Updated May 2023
Across 12 pages
of 12
English
"low-lying land"
A surname occasionally used as a first, as in former attorney general Ramsey Clark. This spelling is now closely associated with the psychopathic Game of Thrones villain Ramsay Snow (later Ramsay…
Egyptian
"son of God"
Ramses was the name of several kings in Ancient Egypt, including the long-reigning Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great. Unfortuntely, some may associate it with the condom brand name.
English, Scottish
"garlic island"
Tough, cool, and rugged, Ramsey is a Scottish and English surname that has plenty of potential as a given name. Similar in style to Murray, Murphy, and Rafferty, it was chosen for around 90 boys and…
Occupational name
Any name that combines two big trends -- in this case, occupational and western names -- has potential.
French
"forest guardian"
The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy,…
Maori
"sky"
In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Rangi or Ranginui was a god of the sky, husband of the earth goddess Papa or Papatuanuku. This strong and simple Māori name would make for a fresh celestial…
Hebrew
"my song, my joy"
Too bad everyone in this country will tend to hear Ronnie.
"shield's son"
Ransom may be rakish and handsome, but it carries an unavoidable association with holding someone for ransom. But that kind of bad boy image might be exactly what attracts you to Ransom in the first…
French variation of Ralph
"wolf-counsel"
Raoul, with its unique three-vowel middle, rolls off the tongue in an appealing way. Raoul is one of the French names that sounds infinitely more romantic and attractive than the somewhat harsh…
Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Erasmus
"beloved, desired"
A form of ancient name newly popular in Eastern Europe, Rasmus is rugged and distinctive - and on trend in Estonia and Finland. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but with its philosophical roots and…
Finnish, Estonian variation of Ragnar, Norse
"warrior; judgment"
Rauno originated in Finland as a variation of Norse names beginning with Ragn-, most notably Ragnar. The name is also heard in neighboring Estonia.
Kazakh, Bengali
"light, rose"
KAzakh and Bengali form of Roshan, also coinciding with the Kazakh word for "rose".
Word name
Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.
Hindi
"sun; conferring"
A title of the Hindu sun god, made cross-culturally famous by sitar player Ravi Shankar.
Rawley is a distinctive masculine name with English origins, derived from the Old English surname Raleigh, which referred to a deer clearing or meadow. Historically associated with the notable…
English surname
"son of Raul"
Rawlings was a surname brought to England with the Norman invasion and has ties to the name Raul, which means "wolf counsel."
Urdu
"contentment"
Urdu form of the Arabic name Ridha.
"son of the red-haired"
Inventive way to honor a redheaded ancestor, though most people would mispronounce it reeding, making it sound to some kids like a school assignment: Redding is a preferable spelling.
Irish
"little king"
Inextricably tied to the former president, Reagan is a handsome surname name with a cool, current sound. Gender-neutral nickname Ray/Rae is also very on-trend right now. Reagan has been more popular…
"rebel"
Asking for trouble. Rebel Wilson is female, but this name is truly gender neutral, though hardly neutral in any other way. Rebel is undoubtedly one of the edgiest boys' names starting with the letter…