4 Letter Boy Names

Dior was among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys in the US in the early 2020s, but was the fastest-falling name for boys in the 2023 statistics. 
 
Its connection to French luxury designer and brand Christian Dior makes it an aspirational fashion name, a group that for several years was hot and now is less so. The name Chanel also fell in 2023.
 
The etymology of Dior is uncertain, but it is speculated to derive from the French d'or, meaning "of gold."

Dior

An energetic and compact Spanish name, likely derived from Esaias or Esau, it is best associated with actor Esai Morales of American Family and Bad Boys fame. Pronounced as EH-sye in Spanish, it may also be said as ee-SYE in English.
 
A short form of Esaius, inspired by Esau perhaps, Esai may be viewed as a variation of popular Biblical name Isaiah, meaning "salvation of the Lord". If you look to Esau as another source, however, it could mean "hairy", in reference to the tough and hardened appearance of the Biblical Esau. 
 
Coinciding with the Indonesian word for "essay" (from the French essai), Esai is a rare but rising choice in the US, given to 117 boys in a recent year — double the number it was used to a decade earlier. It could make a cool, less popular alternative to on-trend options like Ezra, Levi, Eli, and Silas.

Esai

Karl

A traditional and important Arabic name — Sai'd bin Zayd was a friend of the prophet Muhammed.

Said

These letters begin the 20th chapter of the Quran (surah Ta Ha). A noted bearer is Egyptian writer Taha Hussein, one of the most influential 20th-century Egyptian intellectuals, who was nominated for a Nobel prize in literature fourteen times.

Taha

Amin is a simple but strong name with a solid meaning. It was borne by the sixth Abbasid caliph, a ruler of the Abbasid Muslim Empire in the 9th century, a descendant of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
 
While it does have the unfortunate association with Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin, whose rule is remembered as a time of persecution, corruption, and human rights abuse, there are other namesakes, including: author Amin al-Rihani, scholar Amin Ahsan Islahi, activist and human rights lawyer Amin Mekki Medani, actor Amin Joseph, and footballer Amin Younes. 
 
Popular in Azerbaijan and well-used in The Netherlands, the UK, Spain, and France, feminine form Amina is even more popular.

Amin

Eddy, recently used by Celine Dion for one of her twin boys, was chosen to honor Eddy Marnay, who produced her first five records. Though less common a nickname for Edward than Eddie, Eddy is used more often on its own.

Eddy

Succinct but impactful, Vyom is a Gujarati name, ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word for "space,, universe" and "sky". Pronounced vee-yom, the two syllables merge into almost one and the latter half rhymes with home rather than Tom. 
 
Vyom made its debut in the England and Wales Top 1000 in 2024 and a more recent year saw it remain at the latter end of the charts.

Vyom

Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 124 boys - and 27 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable. 
 
In Roman mythology, Mars was the god of war, whose name likely relates to the Latin maris meaning "male". He is often seen as the less cold and less ruthless counterpart of the Greek god Ares (Ares being a fast rising Top 500 choice). While the war aspect might put people off, Mars was also the god of agriculture, giving it a more down to earth meaning, and was considered the father of Rome.
 
Used as the name of "The Red Planet", one of the brightest objects in the sky, and for the month of March, Mars could work for anyone looking for something space-related, or for anyone hoping to honor the month in some way.
 
Soul singer Erykah Badu helped to make this name feel more grounded when she gave it to her daughter, while musicians Thomas Mars and Bruno Mars have leant it a modern and stylish edge. 
 
If you love Mars but find it a little too outer-space (or too associated with the chocolate bar), it would also make a cool middle option, or an unexpected nickname for Marcus or Marshall.

Mars

A 1970s beach boy surfing buddy of Scott, Brad, and Chad, Todd is given to relatively few babies these days. 

Todd

You might think of this as the zesty brother of Cade and Slade. Or Zade might appeal to you as an anglicized spelling of the Arabic Zayd or Zaid, the name of an enslaved man that Muhammad adopted as his son.

Zade is definitely an appealing name for parents who want to blend cultures, or sensibilities.

Zade

The Hebrew version of Joel has a pleasant, almost jolly sound. 

Yoel

Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt. 

Kent

Issa is a masculine name with multicultural origins. In Arabic culture, it is the name for Jesus (prophet Isa in Islam) and means 'God is salvation.' It also appears in Slavic languages as a diminutive of names like Isidor. In Japanese, Issa can be a given name meaning 'one tea' or was famously the pen name of the poet Kobayashi Issa. The name's brevity and melodic quality have contributed to its growing international appeal. Issa has gained popularity in recent decades, especially in Muslim communities and among parents seeking short, meaningful names with cross-cultural significance. Its simplicity makes it easy to pronounce across different languages, adding to its global accessibility while maintaining cultural richness.

Issa

Kyce

All names connected with royalty have become increasingly popular in recent years, and King variation Kyng is no exception. Some parents may feel that the Kyng spelling makes it more of a name and less of a royal title, but both names sound the same and have identical meanings, so why endlessly complicate spelling and pronunciation?

Kyng

Naim, also sometimes spelled Naime, is a pleasant choice that may have some confusing pronunciation issues in English-speaking countries (where may will say this name as "name"). But don't let that deter you if you're in love with this moniker.

Naim

Despite all the "hanging," "dangling," and "pregnant" chad jokes of the 2000 election, this saint's name and remnant of the Brad-Tad era didn't get a boost in popularity. But Chad still holds some surfer-boy appeal for a number of modern parents. 

Chad

Josh is a friendly, approachable masculine name that originated as a shortened form of Joshua, which comes from Hebrew meaning 'God is salvation.' While Joshua has biblical significance as the successor to Moses, Josh emerged as a standalone name in the 20th century, embodying a casual, down-to-earth quality. It gained significant popularity in the 1970s through the 1990s in the United States, ranking consistently in the top 100 names. Josh conveys an accessible, unpretentious character with its brief, one-syllable structure. The name suggests a straightforward, trustworthy personality and has maintained steady usage without seeming dated or trendy. Josh represents a perfect balance of familiarity and timelessness in contemporary naming practices.

Josh

Judd is a strong but sensitive short form that can easily stand on its own, the second 'd' giving it a lot more substance, and it would also be a good middle name choice. Two recent actors have given it credence--Judd Nelson and Judd Hirsch, and now it's most noticeably represented by comedy director Judd Apatow.
 Judd is a fairly prevalent surname, represented by the family of Naomi, Wynonna and Ashley, and the minimalist artist Donald Judd.

Judd

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 13)

1900+ Four Letter Boy Names