English Names for Boys

Eaton's similarity to Eton gives it an upscale Old School feel, though in the U.S. a name that sound like eatin' could have teasin' potential.  Eaton could also sound like the much-more-familiar Ethan with a tough-guy accent.

Eaton

One way to refer to an ancestral Roy, if not the most mellifluous. 

Royden

Often thought of as a one-peson name because of Jungle Book writer Kipling, this was actually his middle name. He was middle-named for Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire, the beauty of which inspired his parents to reference it in their first child's name. Trivia tidbit: Actress Kim Raver gave her son Leo the middle name of Kipling.
Rudyard Kipling's first name was actually Joseph. There were fewer than five baby boys given the name Rudyard in the US in 2021, making it a truly unique name.

Rudyard

Rugby

Eastman is a solid, old-style Atlantic seaboard surname.  But as a first name, we think Easton works better.

Eastman

Stuffy presidential choice: consider Hayes instead. 

Rutherford

Over the top for even the most ardent Anglophile. Sacheverell Sitwell was a member of the prominentliterary Sitwell family.

Sacheverell

<a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a>are in, and even fish names like Pike and Salmon are open for consideration.

Salmon

Stiff and sedate surname name, despite its salty start. 

Salton

Literary, occupational, and very neglected.

Durward

Hippie name of the Jonathan Livingston Seagull era. 

Seagull

Projects the sleek and playful image of the aquatic mammal, plus that of the striking British-born Brazilian/Nigerian/Afro-Caribbean singer (born Sealhenry). 

Seal

Has a positive meaning and a nickname feel. Sealey was a feminine name in medieval times but would be equally stylish (and rare) for both sexes now.

Sealey

A jolly, bawdy image that recalls the hero of the eighteenth-century novel Tristram Shandy; also a drink in British pubs.

Shandy

A perfectly fine Anglo surname, though we'd prefer Keaton. Oscar-winning writer-director George Seaton (Miracle on 34th Street, The Country Girl) was actually born George Stenius.

Seaton

Associated with archetypal folksinger Pete Seeger. 

Seeger

Seldon was seldom heard as a first name but that may change now that Elon Musk has used it for his 14th child, his fourth with Shivon Zilis. Little Seldon Musk's middle name is Lycurgus, the name of several legendary and mythological Greek figures.

Seldon

New twist on Bennett. Mack Sennett was the early movie director known as the innovator of slapstick comedy.

Sennett

A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin. 

Dunstan

Double whammy: the expression "Seward's folly" and inevitable sewer jokes. 

Seward

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.

 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.

English Names for Boys rank highly throughout the English-speaking world, including William, James, Jack, Oscar, and Charlie. (Page 59)