By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 273 pages
of 273
Diminutive of Oliver, Latin
"olive tree"
Ollie is the versatile go-to nickname for the hugely popular Oliver, though the large majority of parents prefer to have the more formal name on the birth certificate. Even in the UK where nickname…
Sanskrit
"sage"
A number of stylish Indian names are making their way to the US mainstream, including wise Rishi. In Hindu mythology, the Rishis are sages and seers; in modern times, Rishi Rich is a popular…
English
"son of Nicholas"
A fresher spin on Jaxon, with built-in cool nickname Nix, and a great way to honor an ancestral Nick. But the association with disgraced former president Richard Nixon remains strong, which might…
Animal name or Basque
"beautiful"
An eider is a sea duck whose feathers make ultra-soft eiderdown. Eider is also one of the fastest-rising boys' names that's still under the radar, increasing more than a thousand places in popularity…
English, diminutive of William
"resolute protection"
Cute kid with freckles, bouncing a Spalding ball. Cool couple Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton put the name Billy Burton on their son's birth certificate. While the classic William, name of the…
Arabic, Urdu
"similar, counterpart; herald, warning; beautiful, radiant"
A strong, evergreen Muslim choice, also spelled Nazeer, this name has several possible meanings. Some sources suggest it comes from the word naziruh meaning "counterpart", while others interpret it…
Arabic
"Yahweh is God"
Common Arabic version of Elijah. The Ilyes spelling is a Top 100 name in France.
Persian, Arabic, Irish
"king, royalty; universe, cosmos; essence, being; ancient"
Kiyan is a cross-cultural choice with a familiar and approachable sound. It has its roots in Persian where it means "king, "royalty" or "high status", though it may also be interpreted as coming from…
Nickname name
Upbeat nickname-name that can't help but make you smile, along with its soundalike Sonny. Sunny Pawar, the five-year-old star of the 2016 smash-hit movie Lion , was cast from among thousands of young…
English and Irish
"someone who lives near marshland"
Short and sharp with a nature related meaning, Vance was trending upwards in recent years thanks to the musicians Foy Vance and Vance Joy. 2024 saw it take a downwards dip however, likely due to its…
Japanese
"love, affection + good, virtuous"
A succinct and stylish Japanese name with an appealing and powerful meaning, Aizen can be interpreted as translating to "love and goodness", "lover of good", or "one whose good deeds come from love"…
"noble, generous"
Kareem is the more popular form in the US, thanks to basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but Karim is right on his heels after being among the fastest-rising names of 2022. French soccer player…
Diminutive of Lawrence, English from Latin
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Your friendly next-door neighbor...not your baby. Although Larry was once one of the most popular boys' names starting with L , that title now belongs to Liam.
Diminutive of Randall, Randolph
Ever since Austin Powers enlightened Americans that "randy" meant "horny," it's been hard to take this name seriously, and Randy has declined in popularity since.
"righteous, right-handed, blessed, lucky"
Handsome Arabic name that is well-used internationally. Ayman is a Top 500 name in the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, and a Top 100 name in Spain. It could very easily be borne by an…
Diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Bobby is the quintessential mid-century nickname, the name of the son on Mad Men and overused to the point of cliche. Though Robert is still a highly popular choice, most Roberts today are called by…
"pole star; fixed, immovable"
Dhruv is a legendary king and devotee of Vishnu.
Arabic, Sanskrit, Azerbaijani, Hebrew
"merchant; woods, grove; variant of Canaa; low, humble"
Kanan is multicultural name with a number of different origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well. A Top 50 choice in Azerbaijan, Kanan also made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in…
English word name
"a sacred song or hymn"
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian added this new word name to the lexicon when they chose it for their second son and fourth child in 2019. It is now 7 times more popular than it was then, given to 120…
Diminutive of Terence or Thierry, English
"soft; thresher; ruler of the people"
One of the first breakaway unisex baby names , Terry, used independently since the days of Terry and the Pirates. Popular in the mid-20th-century, it has fallen out of favor in recent years, replaced…
