Updated October 2026
Across 65 pages
of 65
English and Irish
"son of Piers"
The spelling Pearce softens the name's sharper edges, though we prefer the original Piers. That "pear" snippet could confuse pronunciation, which is just like Pierce.
English place-name and surname
A rarely-used place name (probably because of the last three letters), Essex was the ancient kingdom of the East Saxons and is now a county in England. The singer David Essex used it as his stage…
Welsh, variation of Evan
"gift of God"
Yet another offshoot of the original John, also sometimes used as Jevan or Yevan.
Word name
Poet is a new entry in both the trendy word and occupational categories as well as a member of the growing group of gender neutral names . A handful of baby boys received the name in the US last…
English
"red ford"
An unusual surname-style choice with a strong meaning and potential for nicknames Ford and Red. Associated with the actor Robert Redford, it was also used for a one of the main characters in the 2019…
"dweller by the wood"
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…
"place on a ledge or bank"
We're not too surprised that Shelton Lee changed his name to Spike.
Scottish variation of Thomas
"twin"
This Scottish form of Thomas has a lot of charm, evoking images of men in plaid kilts playing the bagpipes. As for the 'ish' ending, it could either be seen as cozy and hamish, or a little…
Welsh
"king"
Emyr is a name that is well-known in Wales, but little heard outside of it. There are several well-known Emyrs, from the famed Welsh novelist and poet Emyr Humphries to footballer Emyr Huws.…
Welsh, from Latin Maximus
"greatest"
Also spelled Macsen, this ancient name manages to sound modern and cool. An heroic namesake was Maxen Wledig, a fourth century Spanish-born general who led the Roman army out of Britain, and as…
"shield-wolf"
Randolph is a timeworn classic that had its last hurrah in the 1940s, when Randolph (born George) Scott was starring in westerns, but then was probably done in by its tricky nickname Randy (which,…
English, a contraction of Wilkins
Try Abraham or Lincoln instead.
English, contraction of Dennison
This could be a possible replacement for the overused Tyson, though it has something of a commercial feel related to the brand of vacuum cleaners.
Scottish and Irish
"man of force"
In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite. As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic…
English occupational name
"shearer of woolen cloth"
Not quite as over-the-hill as Herman, but not far behind either.
English word name
This shimmery Age of Aquarius unisex flower child name is making a comeback, along with metal and gem names like Steel, Jade, and Ruby.
Scottish
"bard, poet"
If you like the idea of Tadhg but don't feel like the spelling works where you are, Teague might work as an alternative. It could also fit the bill if you're seeking a unique single-syllable first or…
English, diminutive of William
"resolute protection"
Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names.
"dweller at the farm by the stream"
This British last-name-first-name could make a more masculine alternative to Shelby.
"son of Matthew"
Madison was at one time a strictly boys' presidential name, reaching as high as Number 311 at the end of the nineteenth century. That all changed in 1985 when it entered the girls' list, zooming up…