Animal Names for Boys

As trendy as the chic Colorado ski resort, with a hint of whimsy from the shimmering trees, Aspen has been climbing the charts for boys since the early 90s. While it has always been more popular for girls, it could work for a boy too. 
 
In fact more than 200 boys were called Aspen in the US in a recent year, meaning for every boy called Aspen, there are six girls. In the UK, the gap is smaller, with two baby girl Aspens to one boy.

Aspen

This Hebrew version of Ethan, also a place-name in southern Israel, works well here. Eitan is a Top 20 name in Israel and it has been on the rise in the US too, with 190 boys receiving the name in 2024.

Eitan

Frankie used to be a name used for near-equal numbers of girls and boys. In 2015, it ranked Number 992 for both genders in the US.

Now, though, the name is used for than twice as often for girls than for boys, in the vanguard of the trendy boyish nickname names.
It is a highly popular boys' name in England and Wales.

Frankie

This ancient name, also spelled Caspar, is finally shedding its ghostly image and moving into the 21st century. Popular in the Netherlands and Scandinavia, where it's sometimes shortened to Cas, Casper could ride the style coattails of cousin Jasper.
 
Already catching on in the UK where it ranks in the Top 200, Casper can also be considered a Christmas inspired name, as it was borne by one of the Three Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus along with Melchior and Balthasar.
 Some notable Caspers are one-time Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger (called Cap) and actor Casper Van Dien, whose son is Casper Robert Van Dien III. Claudia Schiffer and Jenny Frost both used the names for their boys, while Jason Lee did a gender switch when he called his daughter Casper (sister of Pilot Inspektor).
 Casper Goodwood was the persistent suitor of the main character, Isabel Archer, in Henry James's novel A Portrait of a Lady.

Casper

Caius is classical and serious but also has a simple, joyful quality. There was a third century pope named Caius, as well as an early Christian writer, several Shakespearean characters, and a Twilight vampire. We would pronounce the name to rhyme with eye-us though at Cambridge University in England, where it's the name of a college, it's pronounced keys. 
 Nickname Cai is a definite asset.

Caius

The most popular spelling in a family of names including Darien and Darion, Darian has nonetheless been on the decline since it peaked in the 1990s. 

Darian

An ancient name with multiple levels of significance in Hinduism, Agastya was notably borne by a reclusive sage and scholar, who is the author (or sometimes receiver) of many early hymns and mantras that feature in the Ridveda. A celebrated rishi (enlightened person) and believed by some to be a chiranjivi (an immortal person, who remains on earth until the end of the epoch), Agastya features in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.
 
The meaning of the name itself is debated, with some scholars believing it comes from the Aj root, meaning "one who brightens", which is supported by the fact Agastya is also used as the Indian name for the star Canopus, which is the second brightest star above India, besides Sirius. Others link it to the Iranian gasta, and when the a is placed before it, it could mean "sinless, not foul". 
 
Perhaps the most accepted argument however comes from the Ramayana, in which Agastya is said to come from aga and gam, which combine to mean "mover of mountains", "mountain thrower", or "mover of the unmoving".
 
Appearing in the title of a 2017 movie which became a superhit in the Odia film industry, it is also borne by actor Agastya Nanda. It has been a fast rising choice in England and Wales in the 2020s, ranking at #613 in a recent year.

Agastya

Different origin from the Welsh Dylan, but increasingly used as a variant spelling to honor Bob Dylan or Dylan Thomas. Still, the Dylan spelling is found 20 times as often as Dillon.

Dillon

Celestial and space-age, Halo is a contemporary choice that first appeared in the US stats for boys in 2008. Currently more popular for girls, it is nevertheless on the rise across the board.
 
One on hand, Halo is spiritual choice, associated with angels, holy people, and saints. On the other, it's connected to astronomy and science, where it's used to describe the ring of light around the sun or moon, created by refraction. But it could also be considered a pop-culture name, inspired by the Halo video game franchise in which Halo rings are huge structures used as weapons.
 
Actress Halle Bailey chose the name for her son in 2023 and her decision seems to have been influential. Halo appeared in the England and Wales Top 1000 for the first time the same year, while in the US, it was one of the fastest rising boy names of 2024. Given to 226 boys, it climbed more than 450 places.

Halo

Rugged and outdoorsy, Heath was an obscure choice until the 1960s when it was used in the television series, The Big Valley for character Heath Barkley. It peaked in the 70s when it reached the US Top 200, but it has since fallen to the latter end of the Top 1000.
 
Australian actor Heath Ledger was a notable bearer of the name, whose tragic death in 2008 led to a brief spike in popularity in the US. 
 Heath is the name of a popular toffee candy bar by Hershey's.

Heath

Isa is an Arabic variation of Jesus found throughout the world and popular among Muslim parents. Alternative spellings include Issa, Esa, and Eissa.
 
Popular in Azerbaijan where it ranks in the Top 100, it is also familiar in The Netherlands, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the UK. In the US it has been quietly climbing up the rankings, with around 170s boys given the name in a recent year.
 
Coinciding with a Spanish, Dutch, and German short form of Isabella, Isa may also be used for boys in Germany, derived from the element is meaning "ice".

While Jairus is rare, this Spanish variation is heard in the US, having ranked in the Top 1000 for the last three decades. It currently ranks in the latter end of the charts, while similar sounding Kairo, Cairo, and Kyro rank higher. 
 Jairo Penaranda is a former professional football player, having the distinction of being the first Colombian to play in the NFL.

Jairo

Eugene is a classic that has rather lost its way. On the one hand, it's a grandpa, even great-grandpa name that hasn't been one of the cool kids recently—or to quote Jim Carrey, who bears this name in the middle spot, "You can never get too cool with a name like Eugene." The hero of Disney's Tangled felt the same way, when he changed his birth name of Eugene to the more romantic Flynn.
 And yet! Eugene has had a long history of popularity, as a Top 50 name from 1880 to the 1940s. In fact, it has never been out of the Top 1000, making it a classic that's still given to hundreds of boys each year. It's even stopped falling in the last few years, and we could speculate that one day it will return to style.
 Also on the plus side, there were four popes and several saints named Eugene. A literary namesake is playwright Eugene O'Neill, and in art history Eugene Delacroix. In addition, there is the classic Russian novel by Pushkin, Eugene Onegin, and Eugene is the name Neil Simon used for his stand-in in three autobiographical plays, starting with Brighton Beach Memoirs.
 The female form, Eugenie, is chic and elegant, belonging to one of the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York.

Eugene

Popular in the Hispanic world and used in honor of Saint Augustine, Agustin is an anglicized form of the Spanish Agustín. It peaked at Number 561 in 2001 in the US charts and has since dropped on and off of the list again. Given to around 210 boys in a recent year, Agustin also ranks highly in Chile and Uruguay. 

Agustin

A royal name in Spain, Felipe could make a lively alternative to the English sounding Philip. It has ranked on the US Top 1000 almost every year since the beginning of the twentieth century, but has never risen above the Top 300, making it a familiar without being overused.
 
 Popular in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, it is in the latter half of the US Top 1000, given to 250 boys in 2024, while Phillip and Philip are given to three times as many babies.
 
Racing driver Felipe Massa, football player Felipe Monteiro (known simply as Felipe), and Youtuber Felipe Neto are just a few of the notable bearers.

Felipe

Gian sounds (almost) like John, so there's some potential for confusion, but the spelling makes it unmistakeably Italian. It could be a solution if longer names like Gianni and Gianluca aren't your style.

Gian

Damari is thought to be a variation of the popular trans-cultural name Amari with the Da- prefix. Amari means "eternal" in Hebrew and may mean "strength" in Yoruba, though other sources list the African meaning as unknown.

Damari

A spirited German name very popular in Italy and occasionally used here, Aldo is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/unique-names">unique baby names</a> with international flair. And <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/128/boy-baby-names-that-mean-wise">names that mean wise</a> have an enduring appeal.

Aldo

Enough parents have found naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, a worthy hero to keep Darwin relatively consistently in the Top 1000. It has a lovely meaning too—"dear friend."
 
A notable first name bearer is footballer Darwin Núñez.

Darwin

This variation of Aryan has a slightly less racist connotation, making it a bit more acceptable. Arian debuted on the Top 1000 in 2011, but didn't have a sustained rise on the charts. This is likely due to the Aryan connection and the popularity of all things Aria among girls.