4 Letter Boy Names

This is the kind of strong one-syllable boy's name many parents are seeking these days. The more musical Chord was introduced by hot young actor Chord Overstreet.


Cord

A perennial classic in the Netherlands, short-and-sweet Dirk is starting to feel like a fresher alternative to cousin Derek.

Dirk

Emon

Greg is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Gregory, which comes from the Greek name Gregorios, meaning 'watchful' or 'alert.' While Gregory has been used since early Christian times, Greg gained popularity as a standalone name in the mid-20th century. It reached its peak usage in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. Greg has a friendly, approachable quality with a classic yet casual feel. The name's brevity and straightforward pronunciation have contributed to its enduring appeal across English-speaking countries. Though less commonly given to newborns today than in previous decades, Greg maintains a steady presence and is recognized as both a complete name and a nickname.

Greg

Irie is an upbeat and modern name that originated as a Rastafarian term for "positive and powerful."

Irie

In the Anglophone world, Love is more likely to be perceived and pronounced as an English word name than the Swedish form of Louis, which is pronounced LOO-veh. Nevertheless, Love is a popular name in Sweden, ranking in the Top 100 since the 2000s.
 
In the US, it is currently more popular for girls with almost 270 girls receiving the name compared to 21 boys.

Love

Lyfe

Spelled Najee, this was chosen by rapper LL Cool J for his son several years ago. 

Naji

The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories.
 Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, and Lucius might be a preferable choice if you know anything about ancient Roman history.

Nero

A name used in the Middle East but that could easily work in the US. As a girls' name, Nuri can also be a short form of Nuria. It was chosen by Christy Lefteri for the protagonist of her novel, The Beekeeper of Aleppo which may have familiarized people with the name.

Nuri

Omir is a masculine name with multiple cultural roots, primarily found in Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Eastern European backgrounds. It may be a variant of the Arabic name Omar (meaning 'flourishing' or 'long-lived') or Amir (meaning 'prince' or 'commander'). In some Slavic regions, it could be a variation of names like Omer. The name has a strong, concise sound while maintaining an air of mystery and distinction. Though relatively uncommon in Western countries, Omir has seen modest usage in diverse communities. Its brevity makes it easy to pronounce across different languages, contributing to its international appeal. The name projects qualities of strength, leadership, and dignity, making it a compelling yet accessible choice.

Omir

Poet is a new entry in both the trendy word and occupational categories as well as a member of the growing group of <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">gender neutral names</a>. A handful of baby boys received the name in the US last year. A perfect choice, especially in the middle, for the child of writers or those with a poetic bent. And Po is an adorable nickname for either gender.

Poet

Ryot

With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big Band Era clarinetist/bandleader and one-time Ava Gardner husband Artie Shaw.
 Since Shaw, like all the other names in this book, has never appeared in the Top 1000, a boy given this name could really make it his own.

Shaw

A strong, masculine name hardly heard outside the Hebrew-speaking community.

Adir

Aire is a bygone spelling of "air", now reserved for poetic uses and in Kylie Jenner's case, baby names. Jenner originally announced her son's name to be Wolf, but quickly changed her mind and left the public in the dark. Weeks before his first birthday, she revealed her son's new name to be Aire.
 
Given that he is an air sign, Aquarius, born on 2.2.2022 — considered angel numbers — this skyward, heavenly name is a perfect fit. It also has a meteorological connection to his big sister's name, Stormi.
 
Aire was given to fewer than five babies of either sex the last year counted, although we expect it to make a giant leap a la Stormi's name following her birth. Another factor in its favor: the resonance with the word name Heir, itself a rising choice (and celebrity favorite).

Aire

Popular in Turkey (where it is written as Asil, with the dotted i) but used in Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, India, and beyond, Asil is a unisex Arabic name with a number of different meanings, depending on the etymological root you follow or which source you check. The meaning "noble, aristocratic, royal" is popular for boys, though it may additionally mean "original, purebred, deep-rooted", "evening, night", or "flow, run, stretch".
 
Appearing in the Quran, giving it extra significance for Muslim families, Aseel is used as an alternative spelling.

Asil

Azra

Behr derives from the German word Bär meaning "bear" and is used in various forms as both a given name and a surname. 
 
In Dutch and German, the usual spelling for the given name is Bähr, though Baer was used in the late middle ages as a nickname for someone brave or strong and Behr has been notable borne by Behr Perlhefter, a Jewish scholar and Rabbi.
 
As a surname, it appears as Baer, Behr, and Bhaer (as seen in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women), while diminutive forms Baeril and Baerush are sometimes used by Polish and Russian Jews. 
 
To complicate things just a little more, the name could also have come from ber meaning "boar" in Middle High German or the Middle Dutch word baer, meaning bare and possibly given to people who wore rags.
 
Behr might also sound familiar to those who've done any decorating recently, thanks to the Behr Paint Company.
 
In English, it might be pronounced just like bear or bare, while in German, slightly more emphasis is placed on the final 'R', making it one and a half syllables.

Behr

A streamlined short form of Hebrew Benjamin or the Spanish nickname for Benito and Benigno, this spelling offers a lighter alternative to Bennie or Benny. A multicultural, unisex option, it is also a Japanese name, meaning "crimson, red". It was chosen for just 10 boys and 7 girls in the US in 2024, though this may rise after country singer Lauren Alaina chose it for her baby in 2025. 

Beni

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 34)

1900+ Four Letter Boy Names