Two Syllable Names for Boys

Darrell and all its variations was a trendy name in the 1950s and 1960s, an update on David and Daniel that began to fall out of favor by the 1970s and fell out of the Top 1000 completely at the turn of this century.

The Daryl spelling is most closely identified with actress Daryl Hannah, making this a unisex choice in theory, though last year about 75 baby boys were named Daryl....and no baby girls.

Daryl

Daylen is a D-starting spin on the trendy Jaylen. Day is an appealing nickname.

Daylen

Though used quite often for babies of both sexes, Khari, meaning "kingly," was traditionally a boys' name. Musical couple Fetty Wop and Masika Kalysha, however, named their daughter Khari.

Khari

The popularity of handsome Welsh surname Maddox led to the creation of this spelling variation, connected to baseball great Greg Maddux.

Maddux

A wise ruler of legend--his sage advice helped the Greeks win the Trojan War--whose name is a possibility for the adventurous, though related in sound to the dated Lester-Hester family. 

Nestor

This Americanized spelling of the Dutch name is now used nearly exclusively for girls in the US. 
While the Skyler variant remains more statistically unisex, the original Dutch spelling, Schuyler, is currently used so rarely that it could go either way, and fits right in with the surnames-as-first-names trend for boys.

Skylar

Terrell feels like a modern invention based on Terrence, but Tyrrell has plenty of history as a surname name.
 It probably comes from an Anglo-Norman nickname for a stubborn person, from the Old French word tirel, "to pull."
 Terrell Owens, commonly known as T.O., is a former American football player.

Terrell

Adnan in the Muslim religion was an ancestor of Muhammad. More recently, the name was introduced to many Westerners via Adnan Syed, the young man at the center of the sensational Serial podcast.

Adnan

<a href="https://nameberry.com/list/428/scottish-baby-names">Scottish names</a> that started as surnames are a class unto themselves. This old Scottish surname name debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016 -- bolstered, no doubt, by the extreme popularity of Easton, just one letter away.

Eason

German might seem like an unlikely occupant of the Top 1000 list, unless you realize that it's a Spanish name, with the accent on the second syllable. It's been on the U.S. list since 1973.

German

Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own in the US.  But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname name of the future. It's already a hit in the UK. 

Monty

This nickname was given often enough as a standalone to land it in the Top 1000 from 2010—2013.

Xavi

Zyan is a modern masculine name with multiple cultural origins. It may be a variant of Zion, which has Hebrew origins meaning "monument" or "raised up," or it could derive from Arabic roots where it relates to beauty and adornment. Some consider it a variation of Ryan with a trendy 'Z' beginning. In certain interpretations, the name suggests qualities of brightness and magnificence. Zyan has gained popularity in the 21st century as parents seek distinctive yet accessible names with international appeal. The name's concise, strong sound and contemporary feel have contributed to its rising usage, particularly in multicultural communities. The spelling variations Zian, Zion, and Zyann may also be encountered.

Zyan

Eternally tied to the surname Chase, via the old English battle and ballad, the DC suburb, and the goofy SNL pratfaller (who was born Cornelius). It entered the US Top 1000 in 2014.

Chevy

This spelling of popular Jalen ranks in the Top 1000 for both girls and boys.

Jaylin

Ruger is a German surname most famous as a gun name, which explains its popularity as a baby name in the US. If Cannon, Gunner, and Pistol are your type of name, you might like Ruger -- but we're not inviting him for a playdate.

More than 100 baby boys were named Ruger in the US last year.

Ruger

Truman is an upstanding presidential name that radiates an aura of integrity and moral truth, values any parent would want for a child. It seems definitely headed for a revival. 
 Also associated with writer Truman Capote, Truman was at the height of its popularity in the early twentieth century, around the time Capote was born. It reached its highest point—Number 249—in 1945, the year Harry Truman succeeded FDR.
 Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson chose it for their son, and it's also the name of Martha Stewart's young grandson.
 Truman Burbank was the ingenuous character played by Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, and Truman was the surname of Will in Will and Grace.

Truman

Attractive entry into the tree name genre, joining Ash, Oak, and Juniper. Over 110 baby boys were named Cypress in the US last year, along with 70 baby girls.

Cypress

Honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, Emmet is a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, but the more common spelling is Emmett. Emmet dropped off the US Top 1000 in 1934 and reentered the list in 2014; Emmett, on the other hand, has never been off the charts.

Emmet

A variation of Kyson, Kaison, Kayson and co., Kysen combines the stylish 'Ky' sound with a slightly softer looking -en ending. While a number of its sound-alikes rank in the US Top 1000, Kysen has yet to feature and has been trending downwards since it peaked in 2020 when it was given to 137 boys. Now, with so many other spelling options available, it has fallen to the wayside a little, though it still captures the same contemporary energy and will feel just as popular. 
 
Baseball player Slade Heathcott chose this spelling for his son in 2015.

Kysen

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 55)

15,000+ Two-Syllable Boy Names