By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
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Spelling variation of Milo, Latin or old German
"soldier or merciful"
Milo, Miles and even Myles are all well-known in the US, but the spelling Mylo is not widely used here though it ranks among the British Top 1000 names for boys . However you spell it, a friendly,…
Arabic
"helper, supporter"
A popular name in the Middle East and one of the most evocative choices of its genre. One of the 99 names of Allah. The feminine form is Zahira.
German, diminutive of Rudolph
"famous wolf"
Rudy is one of those names that has been consistently in the US Top 1000 since the early 20th century without ever becoming overwhelmingly popular. It peaked back in the 1930s, when it briefly…
Germanic
"brown"
Tough-yet-cuddly Bruno is an international name even in its origins: it derives from the Germanic word for "brown" plus a Latin ending, and was borrowed as a color word in many European languages.…
Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abram was Abraham's original name in the Bible; it's more user-friendly but with a bit less gravitas. And it does offer that cool nickname Bram, as well as the friendly Abe. After some early American…
British place name
Brixton, a formerly rough but now cool-and-gentrified area of London, is also gaining notice as a baby name, especially for boys. About 20 baby girls were given the name in the US in the most recent…
Persian variation of Yusuf, Arabic
"God increases"
While Yusuf is the more popular Arabic form of Joseph, Yousef is the Persian variant and is sometimes used as an Arabic transcription. Currently in the Top 500 in the UK and the Top 1000 in the US,…
"dedicated"
A major figure in the Old Testament, Enoch was the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and the great-grandfather of Noah whose Book of Enoch provides a focal point for ancient Jewish mysticism.…
Italian variation of Francis
"Frenchman or free man"
A classic Italian name still heard in the Italian-American community. Once tainted by the association with the Spanish dictator, it's now more likely to call up actor James Franco. The bright o…
French occupational name
"woodsman or woods"
The Forest variation of Forrest, used by actor Whitaker, nudges the meaning more toward the woods and away from the woodsman.
Scandinavian variation of Mateo, Spanish
"gift of God"
With Mateo making its first ever appearance in the US Top 10 in 2023, its Scandinavian variant Matheo borrowed some of its spotlight and appeared in the Top 1000 for the first time. Popular in…
Latin
"young"
The line should end with Junior Soprano. While most would expect this to be a nickname rather than an actual given name, Junior has always ranked in the US Top 1000, hitting its peak in 1925 at…
English from French occupational name
"candle maker"
For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends . Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but…
Irish
"sea warrior"
This jaunty Celtic surname — one of the most common family names in both Ireland and the US — is totally viable as a first. The arguably most famous Murphy is TV's Murphy Brown, and indeed the name…
Spelling variation of Finley, Irish and Scottish
"fair-haired hero"
This variation adds a second n to the more popular Finley, presumably to provide a more direct link to nickname Finn. Both spellings create a distinctly unisex name. The Finnley version, however,…
Variation of Zaire, Kongo
"the river that swallows all rivers"
One of the many new spellings of Zaire that has been climbing the charts lately.
Italian variation of Darius
"possessing goodness"
More creative and artsy than Mario. Dario is starting to edge up the US popularity list after languishing near the bottom of the Top 1000 over the last four decades. Is that inspired by Dario's…
Somali
"fortune"
The African name Ayan was first seen on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2014. It's both simple and distinctive, a winning combination.
Scottish
"crooked mouth"
The seventh most common surname in Scotland, for a time associated only with soup company and the Andy Warhol's iconic painting, Campbell is once again being considered as an accessible but rarer…
Scandinavian from Latin
"greatest"
Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named…
