By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 31 pages
of 31
English, Scottish, Irish, Norwegian, or Korean surname
"roe deer; wise protector; son of Ruadh; red; clearing; ability"
In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be…
Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
"defending men"
There's Zan and there's Xan--take your pick. Both of these are the latest generation of Alexander nicknames, Xan having been noticed first as a character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (a rich source…
Diminutive of Zedekiah
Newer than Zac, cooler than Ed, Ned, or Ted.
English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may…
Diminutive of Desmond
More of an abbreviation than a short form that can stand on its own.
Botanical name
Ivy is in the Top 50 for girls, but actually had some usage for boys for several decades. As more parents consider botanical choices for boys as well, Ivy could get some more love on both sides. In…
Japanese
"village; capital city; apricot; unite"
Also written as Kyō, this Japanese name makes a simple, sweet, yet spirited name for a son. Like many Japanese names, the meaning alters depending on which kanji are used, but Kyo can mean "unite,…
Mio is a masculine name with diverse origins. In Japanese, it means 'beautiful cherry blossom' or 'beautiful thread,' symbolizing delicacy and strength. In Italian, Mio translates to 'mine' or 'my…
Nik is a short, masculine name that serves as a diminutive form of Nicholas or Nikolas, which derive from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning 'victory of the people.' This concise variant maintains the…
English
"peacock"
An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of…
Rob has claimed Bob's turf.
Short form of Sidney, French
"Saint-Denis"
Sid originated as a nickname for Sidney, but we like it on its own, a la Sara Quin's and Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen's sons. Sid Vicious, member of the band the Sex Pistols, gives this name a punk…
English word name
"a label attached to something for identification"
Tag is unique word name introduced by the Sweet Home sextuplets. One of the boys is named Tag Bricker. There is also a character named Tag in Elin Hilderbrand's novel turned Netflix Series The…
Diminutive of Vincent, Latin
"conquering"
Minimalist nickname via XXX star Diesel (born Mark Vincent).
Word name
Axe, spelled like this, is used for a handful of baby boys in the US each year. You can see it as one of the new weapon names, along with Dagger and Beretta, or as an abbreviation of the very popular…
Dal is a concise masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Welsh traditions, it means 'meadow,' suggesting open spaces and natural beauty. In Slavic languages, particularly Russian, it…
"the time of light between one night and the next"
Many African tribes have a tradition of naming children for the day or time they were born -- Friday, Afternoon -- a practice finding new life in the Western world as word names become more popular.
Icy baby names are currently hot, with names like Icelynn, Iceland, and Winter trending up for girls. Rapper Gucci Mane chose simple, streamlined Ice for his son 2020-born son, appropriately a winter…
English surname derived from Jacques
Decidedly offbeat name that combines jauntiness with that uber-cool X, and would certainly set your son up for life outside the mainstream.
Diminutive of Judson, English
"son of Jordan"
More commonly spelled JUDD, this is a strong but sensitive short form that can easily stand on its own.
