By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 124 pages
of 124
Raife is a distinctive masculine name of English origin, representing a modern variation of Ralph. Deriving from Old Norse 'Ráðúlfr,' combining elements meaning 'counsel' and 'wolf,' the name carries…
Arabic
"growth and progress"
Closely associated with French soccer star Zinedine Zidane, who became the manager of Real Madrid after retiring from play. One of the Arabic names for boys with modern rather than Quranic origins.
Irish
"swarthy"
An old Irish surname that was big in the 1960s, but would be an unexpected choice for a child now.
Weslee is a modern spelling variation of Wesley, a masculine name with English origins meaning "western meadow" or "western clearing." This contemporary spelling gives the traditional name a fresh…
Variation of Zane or Zayn
Mayan
"gift of God"
Itzae is an ancient Mayan name showing signs of revival in our modern world.
Variation of Cove, word name
"small bay"
Kove has the beachy feel of Cove, but with a touch of Koa and less of Covid — visually at least. It shot up the charts in 2021 when it more than tripled in popularity, and the following year saw it…
Variation of Rowan or Roland, or English surname
"rowan tree, little redhead; famous land, famous and brave; row"
With the stylish Ro- sound of Rowan, Ronan, and Roman, with the surname style of Brody, Banks, and Brooks, Rowe is a succinct, one syllable name to watch out for. A variation of Rowan or Roland, it…
Color name
Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name. While most famous as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy, more than 60 percent of…
French
"from the fortress"
Simple, usable surname choice.
Word name
Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.
Spelling variation of Casey
Several variations of this name, including Kayce and Casey, had a significant rise in 2022 thanks to the hit show Yellowstone, featuring main character Kayce Dutton. However, Kaycee did not share…
Kayne is a masculine name with multiple possible origins. Most commonly, it's considered a modern variation of Kane or Cain, derived from Celtic languages meaning 'warrior' or from Hebrew meaning…
Stevie is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Stephen or Steven, meaning "crown" or "garland" from Greek origins. While traditionally a nickname, Stevie gained popularity as a…
Pryce is a masculine name with Welsh origins, derived from the name Rhys or Rees, which means 'enthusiasm' or 'ardor.' Initially used primarily as a surname, it evolved into a given name that retains…
One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops.
Tyrese is a modern name that appears to be a variant or elaboration of names beginning with the element 'Tyr-' or 'Ty-'. It may be connected to the Norse god Tyr, who represented law and heroic…
Wayde is a masculine name that represents a variant spelling of Wade, which originated from the Old English word 'wadan' meaning 'to go' or 'to proceed.' Historically, it referred to someone who…
Diminutive of Caleb or surname
This up-and-coming single-syllable name has a few famous bearers, including baseballer Cale Iorg and Canadian hip-hop musician Cale Sampson. Sounding like Kale, this name also has a crunchy, hipster…
Latin clan name
"soft; thresher"
A name that seems to hail from the old Irish neighborhoods of Boston and New York, Terence actually dates back a lot further, to the time of a famous second-century poet, who started life as a North…
