By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 755 pages
of 755
Spelling variation of Lachlan
Lochlan and Lachlan are running neck and neck and both rising into the Top 1000. Which spelling you use is purely a matter of taste.
Greek variation of Hazael, Hebrew
"God sees"
Biblical names including the letter Z and those ending in -el are a big 2020s trend in the US, and Azael is one such name. It entered the Top 1000 in 2021 and in a recent count, was given to 380 boys…
Hawaiian
"the coolness, or the cool breeze"
An evocative name brought from Hawaii to the mainland by Keanu Reeves, who was born in Beirut to a part-Hawaiian, part-Chinese father. It moved into the Top 1000 for the first time in over a decade…
Hebrew
"God is my light"
A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield . Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine.…
Greek
"lover of horses"
Spelling variation of Philip. Exactly as many baby boys were named with the single 'l' spelling in 2017.
Variation of Otto, German
"wealthy"
Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk. The appealing hero of the British TV show Sex Education has done much to propel Otis into the…
French
"estate of the fifth son"
Quirky in the way that all Q names are quirky, Quincy was once a buttoned-up, patrician New England name, an image countered in recent years by the talented and ultracool musician Quincy Jones…
Hebrew, variation of Azriel
"help of God"
This is the name of Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim tradition, but that isn't putting contemporary parents off. With its cool letter Z and popular -ael ending, Azrael has been in the US Top 1000…
Diminutive of Thomas
"twin"
A surprising number of parents choose to put the nickname Tommy on their son's birth certificate rather than the more traditional Thomas. Perhaps even more surprising is thE fact that Tommy has never…
Latin
"young lion"
Lionel is one leonine name that hasn't taken off as cousins Leo and Leonardo have, though it did reenter the Top 1000 in 2010 after several years away; it was at its highest point in the 1920s and…
"a ram"
Better than Capricorn or Cancer, not as usable as Leo, the name of the Roman god of war becomes more possible as a baby name every day, as mythological names take the place of biblical names.
"Jehovah increases"
A widely used Hebrew form of Joseph, with a sophisticated and continental air.
Modern invented name
"Jack's town"
We've had Jackson, Jaxcon and Jaxon, and now we have Jaxton. According to our most recent Playground Analysis, which calculates the popularity of names when all spellings are considered together,…
Surname derived from David, Hebrew
"beloved"
Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and…
Arabic
"most commended, praisworthy"
As a form of the popular Arabic name, Hamid, Ahmad could be seen as a contraction for one of the 99 names for Allah, al-Ḥamīd , however, it might also be a variation of Muhammad as they share the…
"greater; or, a military rank"
This bold choice soared in popularity from 2008 to 2013, and now seems to have plateaued. But watch out—the character Major Major Major Major in the classic absurdist novel Catch-22 had a terrible…
Spelling variation of Wilder
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
Wilder not quite wild enough for you? Wylder offers a less wordy looking alternative that looks cool and on-trend, but also has a preppy, last-name vibe. Though this spelling is currently less…
English
"son of Will"
Wilson is a substantive presidential choice far less prevalent than Taylor or Tyler, and with the advantage of being a new route to friendly nickname Will. We see Wilson growing in popularity as an…
Scottish
"Hugh's town"
Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas? Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.
Irish
"little dog"
Madden is an Irish surname relative of Madigan rising through the charts thanks to its trendy two-syllable, -en ending sound along with its appeal to Madden Football video game-playing dads. John…
