English Names for Boys

Kimberly is a variation of the South African (and Australian) place name Kimberley, named after John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley. The name comes from a Norfolk earldom (first spelled Chineburlai) and references the meadow or woodland clearing of a medieval Lady called Cyneburga.

 In the middle of the 20th century, shortened form Kim was given to men and women in roughly equal numbers, though Kimberly has always been more associated with women.

Kimberly

Daulton

A busby is the English name for the fur military headdress originally worn by the Hungarian hussars. As a first name, Busby is also the <a href="https://nameberry.com/unique-names">unique name</a> of iconic movie choreographer Busby Berkeley.

Busby

Most parents attracted to this name will be devotees of the author William and would be better off using it in the middle. 

Burroughs

Ruggedly appealing word name in the Thorn/Rider/Storm school of boys' names. 

Burr

Virle is an uncommon masculine name with obscure origins. It may derive from Latin roots related to 'virilis' meaning 'manly' or 'virile', or possibly represent a shortened form of longer names. The name could also have localized origins, as Virle exists as a place name in northern Italy. With its compact single-syllable structure, Virle has a concise, distinctive quality. Though rare in contemporary usage, the name offers a brief yet substantial option for parents seeking something uncommon. Its brevity contrasts with longer naming trends, potentially appealing to those preferring minimalist name choices.

Virle

This name may be related to the Latin Maximus, which means "the greatest," or to a British landowner's name, but for most modern parents, it's one of several ways to get to short form Max.

 Probably its most noted bearers is influential twentieth century painter and illustrator Maxfield Parrish, who was born Frederick but later adopted the maiden name of his maternal grandmother.

Maxfield

We don't see this one making it unless you have a compelling family reason. 

Burnet

If blogger-in-chief Arianna's first name can rise through the name popularity charts, why not her surname?  Uffa is an Old English personal name (we don't see that one coming back) and the suffix ton usually designates a town or village.

Huffington

This dignified Old English surname was brought into the modern consciousness by author Armistead Maupin, who wrote the San Francisco stories Tales of the City. There was also a Civil War general named Lewis Armistead.

Armistead

This name has a nicely fragrant woodsy feel, bringing it into the nature-tree name category. Its only well-known bearer, folk singer and Oscar-winning actor Burl Ives, had the full birth certificate name of Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives — nothing compared to his two siblings named Argola and Lillburn. 


Burl

A new entry in the fashionable occupational name category -- and a jolly job it must be -- with the added attraction of relating to the great early 20th century American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler, of "Whistler's Mother" fame.

Whistler

Related to the word bourgeois; actor Burgess Meredith put this surname in first place. 

Burgess

One of the aggressive new boys' names, ala Tracker and Heller, that have become fashionable among parents who are courting trouble.

Breaker

The stuffy-sounding name of a posh medieval village in the Cotswolds, in England, that some consider one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe.

Burford

Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit. 

Burbank

Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger.  We'd recommend something more pulled-together as a proper name with Flash as a nickname or middle name.

Flash

Drover, an ancient occupational surname, is right in step with today's styles and would make a distinctive choice.  Drover and brothers are fresh updates of such now-widely-used names as Carter and Cooper.

Drover

Drummer entered the baby name lexicon thanks to blogger No Big Dill, who chose it for her newborn son, who joins five older sisters. Drummer is right in step with other occupational names in vogue now, from Archer to Gardener. Let's just hope Drummer doesn't prefer to play the piano.


Drummer

Mythic lumberjack Paul may inspire some namesakes despite relation to similarly pronounced foot problem. 

Bunyan

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 65)