Aboriginal Names for Boys

Isaac

Hebrew

"laughter"

Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the…

Harrison

English

"son of Harry"

Harrison, a name made viable by Harrison Ford, is increasingly popular with parents who want an H name that's more formal than Harry or Hank but doesn't veer into the stiff Huntington-Harrington…

Kayden

Modern invented name

This member of the aden/ayden extended family is a popular choice not only in the US but across the pond in England, Wales and Scotland as well. Angie Everhart has a son named Kayden Bobby. Although…

Max

English and German diminutive of Maximilian or Maxwell

"greatest"

Max was derived from Maximilian, a Latin name that originated from the Roman family name Maximus. The character name Max in the children's classic Where the Wild Things Are had an impact on baby…

Ocean

English, nature name

"ocean"

Nature names like Ocean and River are flowing back into favor, especially with nature lovers and green-oriented parents. In 2024, it was given to 483 boys and 325 girls, making this a unisex favorite…

Glenn

Scottish

"valley"

Glenn appealed to a lot of post-World War II parents for its cool, leafy image, also calling up the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller and the calm, composed image of actor Glenn Ford, whose name at…

Hardy

German

"bold, brave"

Hardy is a spirited and durable un-Germanic German surname that is starting to be used in this country. British fashion designer Hardy Amies (born Edwin) is its best known bearer, and Thomas Hardy…

Tavish

Scottish variation of Thomas

"twin"

This Scottish form of Thomas has a lot of charm, evoking images of men in plaid kilts playing the bagpipes. As for the 'ish' ending, it could either be seen as cozy and hamish, or a little…

Dorrigo

Literature, place name, Gumbaingiir

"stringy bark"

Dorrigo is the name of a small town and of a National Park in Australia, that also doubles up as a nature name and a literary choice. Derived from the indigenous Gumbaingiir language, Dorrigo means…

Bardo

Short form of Bardolph or Aboriginal

"water"

Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo , which refers to the Tibetan…