Animal Names for Boys

This is the second-to-the-original spelling of a name that's part Jersey Shore, part upper-crust British.  Dominick gets you more directly to nickname Nick.

Dominick

Well used in the Latino and Italian-American communities. 

Gustavo

Hassan is a handsome and familiar Arabic choice, which has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 1971. The name can be viewed as a spelling variation of Hasan meaning "beautiful, handsome" or it can be seen as a separate Arabic name, meaning "improver"
 
If viewed as a variation of Hasan, it is a significant choice for Shia Muslims who connect it to the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. As a separate name, it connects to a poet who was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
 In one Nigerian tribe, it's used for the first born of a pair of male twins, while the name may be considered a Scottish surname ("descendant of Osáin") or a Jewish surname ("cantor" from Hazzan).

Hassan

Italian, Portuguese and Spanish variation of Arthur that makes the original feel more romantic and dashing.

Arturo

A diminutive of Daniel that's been immortalized in odes ranging from 'Danny Boy' to 'Danny's Song.'

Danny

After breaking into the Top 400 in 2011, this name has lost ground. 

Izaiah

Amias is a friendly and attractive sounding name, with a lovely meaning and knightly feel. Though it might sound like a Biblical name, similar as it is to Amos and Ozias, it is in fact a Latin name, ultimately from the elements amicus or amo meaning "friend" and "love" respectively. 
 
Originally spelled as Amyas and used as a surname, it may have derived as a form of Amis or Amice, Medieval French and English names meaning "friend". Alternative theories are that it could have been used for someone from the French city of Amiens ("city of the Ambiani, those all around"), as a derivative of Amadeus ("love of God"), or as a masculine form of Amée or Amy ("beloved").
 The Amyas version became known via the hero of the mega-popular 1855 Charles Kingsley novel, Westward Ho!, Captain Sir Amyas Leigh, but it is the Amias spelling that is currently in favor, ranking in the Top 700 in the US in a recent year.

Amias

Biblical names including the letter Z and those ending in -el are a big 2020s trend in the US, and Azael is one such name. It entered the Top 1000 in 2021 and in a recent count, was given to 380 boys in a single year.
 
First appearing in the Greek Old Testament, Azael is a variation of the Hebrew Hazael, meaning "God sees" or "one who sees God".

Azael

Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls.  While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread use as a short form of both the popular Christopher and Christine.  Chris manages to retain its crisp appeal even though its fashion moment is over.

Chris

Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, is the antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy. The name Anakin first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. Its meaning is unknown but is thought to be an homage to a friend of George Lucas.

Anakin

This is the name of Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim tradition, but that isn't putting contemporary parents off. With its cool letter Z and popular -ael ending, Azrael has been in the US Top 1000 since 2019 and has continued to rise since then.
 
Deriving from the Hebrew azar and el meaning "help" and "God", Azrael can meaning "my help is God" or "help of God", which may help some parents see beyond its links to death — although that might be exactly what appeals about it for others.
 
Given to 354 baby boys in 2024, when combined with the popularity of Asriel, Aziel and Azael, it might feel even more popular than it already is.

Azrael

A Hispanic classic that has lost some momentum in recent years. It could be misunderstood by some as Jamie -- which is how it's pronounced on Game of Thrones.

Jaime

Better than Capricorn or Cancer, not as usable as Leo, the name of the Roman god of war becomes more possible as a baby name every day, as mythological names take the place of biblical names. 

Aries

Cool, solid, and often spiritual, Creed derives from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe". It appeared sporadically in the US Top 1000 back in the late 19th century, but remained only quietly used the 2000s. By 2016 it was back in the charts, and in a recent year more than 460 boys were given the name, placing it in the Top 700.
 
Referring to any set of beliefs and principles that someone follows, the word Creed is often associated with religion, specifically with a formal declaration of Christian belief. It could therefore be considered a modern Christian baby name, joining the likes of Messiah, Saint, Psalm, Chosen and Cruz - though it could easily be secular too.
 
Creed likely got a bump up the charts from the seventh movie in the Rocky series, called simply Creed, while others may be familiar with it thanks to Creed Bratton on the popular television show The Office.

Creed

A name that feels both lively and serious, Chaim was once more familiar as Hyman or Hymie. Now, the original form is on the rise, ranking in the Top 700 in the US, the Top 30 in Israel, and the Top 1000 in England and Wales in a recent year. 
 
Bestselling author Chaim Potok, writer of The Chosen and The Promise, may have helped to familiarize more people with the name, while other notable bearers include actor Chaim Topol and French painter Chaïm Soutine.
 
Pronounced as KHA-yeem in Hebrew, it may sometimes be said as KHYME in English. Chayim, Haim, and Hyam are alternative forms of the name.

Chaim

Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave. 
 
Davis can be a good way to name a boy after grandpa David; Davies, Davison or Davidson will also do the trick.
 In the TV show One Tree Hill, the Sophie Bush character gives one of her twins her maiden name of Davis. Davis Guggenheim is an Oscar-winning director and documentarian, married to Elisabeth Shue.

Davis

As a form of the popular Arabic name, Hamid, Ahmad could be seen as a contraction for one of the 99 names for Allah, al-Ḥamīd, however, it might also be a variation of Muhammad as they share the same roots. Either way, the name has many variants of its own, the Urdu Ahmed, the Kazakh Akhmet, and West African Amadou.
 
Popular across the globe, Ahmad has also ranked in the US Top 1000 since the 70s and is given to around 400 boys each year.

Ahmad

Softer than Benedict, less popular than Benjamin, and bolder than Bennett, Puerto Rican actor Benicio Del Toro introduced this name to the American mainstream in the early 2000s, before which the name was hardly use. Popular in Argentina, Benicio debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016, when it was the third-fastest-rising boys' name, and while it hasn't skyrocketed then, it remains comfortably in the charts.
 
Adapted from the surname of 13th-century Italian saint Philip Benitius, Benicio likely derives from the same Latin roots as Benedict, giving it the meaning "blessed".

Benicio

Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas?  Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.

Houston

Widely used in the Latino community, the name gained renown in the nineties for its association with rapper Gerardo Mejía of 'Rico Suave' fame. The name has lost ground since the mid-'90s.