Animal Names for Boys

Baraq

Baraq is a masculine name with Semitic origins, appearing in Hebrew and Arabic traditions. In Hebrew, it means 'lightning' or 'flash,' and is notably the name of a biblical figure who was a military…

Barat

Barat is a masculine name with roots in several cultures. In Hungarian, it derives from 'barát' meaning 'friend' or 'monk.' In Turkish, it relates to the Islamic holiday Laylat al-Bara'at. The name…

Barbar

Barbar is an unusual masculine name with several possible origins. It may be related to the ancient Berber people of North Africa, or derive from the Greek 'barbaros,' originally referring to…

Barbas

Barbas, or Marbas, is a demon described as the Great President of Hell. He is depicted as a lion, and can shape shift into a man.

Barbeau

French occupational name

"fisherman"

How to spruce up Fisher or Beau? This French surname-name might be an option for a parent unafraid of the unusual. The name derives from Barbel, a type of fish, which is how it became a surname for…

Barber

French occupational name

"beard"

This name's all-male occupational roots help it break the Barbara bonds, but still not the most inspiring surname choice.

Barbossa

Portuguese surname

"a place with many palm trees"

Barbossa (also spelled Barbosa) is derived from the Barbosa palm. It is also a common place name, with towns called Barbossa spread across Latin America. Film buffs might also recall that Barbossa is…

Barbour

Barbour is a masculine name that originated as an occupational surname in medieval Britain, referring to someone who was a barber. In historical times, barbers performed various services including…

Barclay

English and Scottish

"where birches grow"

Americans may not realize Barclay is the phonetic spelling of the British Berkeley -- though both sound like old-fashioned butler names.

Barcley

Barcley is a masculine name that represents a variant spelling of Barclay or Berkeley. The name has Scottish and English origins, originally derived from a place name meaning 'birch tree meadow' or…

Bard

English, Gaelic

"minstrel, poet"

A literary word name, now synonymous with Shakespeare, Bard also refers more generally to a poet, particularly one who recited epics and traditional poems out loud. Similar in sound to Bernard,…

Barde

Barde is a masculine name with medieval origins, derived from the occupation of a bard—a professional poet, storyteller, and musician in Celtic cultures. The name carries artistic and creative…

Barden

English "barley valley"

"barley valley"

Rarely heard last-name-first choice with nice gardenlike feel.

Bardey

Bardey is an uncommon masculine name with likely origins as a variant of Bard or a surname adapted for first-name use. The name connects to the medieval occupation of a bard—a professional…

Alberic

Germanic

Variant of Alberich

Bardolf

English

"axe-wolf"

Shakespeare's classic drunken fool. In fact, this name, carried to Britain by the Normans, was quite popular until it was brought into disrepute by the low-life character who haunts taverns with…

Bardolph

German

"bright wolf"

Bardolph is an antiquated German name that was used by Shakespeare for several minor characters. Short form Bardo, a Buddhist term for a Limbo-like state, would be more familiar and more fashionable…

Bardon

Bardon is a masculine name likely derived from an English surname, which itself originated from place names combining the Old English elements 'bere' (barley) and 'dun' (hill), meaning 'barley hill.'…

Adlai

Hebrew

"God is just"

Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth…

Abishai

Hebrew

"my father is a gift"

The name of one of King David's heroes in the Old Testament. A variant form is Avishai.