Animal Names for Boys

Though Genesis is a Top 100 girls' name in the US, it's by all rights a unisex choice. 
Derived from Greek, it means "birth" or "origin", making it a word name and a Biblical name, 
Genesis also shares sounds with other unisex and masculine options, such as Alexis, Otis, Reese, Silas, and Ellis. It is therefore given to a not insubstantial 200 boys each year. 
Outside of US, where Genesis is far less popular and rarely heard, it could make a cool and untraditional option for those wanting to celebrate the Bible, those who like the rock band, or anyone hoping for a new beginning.

Genesis

This play on Hayden is likely influenced by the popularity of the Aiden names. It has appeared in the US Top 1000 for eight of the past twelve years.

Haiden

A handsome Irish name for boys, very popular in that country, but in the US this traditional spelling might cause pronunciation problems. Still, whether Cian or Kian, it's simple and straightforward enough for the initiated. Cian is rising in the British popularity charts. 
This was the name of several legendary figures, including Cian, son of the god of medicine. His own son was Lugh, the sun god and father of the Ulster warrior Cuchulain and Cian is also the name of the son-in-law of the high king Brian Boru. So very well connected.

Cian

The name of three hundred saints, a mustard, and your own baby boy. Coleman was off the US Top 1000 list for much of the 1960s and 1970s, but it was a mainstay before and has been for most years since. It could be an interesting way to honor a Colin or Cole.

Coleman

Giovanni is Italian for John, and Giovani is a not-really-correct spelling variation. Regardless, it has charted in the US for 16 of the past 17 years, peaking at Number 500 in 2011.

Giovani

While it looks like a creative respelling of the ubiquitous Aidan, Aydin has Turkish roots and means "intelligent." While there will most certainly be issues with spelling, those attracted to the Turkish lineage can be assured of a smooth path to assimilation due to the current popularity of soundalike names. The name is spelled with an ı (dotless i) in Turkish.

Aydin

Makes a Biblical favorite new and interesting.

Danilo

A unisex Hebrew name sometimes given in Israel to kids born under the goat sign of Capricorn; it's also spelled Yael/Ya'el. 

Jael

Bryant has a longer history as a first name in the US than its father name Brian, ranking among the Top 1000 since the list began in 1880 while Brian only jumped on in 1925.

That may be because the Vikings, the Bretons, and the English turned it into a surname from ancient times, when the high king Brian Boru ruled Ireland in 1002. But native Irish names like Brian were banned in Ireland for centuries during British rule, until the Irish war for independence in 1916 restored them to use.

The early 20th century saw a huge wave of Irish immigration to the US, and after the First World War, Irish immigrants began using Irish names like Brian and Kevin, propelling them up the US charts.

Bryant never hit the heights of Brian, which was a Top 10 name throughout the 1970s, and now seems to be falling out of favor more quickly. Bryant has been on a steep downward slide for several decades, with a brief upward blip following basketball star Kobe Bryant's tragic death in 2020.

In New York it's also associated with fashionable Bryant Park, named for editor William Cullen Bryant, and in Alabama with University of Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Bryant

The name of the Greek winged god of love (usually romantic and sexual love) may seem a lot to live up to, but like other deity names, it's on the rise. In a recent year, it was given to more than 130 boys in the US.
 
The name appears in DC comics as an ally of Wonder Woman, and is the alias of Marvel's Starfox character. Eros is also the name of an asteroid in our solar system. The name is more popular in Italy, where it's been in the Top 200 in recent years.
 
Entourage actor Adrian Grenier and Jordan Roemmele chose Eros as one of their son's middle names in 2025.

Eros

Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old Country image. 

Hans

When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. 
 The name Elvis is connected to the Irish Ailbhe, and the Irish saint of that name is also known as Elvis of Munster. There is also evidence that the name may originate from the old English Helwise, which in turn led to the surname Elwes. 
Elvis was the middle name of the singer's dad, Vernon. Anthony Perkins, a big Elvis fan, gave the name to his now grown son in 1976. Other aficionados, such as Cindy Crawford, have opted for the surname Presley.

Elvis

Thanks to the inspiration of Pope Francis, Francesco has galloped to the front of the line to become the Number One boys' name in Italy.  As Francesca has become a familiar and popular form of the name for girls in the wider world, so does the handsome Francesco have that potential for boys.

Francesco

Considered ultra debonair in the silent-movie era, Gilbert then went through a nerdy phase, a la Gilbert Gottfried. Now though, like Albert and Alfred and Walter and Frank, it could be in for a style revival. 
 Gilbert has always been on the US popularity list, reaching as high as Number 90 in 1930. The Normans introduced Gilbert to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages; it was the name of a 12th century English saint.
 Gilberts have appeared in such books as Henry James's Portrait of a Lady, Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and on screen in The Incredibles and as embodied by the young Johnny Depp in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?. The most famous portrait painter of George Washington was Gilbert Stuart. 
 Nickname Gil could come back along with Hal, but even more appealing are Gib or Gibby.

Gilbert

Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978 until 2016, when it squeaked in at Number 999.
 Gus was chosen for their sons by Dixie Chick Emily Robison and actress Julie Bowen. In T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (and in the stage musical), the full name of Gus the Theatre Cat is Asparagus.

With Ares trending upwards, this modern spelling is following in its footsteps, most notably in the UK where it climbed 200 places in a recent year. Also in the charts in France, it can be considered a variation of Ares, the Greek god of war, whose name means "ruin, bane", however, it that meaning doesn't appeal, it is considered a short for of Aristoteles, meaning "the best purpose".
 
Aris may also be used as a Dutch name, as a diminutive of Adriaan. In this case, it would be pronounced A-rihs, and hold the meaning "man of Adria".
 
While Aris is favored in England and Wales and ranks in the Top 400, Ares is preferred in the US. The latter ranks in the Top 1000, while Aris was given to 117 boys and (82 girls) in a recent year.

Aris

Avyan is a modern masculine name with possible Sanskrit or Indian origins. It may be derived from Sanskrit roots such as "avya" meaning "protection" or "shelter." Alternatively, it could be a contemporary variation of names like Avyan or Avian. The name has a melodic quality with its two syllables and soft consonants. Avyan has gained some popularity in Indian communities in recent years, particularly among parents seeking names with cultural significance but a contemporary sound. The name is still relatively uncommon globally, giving it a distinctive quality. Its brevity and easy pronunciation make it accessible across different cultures while maintaining its unique identity and potential cultural connections.

Avyan

One of several variations of Cason - a modern invention based on Jason and Mason, or an Old English surname, derived from Cawston, Caysen is less popular than its siblings Kayson, Kaison, Cayson, and Kason. It is however still given to around 160 boys in the US each year.

Caysen

Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname

Benji

Short and friendly in sound but with a strong meaning, Hadi is a name of Arabic origin, that appears in one of the names of Allah, al-Hadi. 