By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 273 pages
of 273
Word name, Variation of Dream
This phonetic spelling of the Kardashian baby name Dream surprised many by being one of the fastest-rising girl names of 2022. Both Dream and Jream were still only given to under 100 boys the same…
Diminutive of Nicholas
"victory of the people"
Nico is a fun and lively nickname, full of charm, and suitable both as a full name and a short form. Nikko is a unique spelling that currently sits just outside of the US Top 1000. American rapper…
Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese variation of Lucius
"light"
About 100 baby boys were named Lucio in the US last year, a number we expect to increase with the growing popularity of all names in the Lu family. It's a family united by sound, with three main…
Meaning unknown
When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. The name Elvis is…
Arabic
"support, sturdy, wall"
A name with aspirations towards strength, solidity, and caring, Sanad has more than doubled in use since 2020 in the US. Given to around 120 boys in a recent year, Sanad is also used to refer to a…
Avyan is a modern masculine name with possible Sanskrit or Indian origins. It may be derived from Sanskrit roots such as "avya" meaning "protection" or "shelter." Alternatively, it could be a…
Latin
"aristocratic"
With parents beginning to show an interest in virtue names for boys, this Puritan favorite just might be revived, for what could be more admirable than nobility in terms of having strength of…
Hindi, Sanskrit
"sovereign, excellence, splendor"
Viraj is a Sanskrit name and a modern form of Viraja, a mythical being in Hindu mythology associated with creation, having been produced by Brahma (the supreme director and creator of the universe).…
Diminutive of Benjamin
Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname
Spelling variation of Shiloh
"tranquil"
In its original form, Shiloh is a soft unisex name, with connections to both the Bible and American history. While it is often associated with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter, born in 2006,…
English
"the flooder"
This strong single-syllable boys’ name has been finding favor with parents since the fifties, though it's been slipping in recent years; it fell out of the Top 500 for the first time since 1959 in…
Irish, Spanish, French
"little chief, little hill, mound; holding fast; bull"
Though it has a Scandinavian ring (a la Thorfinn), Torin is in fact a multicultural choice, an occasional feature in the UK Top 1000, and given to around 150 boys in the US each year. Connected to…
Word name, English
"a place of safety"
Like Harbor, one of the new generation of word names with appealing meanings, though (female) memoirist Haven Kimmel has tipped it decidedly toward the girls' side. There are now more than ten female…
Variation of Lennox, Scottish
"elm grove"
Lennox is one of the hottest unisex names of recent years, and this spelling retains the appealing surname vibe and cool -x ending. This form does distance the name slightly from the literary and…
Short form of Vincent, Latin
"conquering"
Vince is not a short form that often stands alone on the birth certificate, the way Jack or even Joe does, but it has certain credibility as the name always used for football great Vince Lombardi.…
Bohdi is a masculine name that represents a variation of the more traditional spelling 'Bodhi.' The name comes from Sanskrit origins meaning 'awakening' or 'enlightenment' and is significant in…
English word name
"a lord of the realm"
If you're going to choose a noble word name, why not aim higher and pick Duke, Prince...or King. The Donald Trumps picked the Barron spelling for their little princeling.
Variation of Congo Zaire, variation of Hebrew Jair, "the river that swallows all rivers; to shine"
"the river that swallows all rivers; to shine"
Inspired by the rise of the African place name, Jaire is a recently new creation. The original form derives from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", and is currently a Top 500…
German, Norwegian, and Slovenian variation of Jacob, Hebrew variation of James
"supplanter"
After cracking the US Top 200 in the early 2000s, fueled by Jacob's rise, this name has been losing steam in recent years. But Jakob is the top form of the name in many other countries, cultures, and…
"dweller near a pear tree"
It's a long time now since this casual but suave name was linked to velvet-throated, cardigan-sweatered singer Perry (born Pierino, son of Pietro) Como's day... and this could be the moment for a…
