4 Letter Boy Names

Stalwart Italian classic, completely at home in this country. 

Gino

Luan is a handsome, unusual boy's name with surprisingly diverse origins. It's a rare Portuguese name meaning "moon", an Albanian name meaning "lion", a Vietnamese name meaning "justice; ethics", and a Gaelic name meaning "warrior". It may also relate to the French and Breton Elouan ("light") or the feminine Luanne ("light+grace"). 
 
A stylish, Top 20 choice in Sweden, it also ranks highly in The Netherlands and Portugal, while in the UK, it sits at the latter end of the Top 1000. Its multicultural appeal, its soft, friendly sound, and similarity to the likes of Leon, Lucian, and Luca likely contribute to its appeal.

Luan

Syed is an Arabic male name with deep Islamic significance. Rather than being just a given name, it originated as an honorific title meaning 'master' or 'lord.' The name holds special importance in Muslim communities as it traditionally denotes descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through his grandsons Hassan and Hussein. Many Muslim families use Syed as a prefix to their name to indicate this lineage. As a standalone given name, Syed has gained popularity beyond exclusively being a title. It's widely used throughout the Muslim world including Arab countries, South Asia (particularly Pakistan and India), and Muslim communities worldwide.

Syed

An operatic Italian option via South Pacific star Pinza, one of several Italian names currently hot in France. Ezio is the Italian form of the Greek name Aetius. 

 Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego Saldana gave the name as a middle to one of their twin sons, after his paternal grandfather.

Ezio

Unlike Jake or Sam, few parents put Mike on the birth certificate. 

Mike

Designer (as in Marc Jacobs) form of Mark. An international classic, but long falling in popularity as a boys' name.


Marc

In Igbo, Mazi is a term of respect used to greet elders (and others), likely originated among the Aro people. Some Igbo cultures use Mazi to refer to men once their fathers have passed away.
 There are a number of other possible origins of Mazi too, including the Persian name Maziar, which is likely related to the Maz mountain and has the meanings "king of the mountain" or "protected by the moon". Alternatively, it might be related to the Armenian god Aramazdor the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda, to the Turkish name Mazhar meaning "honored", to the Balochi name Mazār meaning "tiger", and many more names with that 'Maz' sound in them.
 
Mazi first appeared on the charts as a male name in 2013, and was one of the fastest rising names in 2023, with parents potentially taking inspiration from influencer and prankster Mazi GA. More recently, it's slowed down in usage, but 161 boys were still given the name.

Mazi

A variation of Corey, this spelling has also been on a steady decline since the early-1990s. Its days are likely numbered on the US popularity charts altogether.

Cory

Cole and Kole — at their most stylish in the early 2000s — are now being passed over for modern favorites Colton, Colt, Colter, Colson, et al. Nonetheless, Kole is still floating just at the bottom of the US charts.

Kole

A title of the Hindu sun god, made cross-culturally famous by sitar player Ravi Shankar. 

Ravi

More authentic and original form of Ryan, but far less common of the two spellings in the US. There were about 170 baby boys named Rian in the US last year, versus over 4000 named Ryan.
In its native Ireland, though, Rian is a Top 5 boys' name.

Rian

West is the most fashionable of what you might call the direction names, with North and East (or Easton and Easter) coming up behind, and South not yet on the map.
 Country singer Randy Houser named his baby boy West Yantz, but West is definitely shaping up to be a unisex name: West Flynn is the daughter of Marley Shelton, Tea Lioni and David Ducovney named their girl Madelaine West, and Maura West put her surname into middle place for her daughter Birdie.
 West has an obvious western cowboy feel, very much in tune with others like Zane, Wylie and Wyatt. And it's the perfect nickname for the more buttoned-up Weston or Wesley.

West

Aven is used as a surname in various countries across the globe, and occasionally as an Anglicized variant of the Irish girl name, Aoibheann. In the US, Aven only started to see significant use in the 2000s, and over the next two decades, it has slowly risen in popularity.
 
Yet to rank in the Top 1000, Aven has a lot going for it. It feels familiar, like the solid but gentle Evan. It has some of the cosy, natural, safe feels of Haven, along with the slightly witchy vibes of Raven and Maven. It ticks the boxes as a unisex and surname-style choice, along the lines of Avery, Everett and Aspen.
 
Given to 181 boys compared to 56 girls in a recent year, a notable bearer is past contestant of the TV game show, The Bachelorette, Aven Jones. 2023 saw him return to the screen in the spin off show, Bachelor in Paradise, which might have put the name in the minds of parents-to-be.
 
The exact etymology of Aven is contested but theories include that it is a place name, relating to River Avon; a patronymic name meaning "the son of Ave" or an occupational choice, originally given to the son of a grain merchant. Other sources suggest it is related to the Old Norse world for 'Elf' or the Irish Aoibheann, meaning "beautiful and agreeable". 
 
Wherever Aven emerged from, it's a memorable choice with an earthy and grounded feel to it.

Aven

Although this is an ancient Old Testament name, it has a pleasant contemporary feel that might appeal to today's parents, who might just as easily use it for a girl. It was one of the fastest rising names for boys in the UK in a recent year. 

Lael

Riot has all the sounds of a trendy name — the first syllable that of trendy choices like Ryder, Ryker, and Rylan, rhyming with Wyatt. But the strong negative connotations of the word, suggesting violence, turn many (but not all) parents away from Riot as a baby name. Ryatt, one step removed, is more common.
 
Riot has positive associations as well, as when used to describe someone funny or outrageous. And then there's the famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, "A riot is the language of the unheard", which sheds light on the way marginalized communities have used riots to make their voices heard.
 
If anyone can make a name like Riot mainstream, it's Rihanna. Keeping with their R theme, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky named their second son Riot Rose, brother to RZA. Riot substantially rose in popularity between 2021 and 2022 — this starbaby should only accelerate its growth.
 
Given to 160 baby boys in a recent year, spelling variation Ryatt is twice as popular, while Ryot, Ryott, and Riott have also grown in use.

Riot

A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek mathematician and to 1st century writer and historian. 
 
As a contemporary name, it came into popular use in the late 1950s and remained in the Top 1000 until 2006. It has dipped in and out of the charts since then, and is still given to a not insignificant 200 boys each year. 
 Now a rising choice in the UK and familiar in The Netherlands, it could also be considered a celebrity surname name, as inspired by singer Celine Dion.

Dion

Derived from the Latin word aemulus, Emil is a name with international appeal. Concise and sturdy but with the gentle Em sound, Emil is popular across Europe, from Azerbaijan to Finland, from Germany to Norway, and Denmark. Alternative spelling Emile also ranks highly in Belgium and Canada. 
 
In the US however, while Emil was briefly popular in the 19th century, by the early 1980s, it had completely dropped out of the Top 1000. Though its variants Emiliano and Emilio currently sit in the Top 300 - as do the similar sounding Emmett, Emerson, and Emmanuel - Emil still awaits rediscovery

Emil

Noam is an underused modern Hebrew name with any number of attractive attributes attached to its meaning; it doesn't have the biblical weight of Noah, but could make a more distinctive alternative to that popular choice. Noam is a Top 10 boys' name in Israel. Noam is also a place-name in south Israel, where it is sometime used for girls. Its most prominent bearer is the distinguished linguist and social activist Noam Chomsky (born Avram Noam).
 Noaz is an even more unusual Hebrew choice.

Noam

Anas is an Arabic name uncommon in the US -- it was given to 130 baby boys last year -- but popular in Spain, England and Wales, Italy, and especially France.

Anas

Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades. 
 Nova is not literally a new name but one that was used a century ago mainly for girls and is now making something of a comeback. Unisex references: Nova Scotia, the long-running science TV show, and the finest kind of lox.

Nova

Four letter boy names have topped the popularity list for several years now, with Liam taking over for longtime favorite Noah.

 boys' names with four letters in the US Top 100

 include Levi, Ryan, Ezra, Owen, Luke, Jack, Evan, Axel, Jace, and Jose.



John and its short form Jack, two of the top male names of all time, both have four letters. Other

 include Abel, Adam, Amos, Carl, Eric, Mark, and Paul.

 on our recommended list include Beau, Cove, Elio, Ford, Hart, Huck, Land, Nico, Otis, Pike, Rafi, and Shaw.



View our entire list of boy names with four letters here, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry. 

Four letter boy names including meaning, origin, and popularity, with top four letter boy names Noah and Jack and unique four letter names for boys (Page 10)

1900+ Four Letter Boy Names