By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 127 pages
of 127
River name, color name, or variation of Niall, Irish
"champion"
Water names are a cool category these days, and this one of the famous Egyptian river is no exception. It streamlines the fussier Niles and also may be thought of as a color name, meaning dark blue…
Swedish, Norwegian, English
"ancestor, to inherit, legacy; from the low-lying land"
Distinctive yet familiar, Olin is both a Scandinavian name and an English surname. Currently a rare choice, yet reminiscent of popular options, like Oliver, Orion, and Colin. Following its…
Ayub is a masculine name with rich historical and cultural significance across multiple traditions. It is the Arabic and Persian form of Job, the biblical figure known for his patience and faith…
Eesa is a masculine name of Arabic origin, representing the Arabic form of Jesus (Isa in the Quran). The name carries significant religious importance in Islam, where Jesus is revered as an important…
Norse mythological name
"lock"
Loki is the shape-shifting, gender-bending god of mischief in Norse mythology. Taking several animal forms, from a salmon to a seal to a fly, Loki is alternately friend and foe of the gods.
Variation of Oren or Oran, Hebrew, Irish, Scottish
"laurel, light, song, little green one"
Orin is one of a variety of similarly-spelled names that have a soft and sensitive image. The Orrin spelling has been known nationally via Republican Senator Hatch. Orin is the name of a character in…
Hindi or Japanese
"holy or difference"
Sai is a name used in India to honor Shirdi Sai Baba, a spiritual master revered by both Hindus and Muslims. As a Japanese name, it's featured in the Naruto universe, now given to dozens of baby boys…
English, diminutive of Coburn or Jacob or Jacoby
Actor Coby Bell gives this short but sweet name a hefty amount of street cred. Can also be spelled Koby or Kobe, as in Kobe Bryant.
Klay is a masculine name that represents a modern variant spelling of Clay. The traditional Clay derives from the English surname referring to someone who worked with clay or lived on clay-rich soil.…
Arabic
"support; reinforcement"
In the Quran, Eyad (and names with similar roots like Iyad and Ayad) refers to a person/entity that strengthens another. Eyad is one of the modern Arabic names for boys .
Scandinavian from Latin Laurentius
"crowned with laurel"
Lars is a perfect candidate for a cross-cultural passport: it has been heard often enough here to sound familiar and friendly, yet retains the charisma of a charming foreigner. In this country Lars…
Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German
" traveling wolf"
Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…
Xylo is a distinctive masculine name with Greek origins, derived from 'xylon' meaning 'wood.' This uncommon name has connections to musical terminology, as 'xylo' is the prefix in 'xylophone,' the…
Diminutive of Huckleberry, word name
Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.
Irish
"champion or cloud"
Always the less common spelling of Irish classic Neil, Neal has been on a fifty-year slide, and now doesn't even make the Top 1000. It has a streamlined, surnamey appeal in this spelling.
Modern invention
"wood"
A contemporary, on-trend sounding choice, Zylo feels like a mash up of Milo and Zion, with a hint of Zander and Sylas thrown in. Given to 51 boys in the US in a recent year, Zylo is likely an…
Asad is an Arabic name meaning "lion," symbolizing strength, courage, and nobility. It has been used throughout the Muslim world for centuries and carries significant cultural importance. In Islamic…
English
"son of the unspoiled forests"
Has that blunt masculine feel -- à la Cole and Kyle -- that many modern parents are drawn to.
Japanese
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"
While Rumi has received attention in the contemporary US as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's young daughter, it's most famously the name of a (male)13th century Muslim mystic and poet. The most famous…
Diminutive of Frederick or Alfred, German or English
"peaceful ruler or wise counselor"
Where have all the Freds gone? We haven't seen many since the days of Flintstone and Munster. But it could be time for a comeback--if you think more of the sophistication of Fred Astaire, and of…
