By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 31 pages
of 31
Word name
Howl joins the wild new gang of names with attitude to spare: We're talking Rebel, Rogue, Wilder, and Wiley. Howell makes it much more genteel.
English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
A Robert nickname out of use for hundreds of years, but now sounds cooler than Bob or Rob for a modern boy.
Reg is a masculine name most commonly used as a diminutive of Reginald, which derives from the Old Germanic name Raginald, meaning 'counsel' and 'power.' This short, punchy name has been used for…
Reb is a masculine name with Yiddish and Hebrew roots, functioning as both a standalone name and a title of respect. In Jewish communities, particularly Hasidic ones, "Reb" precedes a man's name as…
Hil is a compact masculine name with multiple cultural origins. It may function as a diminutive of Hilbert, Hilary, or similar names derived from the Germanic element "hild" meaning battle or strife.…
Ran is a concise masculine name with multicultural origins. In Japanese, it can mean 'orchid' or 'water lily,' symbolizing elegance and purity. In Hebrew, Ran means 'song' or 'joy,' conveying a sense…
Gye is an extremely rare masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from an English surname, a variant of Guy (from Germanic origins meaning "guide" or "wood"), or have Korean…
Short form of Guillermo, Spanish form of William
"resolute protection"
It's tempting to think of Gui as the Spanish form of Guy, but it's short for Guillermo.
Ced is a masculine name that typically functions as a diminutive of Cedric or sometimes Cedar. Cedric itself has Anglo-Saxon origins created by Sir Walter Scott for a character in his novel…
Diminutive of Emmanuel, Hebrew
"God is with us"
Classic nickname for Emmanuel, but best left off the birth certificate.
Pry is an extremely rare masculine name that may have originated as a surname before occasionally being adopted as a given name. As a surname, it likely derived from geographic locations or…
French diminutive
"apple"
Pom is a shortened word name that's not much used in France, but cute and familiar here as one of Babar (the Elephant's) triplets. Pom, pommy and pommie are (non-derogatory) terms sometimes used by…
Gun is a concise masculine name with varied origins across different cultures. In Scandinavian countries, particularly Sweden, it functions as a short form of Gunnar, meaning 'warrior' or 'bold…
Scandinavian variation of Peter
So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.
English, diminutive of Roderick and Rodney
Macho-er than thou.
Xil is an extremely rare masculine name with several possible origins. It may be a shortened form of names like Axil or Maxil, or could have roots in various indigenous languages. In some contexts,…
Chinese surname
For admirers of modernist architect I. M.
Hebrew; Spanish
"gold; peace"
Paz is an appealing Spanish name meaning "peace", derived from the Latin "pax". It's usually feminine in Spanish, but could also make an interesting literary choice for a boy, honoring the writer…
Gib is a concise masculine name with historical depth, typically functioning as a diminutive of Gilbert. Gilbert derives from Germanic elements 'gisil' (pledge, hostage) and 'beraht' (bright),…
Diminutive of Patrick
"noble, patrician"
As seen on SNL, Pat is the ultimate androgynous name . Stick with long form Patrick, and make sure everyone calls him Patrick.
