By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 273 pages
of 273
English from French
"dweller by a pool"
While it may sound a little dated, Lamar is a name that has never been outside the US Top 1000, but it is in danger of falling off the list. Lamar Odom is a retired professional basketball player.
Irish
"spear"
This Anglicized form of Bearach or short form of Finbarr was in the Top 200 in the USA for 50 years until the early 80s when it rapidly fell out of favor. Barry has not yet found popularity in the…
French variation of Maximus
"greatest"
Although often connected to the men's magazine title, Maxim is a chic and powerful name for a little boy. It's proving moderately popular too, having been in the Top 1000 in the US since the year…
Compound name, blending Tyler and Amir
"maker of tiles + prince, treetop"
A portmanteau name that freshens up 90's favorite Tyler by blending it with the multicultural, currently stylish Amir. A modern way to honor a Tyler or a Tim, Tymir is an invented name that looks…
Variation of Darrell, French
"dear one, beloved"
Darrell and all its variations was a trendy name in the 1950s and 1960s, an update on David and Daniel that began to fall out of favor by the 1970s and fell out of the Top 1000 completely at the turn…
West African
"kingly"
Though used quite often for babies of both sexes, Khari, meaning "kingly," was traditionally a boys' name. Musical couple Fetty Wop and Masika Kalysha, however, named their daughter Khari.
Arabic
"settler"
Adnan in the Muslim religion was an ancestor of Muhammad. More recently, the name was introduced to many Westerners via Adnan Syed, the young man at the center of the sensational Serial podcast.
Scottish surname
"son of Adam"
Scottish names that started as surnames are a class unto themselves. This old Scottish surname name debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016 -- bolstered, no doubt, by the extreme popularity of Easton,…
Diminutive of Montague or Montgomery, variation of Monte, English, Spanish
"mountain"
Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own in the US. But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname…
French, diminutive of Chevalier
"horseman, knight"
Eternally tied to the surname Chase, via the old English battle and ballad, the DC suburb, and the goofy SNL pratfaller (who was born Cornelius). It entered the US Top 1000 in 2014.
Welsh
"gray"
This Welsh surname was taken up as a first in the English-speaking world in the early twentieth century, originally as a nickname for someone gray-haired. The original Welsh nickname was Llwyd,…
German surname
"renowned spear"
Ruger is a German surname most famous as a gun name, which explains its popularity as a baby name in the US. If Cannon, Gunner, and Pistol are your type of name, you might like Ruger -- but we're not…
English; Hebrew
"universal; truth"
Honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, Emmet is a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, but the more common spelling is Emmett. Emmet dropped off the US Top 1000 in 1934 and reentered…
Variation of Kyson
"son of Kyle"
A variation of Kyson, Kaison, Kayson and co., Kysen combines the stylish 'Ky' sound with a slightly softer looking -en ending. While a number of its sound-alikes rank in the US Top 1000, Kysen has…
Portuguese, Swedish, and Hawaiian variation of Paul
Paulo suffers in comparison to the richer and more authentic-sounding Paolo.
Variation of Rylan
Rylen is the more-unusual spelling variation of Rylan and the even more popular Ryland. It also takes a cue from the long-trendy surname-name Riley and adds the newly-trendy n ending.
French, word name
"Swedish"
In the nineties there was a "One Life to Live" soap opera character named Suede, but few fans picked up on it. Now however, parents may be reconsidering Suede, given its similarity in sound to Sage,…
Kacen is a modern masculine name with several possible origins. It may be a contemporary spelling variation of Cason or Kasen, which themselves derive from English surnames. Alternatively, it could…
Persian or Arabic
"long night; era"
A common name in the Muslim community, where it may be a Persian name or a variation of Ayan, a name with a timely meaning.
English word name
"pseudonym"
We think, probably, most parents who name their sons Alias are using it as a variation of Elias.
