literary name coined by the French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for the central character in his plays The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother. It is thought that he based the name on his own nickname. In modern French, the word has come to mean "barber", due to the famous character's profession.

Figaro

An aristocratic French surname which is synonymous with the indulged child created by Frances Hodgson Burnett in her book Little Lord Fauntleroy. Fauntleroy is also Donald Duck's middle name.

Fauntleroy

A character the Italian fairy tale Prunella; Bensiabel is the benevolent son of a witch, and the heroine's love interest.

Bensiabel

Sebastião is the Portuguese form of Sebastian, a name with ancient Greek roots derived from 'Sebastos,' meaning 'venerable' or 'revered.' This masculine name carries significant cultural weight in Portuguese-speaking countries, particularly Brazil and Portugal. It has historical importance through figures like Dom Sebastião I, a 16th-century Portuguese king whose disappearance led to the legend of 'Sebastianism.' The name combines elegance with strength, featuring the distinctive Portuguese 'ão' ending that creates a rich, melodious sound. While maintaining its traditional appeal in Portuguese communities worldwide, Sebastião remains relatively uncommon in English-speaking countries, offering a sophisticated international option for parents seeking a name with depth and cultural significance.

Sebastião

Winiata is a Maori version of the English surname Wynyard, which is nowadays closely linked to several prominent Maori families. 

Winiata

Alabaster is a white stone that was often used to make sculptures. The name is thought to derive from an Egyptian term al-abaste, which refers to the Egyptian God Bast.

Alabaster

Also known as green beryl, Heliodor is the name of a sun-kissed colored gemstone. The name is reminiscent of other -dor names such as Theodore, Esidore, Isidor, Landor, Salvador etc.

Heliodor

Carnelian is an ochre-colored semi-precious gemstone, named after a type of cherry. 

Carnelian

As both Oliver and Olivia grow in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, parents may seek variations that are the same-but-different and Olivian is one such choice.  Attractive and easy to understand, yet some confuse it with Olivia.

Olivian

Sebastiaan is the Dutch and Flemish variant of Sebastian, a name derived from the Greek "Sebastianos" meaning "from Sebastia" or "revered." This elegant spelling version maintains the name's classical roots while adding a distinctive Dutch character through the double 'a' pattern typical in Dutch naming conventions. Widely used in the Netherlands and Belgium, Sebastiaan carries the same rich historical associations as its more common international variants, including connections to the 3rd-century Christian martyr Saint Sebastian. The name has maintained steady popularity in Dutch-speaking regions, appreciated for its classical heritage and melodic quality. While the double 'a' spelling might seem unusual to English speakers, in Dutch it creates a distinctive long vowel sound that enhances the name's rhythmic flow.

Sebastiaan

The name of the first English king, who ruled in the 10th century AD.

Athelstan

This extravagant name of a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher could make for a bold alternative to Alexander.

Anaximander

Florence is historically a unisex name, deriving both from Latin Florentius and Florentia. Although much more commonly feminine in modern times, it appeared in the US Top 1000 for boys until 1914. 

 It's also a geographical name, belonging to the famous Italian city. J. K. Rowling used the Italian version, Firenze, for a centaur in the Harry Potter series.

Florence

Rarely used these days, Onesimus was the name of an escaped enslaved man in the Bible who met St. Paul in prison. Its Greek sound is obvious, and its four syllables make it one that might be hard to wear in the twenty-first century.

Onesimus

Cyriaque is the French version of Cyriacus, an equally obscure name in the US. Abroad, however, Cyriaque has a few contemporary namesakes, specifically two French footballers: Cyriaque Louvion and Cyriaque Rivieyran.

Cyriaque

A name rarely heard these days, it was the moniker of several early saints.

Cyriacus

Four-syllable boy names provide the perfect balance for a short surname and may impart an elaborate style on your son's name.

Boy names with four syllables include a few choices near the top of the popularity lists in the US and around the world, most notably Alexander and Sebastian.

Along with Alexander and Sebastian, other four-syllable boy names that make the US Top 1000 include Leonardo,

Four-syllable boy names provide the perfect balance for a short surname and may impart an elaborate style on your son's name. Boy names with four syllables include a few choices near the top of the popularity lists in the US and around the world, most notably Alexander and Sebastian. Along with Alexander and Sebastian, other four-syllable boy names that make the US Top 1000 include Leonardo, (Page 182)