Animal Names for Boys
Across 500 pages
of 500
Clay
English word name; diminutive of Clayton
Clay is a rich, earthy one-syllable name with a southern-inflected handsome-rogue image, featured on soap operas and reality TV. Its longer forms are Clayton and Clayborne. There have been TV…
Emanuel
Spelling variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew
"God is with us"
Fewer letters does not always mean easier—the traditional spelling is the one most people will recognize.
Allen
English and Scottish
"handsome, cheerful"
Allen is the spelling of this name -- other common spellings are Alan and Allan -- most associated with the surname; it might also be the most appropriate if you're trying to steer clear of Al as a…
Atreus
Greek
"fearless"
This unusual name from Greek mythology is gaining traction along with others in its class, such as Atlas, Artemis, and Apollo. The King of Mycenae (to where he'd been banished, after murdering his…
Cassius
Latin
"hollow"
Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…
Camilo
Spanish
"young ceremonial attendant"
The increasing popularity of Camila may have pushed this underrated Spanish name into the Top 1000 — though it remains far less popular than its feminine counterpart. A perfect familiar-but-rare…
Eliel
Hebrew
"my God is God"
This Old Testament name fits in with a number of contemporary trends: boys names ending in -el , unusual Biblical choices, names with international flair, Eli- names, and softer sounding choices for…
Gregory
Greek
"vigilant, a watchman"
The Greek name of sixteen popes and fifteen saints, the gregarious Gregory became big in the United States with the emergence of admirable actor Gregory Peck (born Eldred) in the late 1940s. From…
Alden
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,…
Caiden
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 like…
Amiri
Maori, Arabic, Hebrew
"the East wind; king, ruler; treetop"
A commonly used name in Māori culture, Amiri refers to the wind that blows from east to west. A 2011 New Zealand film titled Amiri & Aroha is a modern Māori interpretation of Romeo & Juliet . In the…
Abdiel
Hebrew
"servant of God"
In the Bible, it's the name of an ancient prophet who was able to withstand Satan. It has gained modest attention in recent years, hitting the US Top 1000 in 2008. Abdiel Colberg is a Puerto Rican…
Eziah
Hebrew, Igbo
"Yahweh is salvation; king"
Likely a variation of Isaiah, inspired by the Latin and Greek Esaias, and by the popularity of Ezra, Eziah could mean "Yahweh is salvation". Alternative Hebrew roots could include: a contracted form…
Gunnar
Scandinavian variation of Gunther
"bold warrior"
A key figure in Norse legend and a traditional Scandinavian favorite making inroads here.
Jakari
Invented name
Created in the style of Jabari, a fashionable Swahili name. Jakari is mainly used among African American families in the US.
Albert
German
"noble, bright"
Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top royal baby boy names , a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer). Albert became popular in Britain…
Colby
English
"coal town"
Combining the sounds of Colton and Toby, Colby has been in the US Top 1000 since the 70s. It peaked in 2021, entering the Top 100 thanks to Colby Davidson's appearance on reality TV show, Survivor…
Harlan
German and English
"rocky land"
Pleasant but uninspired surname name somewhat connected to writers Ellison and Coben. After three decades off the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2013, maybe because it's an unusual example of the…
Jaiden
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-…
Boston
Place-name
Unseen in the USA since 1901, Boston rocketed back into the Top 1000 in 2004 and, like other place-names such as Brooklyn, London and Paris, is now a reliable presence on the list.