English Names for Boys
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 fashionable in the United States: Jackson, Cooper, Lincoln, Hunter, and Landon, for instance. And then there are English word names from Gray 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.
Baby boy names popular in England include Oliver — a top name throughout the United Kingdom — Harry, Leo, and Alfie.
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. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
You might also want to check out our English names for girls.
Top English Names for Boys
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William
William is derived from the Germanic name Wilhelm, composed of the elements wil, “will,” and helm, referring to a helmet or protection. The name was introduced to England by... Read More
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James
James is an English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob. James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), presidential (with more U.S.... Read More
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Mason
Mason has become mega-popular; it hit as high as the Number 2 spot in 2011 and has stayed near the top of the charts since.
Mason is an occupational surname that's been heating up for... Read More -
Jackson
Cool name Jackson is one of the celebrisphere's top favorite boy names, having been chosen by, among others, Spike Lee, Poppy Montgomery, Carson... Read More
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Carter
Carter has been popular for almost two decades, but it only cracked the Top 30 in 2014, leaving the other upscale occupational surname names behind. Having hot characters named Carter on both... Read More
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Wyatt
Wyatt was derived from the Medieval English name Wyot, itself a form of the given name Wigheard, with wig meaning “war” and heard, “brave.” Wyot, along with variations Wiot and... Read More
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Jack
Jack is a derivative of John that originated in medieval England. The name went from John to Johnkin to Jankin to Jackin to Jack. The name was so common in the Middle Ages that Jack became a... Read More
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Grayson
Grayson, which you might think of as a Jason-Mason substitute, is on the fast track. Though--you may be surprised to know--Grayson has been in the Top 1000 since 1984, it is now more popular than... Read More
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Julian
Julian was derived from Iulianus, which in turn came from Julius, the Roman family name from ioulos, a Greek term meaning “downy-bearded.” Julian was a 4th century Roman emperor, and St.... Read More
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Jaxon
Jaxon has been mostly climbing in popularity since it entered the Top 1000 in 1997, proving the point that many parents have decided to rev up the cool factor of Jackson and give it this... Read More