Two Syllable Names for Boys

Has a laid-back rural feel some would associate with country singer Travis Tritt; Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon chose it for their son. Travis Scott, born Jacques Webster Jr., a popular rap artist, is another famous Travis.

Travis

Frederick, and friendlier nickname Fred, seemed almost to have disappeared, leaving just the memory of Freds past such as Astaire, Mr. Rogers and Flintstone. But today's parents are beginning to recognize it as a strong classic and one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/341/royal-names-for-boys">royal baby boy names</a>.
 Previously, Frederick had taken on a rather forbidding, foreign, military air, reminiscent of Frederick the Great, the enlightened king of Prussia who laid the foundations of the powerful Prussian empire.
 For African-Americans, Frederick can be seen as a hero name, honoring Frederick Douglass, who rose from slavery to power as a political activist.
 Frederick appears as a character in Shakespeare's As You Like It and the novels of, among others, Jane Austen and Henry James.
The name is often streamlined to Frederic and even Fredric. And if you don't like Fred or Freddie (though we do), another nickname is Fritz.
 Federico is the appealing Italian and Spanish form, as in renowned poet Federico Garcia Lorca.

Frederick

Moshe is the original Hebrew form of Moses, also spelled Mosheh. In the past it was changed to names like Morris, Moe and Maurice.

The original Moshe has been drifting up the US popularity list for half a century now, as parents become more interested in names that have not been Anglicized. More than 600 baby boys were named Moshe in the US last year.

Moshe

A name with many spelling variations, including Malek, Melik, and Maliq, Malik is a popular name of Arabic and Semetic origin that is used internationally as both a given name and a surname. In terms of meaning, it can be considered a royal name meaning "king", though other sources suggest it is an alternative transcription of Maalik, making "owner, possessor" a more accurate meaning. 
 
In Islamic tradition, al-Malik is one of the 99 names of Allah, meaning the name is used by Muslim families across the world. It ranks in the Top 400 in the US and the UK, while in France, Switzerland, and Quebec it is in the Top 100. 
 
From an entirely different root, Malik may also be considered a nature name. In Greenlandic, it means "sea, wave" and was a popular choice in the 2000s.

Malik

Many may associate Mario with the popular platform game - unsurprising when it's the 5th best-selling video game worldwide, and was voted the 2nd best game ever by IGN in 2024. The titular plumber was apparently named after American businessman, Mario Segale, who rented a warehouse to Nintendo, and this in itself reflects that Mario is much more established than just a name for a video game character. 
 
Mario is one of the many surprising names for boys that has always ranked among the US Top 1000, in the top half of the list for more than a hundred years. While it may now be in decline, it is still given to around 800 boys each year, and its similarity to popular Mateo stops it from feeling too dated. 
 
Derived from the Roman name Marius, Mario can have a number of different meanings. On one hand, it might be considered a mythological name, thanks to its origins in Mars, the name of the Roman god of war and of the so-called red planet. Alternatively, it could come from the Latin roots mas or maris meaning "male", or from the Latin word mare meaning "sea". 
 
Popular in Spain, Portugal, and Italy, Mario has a number of notable namesakes. These include singer and actor Mario Lanza, racing car driver Mario Andretti, and author of The Godfather Mario Puzo.

Mario

One of the fastest rising names of 2025, Jasai made its debut on the US charts, leaping straight into the Top 500 when it was given to 719 babies (four times more than the year prior). Likely inspired by more traditional Josiah, and blended with he popular Ja- prfix, it could mean "God supports". As such, it holds appeal as a fresh sounding option with a nod to the Bible.

Jasai

Appearing in the Polish New Testament and possibly working to honor a Sylvester, Sylas has been climbing back up the rankings in recent years. Previously peaking in 2013 at #520, it has since overtaken that, entering the Top 500 in 2022. While the classic spelling is six times more popular in the US, that trendy Y is nevertheless capturing parents' attention. 
 
Likely derived from the Roman family name Silvanus, Sylas has a woodsy and nature-inspired feel, though some theories suggest it might also have emerged from the name Saul, meaning "asked for."

Sylas

Widely heard in both Italian and Spanish households, Sergio and his many international brothers are rooted in Sergius, one of the original Roman family names. The meaning is unknown, but possibly is related to servant or protector.

Sergio has been well-used in the US since right after the second World War and still ranks among the top half of the US Top 1000 boys' names, though it has declined in popularity in recent years. In Spain and Portugal, it remains in the Top 100, while in Mexico, Brazil, and Italy, it is in the Top 200. 
 
Notably born by filmmaker Sergio Leone, footballer Sergio Ramos, and musician Sergio Mednes, it may also be heard around the world in various forms including the French Serge and the Russian and Eastern European Sergei. There have been four Popes named Sergius along with several saints.

Sergio

The new Jason, spelled many different ways, and popularized by basketball star Jalen Rose. 

Jalen

The name of the archangel in Rabbinic and Russian Orthodox tradition, Uriel is associated with truth, wisdom, and light. Also appearing in medieval literature, the name shares a similar meaning to Uriah: "God is my light, God is my flame".
 
Uriel has been appearing in the US charts since the 1980s and recently ranked in the Top 500, while in Mexico and Israel, it's a Top 100 choice. It was one of the fastest rising boy names in England and Wales in 2025, reflecting the general interest in rare, Biblical and Biblical adjacent names .
 
The name has notably appeared in the game The Elder Scrolls and in the show Supernatural.
 
Pronounced as YUWR-ee-uhl in English, oo-ree-EHL is the Hebrew pronunciation.

Uriel

Dalton is a name with multi-faceted appeal. Many are attracted to the name's resemblance to other two-syllable n-ending favorites: Colton, Holden, and cousins. Others see it as a trendy Western name, recalling the legendary Dalton Brothers gang. It also has something of an upscale, preppy feel connected to the exclusive New York private school. 
 The most well known bearer of the name is blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, but there have been a number of high-profile fictional Daltons as well. Dalton Rumba was an adult character on Glee, Clive Owen played a Dalton in Inside Man, there was a scholarly Dalton on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Patrick Swayze opened the film Roadhouse by stating "My name is Dalton Russell."

Dalton

Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph, used in the Middle East, as well as internationally from France and the US, to the UK, Turkey and Azerbaijan - where, as of 2023, it ranked in the Top 100. 
 
 In Islamic tradition, Yusuf (also written as Yousef or Yusi̇f) is a prophet, who can receive prophecy through his dreams.

Yusuf

An increasingly popular spelling of Carson, Karson feels at home with Kayden, Kieran, and Kai. While the Carson spelling sits just outside the Top 100 and is used three times more often, Karson is still given to around 980 babies each year.

A common English surname, Carson is a patronymic that's also a place name, referring to the son of people who lived in a certain location, in this case, near to a marsh. Associated with actor Kit Carson and writer Carson McCullers, it has been used in the US Top 1000 since the beginning of the 20th century. 

Karson joined it in the charts in 1999 and now sits just below the Top 300 - however, when you combine the most popular spellings of Carson together, it begins to feel like a Top 100 name, ranking similarly to Bennett, Weston, and Rowan.

Karson

As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee ending, it's not wonder Oakley is on the rise. 
 
In the US, it's been in the Top 1000 consistently since 2011 and now sits comfortably in the US Top 400 for boys and in the Top 200 for girls. Meanwhile, across the globe, Oakley is Top 100 boy name in the New Zealand and a Top 50 choice in the UK. 
 
Though it may sound like a modern unisex invention, Oakley was actually used as a boys' name in the US at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. While it did become an obscure choice until it was revived in the 2000s, it was nevertheless consistently but quietly used in the intervening years
 
Right now, for boys, Oak variations Oakland, Oaklen, and Oaklee are also quite popular and S-ender Oaks or Oakes are gaining in popularity too. Combine this with all the girls called Oakley, Oaklynn, and Oaklee, and it begins to feel much more popular than its ranking might first suggest.

Oakley

Pedro is one of the most familiar <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/806/spanish-names-for-boys">Spanish names for boys</a>, via baseball star Pedro Rodriguez and many others. 

Like its Anglo equivalent Peter, Pedro is not as popular as it once was. But it's among the elite group of boys' names that has ALWAYS ranked among the US Top 1000.

That final O sound, so fashionable today, gives this name an extra spin of style.

Pedro

The ultimate midcentury nickname, retaining a good measure of retro charm, was chosen for her son by Mira Sorvino. 

Johnny

Cool and edgy meets sunny and beachy with this charming Italian option that might be more timeless than you think. Borne by St. Rocco, the 14th-century patron of the sick, known for helping those with the plague, it has been appearing in the US charts since the 1890s, spiking in the 1920s, then again in the 2000s, after Madonna polished it up by choosing it for her soon with British director, Guy Ritchie.
 
While it may sound, well, rocky and rugged, the actual meaning of the name is debated. Possibilities include rook, crow" from the Germanic hruoh, "rest" from hrok and "to roar" from rohōn. As such, it may be viewed as a name with either spirited or gentle, easy-going energy, or a nature-inspired choice.
 Some notable Roccos include legendary boxers Rocky Graziano and Rocky Marciano (both born Rocco), celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, and Broadway producer Rocco Landesman.
 
A recent year saw Rocco appear in the US Top 500, while in England and Wales it ranked in the Top 300, and in Italy it made the Top 150.

Rocco

Lucian is a sleeker, more sophisticated version of Lucius that is climbing in tandem with other Lu-starting names.
 Historically, the name was made famous by the ancient Greek satirist Lucian of Samosata--sometimes considered the father of science fiction-- and by the third century St. Lucian.
 A modern bearer was Berlin-born British painter Lucian Freud, grandson of Sigmund. In pop culture, Lucian the Lycan is a werewolf in the Underworld movies. 
 Lucian was picked by Indie actor Steve Buscemi. Lucien is the French version. The attractive Italian form is Luciano, as in Pavarotti.

Lucian

This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but there have been modern fictional Sorens as well, in The Matrix Reloaded and the book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Charlie and Lola, and Underworld.

 In Scandinavia this name would be spelled as Sören or Søren, leading to it being pronounced "Sur-en". But with a plain old English "O", "Sorr-en" would actually be the correct (and more English-speaker friendly) pronunciation.

Soren

This name directly translates to the way most parents feel about their sons. It's rising quickly in popularity, along with many other names from the Indian subcontinent.

Ayaan

Two-syllable boy names are the most prevalent in the complete lexicon of male names in Anglophone cultures, with more than 15,000 choices on this complete list of every boys' name on Nameberry with two syllables.

, with the top two boy names Liam and Noah having two syllables each. Other common choices include Henry, Jackson, and Ethan.

 with two syllables include Orson, Roscoe, and Altan. Click here for a hand-curated list of the 

full list of over 15,000 two-syllable male names

, ordered by their current rank on Nameberry.

Two-Syllable Boy Names with meanings, origins, and popularity, including top two syllable names for boys and unique boy names with 2 syllables. (Page 17)

15,000+ Two-Syllable Boy Names