930+ English Names for Boys
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About this list
English names for boys dominate the popularity lists of the US, the UK, and other English-speaking countries, with William and James ranking highly in the US, and Jack, Oscar, and Charlie reigning in the UK.
Many English names for boys drawn from surnames are currently trending in the United States: Jackson, Cooper, Lincoln, Hunter, and Landon, for instance. And then there are English word names from Royal to Loyal that have become fashionable for baby boys.
Along with William and James, other English boys’ names in the US top 100 include Carter, Grayson, Julian, Mason, Parker, Robert, Sawyer, and Wyatt. Trending English names for boys include surname names such as Reeve and Miller and antique names such as Auberon and Anson.
Baby boy names of English origin popular in the UK include Oliver — a top name throughout the United Kingdom — Harry, Leo, and Alfie. The English name Tom ranks highly in France, while James is favored in The Netherlands and Oliver is popular in Spain.
Some of the straightforward boys’ names we think of as English — like the royal Charles, William, Henry, George, and Louis — all have non-English roots but may carry nicknames like Charlie or Bill that are distinctively English.
Browse all our English names for baby boys here, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.
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The names
James
English variation of Jacob, Hebrew
"supplanter"
James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys'…
William
German
"resolute protection"
William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down…
Jack
English, diminutive of John
"God is gracious"
Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of…
Hudson
English place-name and surname
"Hugh's son"
Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion…
Julian
English from Latin, variation of Julius
"youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder…
Cooper
English occupational name
"barrel maker"
The genial yet upscale and preppy Cooper was one of the first occupational last names to catch on -- and Cooper remains a pleasing option. Cooper began his rapid climb in 1982 and is a popular choice…
Jackson
English
"son of Jack"
Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. Last year,…
Wyatt
English surname
"brave in war"
Wyatt has been hot, which is to say cool, for several years now. With its easy Wyatt Earpish cowboy charm, it's relaxed but still highly respectable. Wyatt is a lot more classic a name than you might…
Mason
English occupational name
"worker in stone"
Mason is an occupational surname that ranked among the Top 10 name for boys throughout the 2010s, after its choice as one of the first Kardashian baby names. It remained a Top 10 choice in the US…
Bennett
English medieval form of Benedict, Latin
"blessed"
Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt 's Jane…
Miles
English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"
"soldier or merciful"
Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting…
Carter
English occupational name
"transporter of goods by cart"
Carter has ranked in the Top 100 since the the turn of the millennium, but despite its recent popularity, it's not a trendy new name. In fact, Carter is one of those names that just misses ranking in…
Grayson
English
"the son of the bailiff"
Grayson, which you might think of as a Jason-Mason substitute, has been rising through the US Top 1000 since 1984 and has ranked in the Top 100 since 2011. That makes Grayson a modern classic boys'…
Wesley
English
"western meadow"
Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts. Its popularity may have peaked in the 1970s when it reached #66, but…
Weston
English
"western town"
Weston has gone from being a Jane Austenish British surname to a first name with a relaxed American western cowboy feel. Along with other trendy 'n'-ending boys’ names , Weston is rising in…
Waylon
English
"cunning, craft"
With its rugged, country charm and confident sounds, Waylon is among the wave of Old Western names that parents are choosing. A relatively new entry to the US Top 100, this once uncommon choice has…
Brooks
English
"of the brook"
A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image. Used occasionally as a…
Lincoln
English
"town by the pool"
Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now,…
Silas
Aramaic, Latin, Greek
"of the forest; or prayed for"
Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and…
Everett
English variation of the German Eberhard
"brave as a wild boar"
Everett is a preppy but outdoorsy name, with wintery New England vibes. In the last decade, it’s had a leap in popularity, perhaps because of its similarity to trendy girls’ names like Ava and…
