Five Letter Boy Names
Across 273 pages
of 273
Moses
Egyptian
"delivered from the water"
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's choice of this white-bearded Old Testament name helped bring it into the modern age, along with brethren Elijah, Isaiah and Isaac. User-friendly nicknames include…
Tripp
Word name
The extra p makes Tripp more of a name and less of a Trip. Usually a nickname of a boy who's a third, but Tripp is sure to get more attention in its own right now as the name of Sarah Palin's…
Ridge
English word name
"an elevated body part or structure"
Ridge may be the quintessential daytime drama name, but it's still better than most. This is one word name rising rapidly through the ranks, reentering the US Top 1000 in 2015 for the first time…
Tyson
English
"firebrand"
As parents were finding too many Tylers at the neighborhood playground, they began looking to Tyson as an alternative, no longer concerned with possible connections to Mike Tyson or Tyson chicken.
Scott
English
"from Scotland"
A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.
Bruce
Scottish, English, French
"from the brushwood thicket"
Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…
Eiden
Gaelic
"little fire"
One of many Aidan variations — all stemming from the original Gaelic Aodhán — Eiden was the third fastest-rising boy name of 2023 and a new entry to the US Top 1000. Interestingly, despite this…
Hamza
Arabic
"lion or strong"
Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza.
Akari
Japanese
"light+ village; vermillion + white jasmine"
Akari took the spot as most popular name in Japan back in 2018 and while it's no longer in top place, it does remain familiar — for girls, that is. Meaning "bright, light village" or "vermillion +…
Devin
Irish
"poet"
Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the…
Ariel
Hebrew
"lion of God"
Despite its distinguished pedigree and popularity in Israel, Disney's Little Mermaid cartoonized Ariel in the US, at least in some people's minds. But it was used for a male character in…
Zakai
Variation of Zaccai, Hebrew
"pure"
Zakai bears a lot of resemblance to the ancient Hebrew name Zaccai, but many modern parents are using it as an elaboration of the popular name Kai, blending it with Zack. Jakai and Makai are other…
Rocky
English, Italian
"rock; rest; rook"
A popular choice back in the 50s and 70s, Rocky fell into decline after Sylvester Stallone's battered but not beaten boxer character became the overwhelming association many had with the name. Now,…
Jakai
Modern invention,"supplanter; sea; warrior"
"supplanter; sea; warrior"
Jakai is a cool modern invention, inspired by other -kai names such as Makai and Zakai. Add to this the popular prefix "ja", and it also feels connected to classic nickname Jack, the international…
Johan
Scandinavian and Dutch variation of John
"God is gracious"
With Old European vibes, Johan is a variant of the classic John, similar to the Latin, Hebrew, and Germanic forms, Iohannes, Yohanan, and Johannes. Conjuring up the image of the classical composer…
Jamie
Diminutive of James
"supplanter"
The cool form of James in the 1970s and '80s for both sexes. Still a more stylish short form than Jimmy, though many parents will want to call James by his entire, not-very-long name. In the UK, and…
Allen
English and Scottish
"handsome, cheerful"
Allen is the spelling of this name -- other common spellings are Alan and Allan -- most associated with the surname; it might also be the most appropriate if you're trying to steer clear of Al as a…
Kylan
Modern invented name
"Kyle's land; little Kyle"
A new-style name based on Kyle and a cousin of Dylan, in spelling if not sound or image. Currently in the US Top 600, it is given to more than 500 boys each year. While its invented status means it's…
Kyren
Persian, Irish
"king, ruler; little dark one"
With its cool, modern sound, Kyren is one of the fastest-rising boy names. It was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2023 and climbed over 130 spots in 2024. It appeals thanks to its short form Ky, its…
Eliel
Hebrew
"my God is God"
This Old Testament name fits in with a number of contemporary trends: boys names ending in -el , unusual Biblical choices, names with international flair, Eli- names, and softer sounding choices for…