Updated October 2026
Across 20 pages
of 20
Irish
"small, fair one"
If you like the Irish surname feel, there are loads of more congenial options.
English and Scottish
"where birches grow"
Americans may not realize Barclay is the phonetic spelling of the British Berkeley -- though both sound like old-fashioned butler names.
Short form of Bardolph or Aboriginal
"water"
Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo , which refers to the Tibetan…
Bardon is a masculine name likely derived from an English surname, which itself originated from place names combining the Old English elements 'bere' (barley) and 'dun' (hill), meaning 'barley hill.'…
English
"grower or seller of barley"
A bit too bad-boy (think bars, beer, Harley) for us, as well as being the name of a grain.
"place cleared by burning"
Has some creative credibility via abstract painter Barnett Newman, but we'd prefer his nickname, Barney.
French form of Bartholomew
While Barthelemy does not garner much attention these days, it has a storied history in French-speaking countries. Notable bearers include geologist and explorer Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond,…
Barolo is a masculine name with Italian origins, derived from the renowned wine-producing region in northern Italy. This distinguished name carries connotations of sophistication, tradition, and…
Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and Sebastian
"person from the city of Sebastia"
Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is…
Nature name
A slow and sultry southern choice that's definitely cool for babies of either gender.
"little man"
This more user-friendly Anglicized form of Beacan, could profit from its kinship with the popular Beckett--with which it could share the nickname Beck. Becan is an Irish saint's name, attached to the…
Nature name, English word name
"a shore of a body of water"
With the tide coming in on a new wave of word names, this one just might catch on, especially for parents who relish sun, sand, and surf. Forest lovers can spell it Beech, like the tree.
"bee"
An Anglicized derivative of the Gaelic name Beatha, meaning "life," best known as the surname of Irish playwright Brendan Behan.
Czech
"white"
Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.
Hebrew
"son of my sorrow"
What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.
"in envy"
Unusual biblical name that may be too close in sound to the feminine Mariah.
Beltrano is a masculine name with Portuguese and Italian roots, traditionally used as a placeholder name similar to "John Doe" in English-speaking countries. The name comes from the phrase "fulano,…
Word name
A name best for pets.
Modern nickname
Bix is a cool and jazzy nickname name, thanks to that final x. It's largely associated with the legendary and influential cornet player (and inspiration for the novel Young Man With a Horn ), Bix…
English surname
"dark wood or clearing"
Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, taking the 80s unisex darling Blake into the new millennium.