Animal Names for Boys

Aryan derives from the Sanskrit word ārya, meaning "honorable" or "high-born." As a term, Aryan was used to describe Indo-Europeans—particularly Iranians—who shared common religious, cultural, and linguistic history. It was later misapplied by the Nazis to refer solely to Germanic and Nordic Caucasians, ultimately corrupting the term.
 
Aryan is a very popular Iranian name that has been on the U. S. Top 1000 charts for a number of years. However, given its white supremacist connotations, we suggest you try the Arian spelling or better yet, avoid this name altogether.

Aryan

This once neglected Biblical name is back on the scene, ready to shake off both its association with the long running satirical comic strip, L'il Abner and its historical Puritan image. The name appears in the Bible several times, notably on the cousin and commander of Saul's army and by two figures in the New Testament. It re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2023, and was a fast rising choice in 2024 when it was given to nearly 300 boys.
 
Derived from the elements av and ner, it means "father of light" or "my father is a light", lending it a strong sense of spirituality and the possibility of working to a strong parental figure too. Moreover, while it is a Biblical choice, like the popular Asher, it shares that -er ending of modern, occupational names like Cooper or Carter, giving it an extra layer of appeal.
 
The name has several literary credentials, having appeared in works by James Fenimore Cooper, Thomas Hardy and Eugene O'Neill and was also borne by Abner Doubleday, who has been credited with inventing baseball.

Abner

A brisk and beachy word name, conjuring up rugged shorelines and sandy, summery holidays. While Cove seems to have bounced back from its negative (Covid) associations, Coast might be an obvious alternative. In fact, the two names saw a similar amount of use in a recent year, when 184 boys were called Coast and 167 were called Cove.
 
While Cove leans more gender neutral (81:167), Coast remains predominantly masculine for now (15:184).

Coast

A Latin classic, widely used here and abroad, though in the U.S. it has fallen on the charts in recent years. 

Ernesto

With Levi in vogue and country names on trend, Denim could fit in among the Waylons, Walkers, Coltons, and Rhetts. As a boys name, it brings to mind the qualities of the fabric: hardworking, cool and versatile. Singer Toni Braxton chose this name for her son in 2001, and parents have been using it for boys and girls ever since.
 
While some will see Denim as better off left in the clothing department, the name has been steadily rising in popularity since the 2000s. The latest stats reveal that 190 boys and nearly 90 girls received the name in 2024, making it as popular as Cormac, Toby, Kreed, and Finnick.
 
The word denim comes from the French phrase serge de Nimes translating to "fabric from Nimes", where denim was first produced. Used in the US since the mid-19th century - before it caught on worldwide - it does have an "all-American" feel to it.

Denim

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 one of those more familiar choices but does make an easily-translated and attractive name. Eren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, with parents potential inspired by the character Eren Yeager in the popular Japanese manga series Attack on Titan.

Eren

Less popular than Emery, this name also attributes to Emory University. Both spellings of the name lean more heavily to the girls' side, but this one is not quite as unbalanced.

Emory is used about 40 percent of the time for baby boys, while with Emery, it's only a bit over 10 percent.

Emory

Izan, pronounced with the same vowel sounds and emphasis as Ethan, ranks among the Top 20 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' names</a> in Spain, where it's been popular for two decades. The US is starting to catch onto this energetic variant, as Izan was amongst the fastest-rising boy names of 2023 and one of the newest additions to the US Top 1000.

Izan

Jagger is a swaggering Rolling Stone of a name that's been picked up by a number of fellow celebs, including Lindsay Davenport and Brett Scallions--while Soleil Moon Frye pulled a gender switch when she bestowed it on her daughter. It's edgy with a touch of danger.
 Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee started the ball rolling when they gave their son Dylan the middle name of Jagger in 1997; it entered the popularity list in 2001.

Jagger

Now that such Old Testament patriarchs as Elijah and Moses fill the playground, Boaz seems downright baby-friendly, having more pizzazz than many of the others, perhaps as a successor to Noah.
 A name that was used by the seventeenth century Pilgrims and is still heard in Israel, but is a rarity in the U.S., Boaz is associated with the Jewish holiday Shavuot, as that is when the Bible story of Ruth is read in the synagogue, and Boaz was Ruth's wealthy and generous second husband, making it logical for Boaz to sometimes be given to boys born at that time.
 
Familiar but underused in the US, it is a popular choice in The Netherlands where it ranked in the Top 50 in a recent year. The pronunciation varies slightly in Dutch and it would be heard as BO-ahz.
 Extra added attraction: one of the all-time great nicknames; Bo.

Boaz

Eliezer is a Biblical name with an air of antiquity, a distinctive sound, and hint of mystery. The name has been in and out of the US Top 1000 since the 80s, with its most recent appearance being in 2023, when it was given to more than 200 babies.
 
Derived from Hebrew, Eliezer means "God is help" and it is the name of several figures in the Old Testament. Most notably, Eliezer was one of Moses' sons and Moses rather helpfully explains his name choice in Exodus 18:4 as: "the other was named Eliezer, for..."My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh." 
 
While it may feel ancient and bold, the currently lower ranking of Eliezer in the US is nevertheless almost surprising. It not only offers up the stylish nickname Eli, but it also shares the sounds and vibes of the on-trend Elijah, Ezra, Ezekiel and Asher. With this in mind, it is possible that Eliezer could climb the charts in the next few years.

Eliezer

Hollis is a rugged, gentle and quietly used name, given to over 200 boys and 150 girls each year in the US. In 2023, it became one of the newest entries to the US Top 1000, where it fits in with the surnames-as-first-names trend, and other familiar choices like Ellis, Silas, and Holden. 
 
Derived from the English surname meaning "near the holly bushes", it has a number of notable connections. Hollis Thompson is a professional basketball player; Hollis Watkins is a Civil Rights activist in Mississippi; Pete Hollis was a community folk hero; and "The Ballad of Hollis Brown" is a popular Bob Dylan song.
 Combining woodsy sounds and outdoorsy vibes with a surname-y and smart style, Hollis feels sleek and preppy, but adventurous and spirited too.

Hollis

Ishaan is the guardian of the Northeast in the Hindu religion.
 Ishaan: Sapno Ko Awaaz De is a kids' television show on Disney Channel India, starring a teenage boy named Ishaan.

Ishaan

With many British names invading the Yankee name pool, the sophisticated Alistair could and should be part of the next wave. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. You have a triple choice with this name--the British spell it Alistair or Alastair, while the Scots prefer Alasdair--but they're all suave Gaelic versions of Alexander. Adopted by the lowland Scots by the seventeenth century, the name didn't become popular outside Scotland and Ireland until the twentieth century.
 Both Andrew Lloyd-Weber and Rod Stewart chose the Alastair spelling for their sons' names.

Alistair

Foster is one commonly heard last name that makes a fine first. The word foster means "to nourish" — as in "fostering hope", or "fostering a relationship". The only problem with Foster might be its association with "foster child."
 There are numerous notable last-named Fosters, including composer Stephen, actresses Jodie and Sutton, architect Norman, and comic strip artist Hal, creator of "Prince Valiant."

Foster

As with Guillaume (see above), Liam, Willem, and Wilhelm, everyday Williams in their own countries, Guillermo is a captivating possibility here. Giermo, Gigermo, Gijermo, Gillermo, Gillirmo, Giyermo, Guermillo, Guiermo Guilermón, Guille, Guillelmo, Guillermino, Guillo, Guirmo, Gullermo, Llermo, Memo, Quillermo. 

Guillermo

Macho to the max.  But with the rise of x as a fashionable letter anywhere it appears in a name, ala Jaxson or Maxon, we may be hearing more of Axton.

Axton

The popular single-named alternative singer (born Bek) has given this cool nature-meets-surname name a new lease of life. Another notable bearer is Beck Weathers, a Texan pathologist who survived the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, which was covered in the book and film Into Thin Air.

 Outdoorsy yet refined, Beck still sits below the radar but could follow brother Beckett up the charts.

Beck

Ezra (and Ezrah) is potentially an abbreviation for the Hebrew phrase Azaryahu, meaning "Yah helps." In the Bible, Ezra led a group of fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. The Ezrah spelling is definitely less popular than the original Ezra, but is rising itself as well — Ezrah entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022.

Ezrah

A play on the spelling of Isaac that's somehow been in the Top 1000 every year since 1880. (If only by a hair: In both 1926 and 1962, it came in at number 999.) It hit an all-time peak at Number 377 in 2007, and has slumped a fair bit in the ensuing decade.