One Syllable Names for Boys

Peak

English word name

"pointed top of the mountain; highest point of achievement"

An ambitious geographical name, associated with mountains and success. In the UK, however, this is a slang term, meaning "bad, disappointing".

Peel

English

"tower, stockade"

Peel may seem at first like a cool name, until you consider the inevitable teasing. A peel was a tower that sheltered humans and animals against attack, though these days it's better known as the…

Peall

Peall is an uncommon masculine name likely derived from old English or Welsh origins. It may be related to the surname Peall, which historically referred to someone who lived near a pool, stream, or…

Peal

Peal is an uncommon masculine name with English language origins, derived from the word meaning the ringing of bells or a loud, resonant sound. As a given name, Peal brings to mind clarity,…

Pearce

English and Irish

"son of Piers"

The spelling Pearce softens the name's sharper edges, though we prefer the original Piers. That "pear" snippet could confuse pronunciation, which is just like Pierce.

Burk

Burk is a masculine name with Germanic roots, functioning as a shortened form of names like Burke or Burkhard. The original Germanic name Burkhard means "strong as a fortress" or "brave heart,"…

Piers

Greek

"rock"

Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to…

Pei

Chinese surname

For admirers of modernist architect I. M.

Pelé

Athlete name

The name of the Brazilian-born soccer great (whose name at birth was Edson) is popular in France and could make it here too.

Pelí

Latin and Basque

"happy"

Cute as a nickname, slight as a first.

Pell

English occupational name

"dealer in furs"

Pell makes an unusual middle name choice. And if grandpa Seymour was a fur trader, you might do better to honor him by naming the baby Pell.

Piarres

Piarres is a Basque variant of the name Peter, originating from the culturally distinct Basque region that spans parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. The name ultimately derives from the…

Lief

Lief is a masculine name with Norse and Germanic origins, typically considered a variant spelling of Leif, which means 'heir' or 'descendant.' The most famous bearer was Leif Erikson, the Norse…

Penn

English

"enclosure"

This simple, elegant name offers something for many kinds of parents, from writers and history buffs to photographers to Pennsylvania dwellers. Most famous bearers are comedian Penn Jillette and…

Per

Scandinavian variation of Peter

So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.

Perce

Perce is a masculine name of English origin, typically considered a shortened form of Percival or Perseus. The name Percival derives from Old French and was popularized through Arthurian legends,…

Laif

Laif is a masculine name with Scandinavian roots, considered a variant spelling of Leif. The traditional Norse name Leif means 'heir' or 'descendant,' and the variant Laif maintains this heritage…

Perth

Scottish

"thornbush thicket"

There's a Perth in Scotland and a bigger one in Australia; this name could make a statement similar to Heath.

Peers

Peers is a masculine name with Anglo-Saxon and Old French origins. Historically, it developed as both a surname and given name derived from the Middle English 'pier' or Old French 'pierre,'…

Duane

Irish

"swarthy"

An old Irish surname that was big in the 1960s, but would be an unexpected choice for a child now.