Updated May 2023
Across 6 pages
of 6
Irish
"champion"
The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool,…
Greek
"people of victory"
Nicholas is derived from the Greek Nikolaos, a name that evolved from the components nikē , meaning "victory", and laos , "people." It shares origins with Nike, the name of the Greek goddess of…
Hebrew
"gift of God"
Nathaniel was derived from the Hebrew name Netan’el, meaning "gift of God," composed of the elements natan , meaning "to give," and ’el , in reference to God. The name is featured several times in…
Italian diminutive of Nicholas, Greek
Nico is one of the great nickname names, full of charm, energy and effortless cool -- a neo Nick. Nico is commonly heard in Italy -- as a short form of Niccolo -- and also in France, Belgium,…
English
"by the ash tree"
Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson…
Finnish form and Croatian and Slovene short form of Nicholas, Greek
"victory of the people"
Popular in Croatia, Spain, New Zealand, and Slovenia, Niko has also been rising up the US popularity charts for boys since the late 2000s. Fresher than Nicholas, spikier than Nico, it currently ranks…
"comforted by God"
Nehemiah is an Old Testament name used by the Puritans, whose white-bearded image kept it out of favor for centuries, until it suddenly reappeared in 1998, along with the more user-friendly Josiah…
French
"Christmas"
Noel is British, fey, and sophisticated, connoting wit and creativity, much like namesake Noel Coward. Noel has also been a character on Felicity and Pretty Little Liars . Thanks to their association…
Russian variation of Nicholas
Russian forms, like Russian supermodels, are hot these days. This is a strong, worldly way to make Nicholas new; it was chosen for his son by Barry Bonds, Jr. Nikolai also comes with several…
"son of Neil"
Nelson is a rather stiff and dated surname name that is sometimes used to honor distinguished South African activist Nelson Mandela, as Celine Dion did for one of her twin boys. Other notable…
Diminutive of Nathanael or Gwenael, French, Breton, Arabic
"gift of God; generous; attainer, winner"
Nael - or Naël as it is often spelled - originated as a French diminutive of names ending in -nael, though in recent years, it has risen up the charts as a standalone choice. A Top 100 name in…
"son of Nicholas"
A fresher spin on Jaxon, with built-in cool nickname Nix, and a great way to honor an ancestral Nick. But the association with disgraced former president Richard Nixon remains strong, which might…
Latin or Tswana
"new or gift"
This nouveau name of Keanu Reeves's character in The Matrix has not enjoyed the same burst of popularity as its female counterpart, Trinity, but it definitely sounds, well, newer. Neo Rauch is an…
"northerner, Norseman"
Norman, perhaps because it sounds so much like the word 'normal', conjures up the image of a normal-looking guy with a normal kind of job-- not necessarily an image many modern parents seek for their…
Latin
"new"
Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that…
"aristocratic"
With parents beginning to show an interest in virtue names for boys, this Puritan favorite just might be revived, for what could be more admirable than nobility in terms of having strength of…
English, word name
"fleet of ships; sea-based branch of the armed forces; dark blue"
This once unique and multi-layered word name was used by R&B singer Nivea for her daughter back in 2005, and later, by country musician Jason Aldean. No longer an exclusively celebrity choice Navy is…
Variation of Neil, Scottish, Diminutive of Cornelius, Dutch, Sanskrit
"cloud; horn; sapphire blue"
A truly culture crossing name, Neel can be considered: a Sanskrit gemstone with a bright blue hue; an alternative, phonetic spelling of the Scottish Neil, ultimately from the cloudy Irish Niall; an…
Hawaiian
"the warriors"
Nakoa is a Top 100 name for boys in Hawaii. It became more widely known after actors Lisa Bonet and Jason Mamoa chose it for their son.
River name, color name, or variation of Niall, Irish
Water names are a cool category these days, and this one of the famous Egyptian river is no exception. It streamlines the fussier Niles and also may be thought of as a color name, meaning dark blue…