Updated October 2026
Across 11 pages
of 11
Phoenician
"Baal protects the King"
This evocative name of one of the Three Wise Men of the Orient, also spelled Balthasar, may finally be ready for prime time. Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar were the Magi who brought gifts of gold,…
English diminutive of Bartholomew
Bates is a fresh version of Bartholomew, and feels more wearable than Bart. Bates could be considered a patriotic choice for American parents - Katharine Lee Bates was an author and professor best…
English word name
"signal light"
A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning.
German
"bear"
Benno is a cool name in its own right -- there was a tenth century Saint Benno -- though it is also used as a lively nickname for Benjamin. Saint Benno of Meissen is the patron saint of anglers and…
Old English
"bee wolf"
This ancient name is that of the hero of the epic Beowulf , which is thought to be the oldest-ever poem in English lit written in the vernacular. J. R. R. Tolkien used the poem as one of his…
Short form of any name that ends in -berto
To the Anglo ear, Beto may not make sense as a short form of Gilberto, Roberto, or Alberto. But it is, and the o-ending makes is friendly, sleek, and modern.
"great happiness"
Bliss might once have seemed a far-out choice, but it has been on the rise for girls in recent years, alongside similar options such as Dream, Heaven, Halo, and Blessing. Associated with a state of…
Irish
"descendant of the victorious one"
From the Irish surname Ó Buadhachanáin, which has at its core buadhach , "victorious". It has appeared in the US charts since 2014, probably in honor of the disco music pioneer Hamilton Bohannon, who…
If you like the idea of King and Prince but find them too regal, too royalist, this might be the name for you. Eight boys were called Boss in a recent year, and while it may feel like a totally…
Word name, various origins
This is an Anglicized form of various names; the Irish Gaelic O Bruic; German, Bruck or Breck, meaning "swamp" or "wood"; Yiddish, Brik, "bridge"; and Slovenian, Bric, "dweller from a hilly place."…
Modern nickname
Brother for Biff and Bud. McFly rocker Tom Fletcher transformed this from midcentury short form to modern cool name when he used it for his newborn son.
Indian
"the God tree"
This evocative name of a dramatic tropical Indian fig tree is ready to move west.
Scottish
"slope of a hill"
A Scottish word name and a short form of Brayden, Brae has a gentle but solid feel to it. However, a 'bray' is also the sound a donkey makes.
Word name
"bridge"
A new name with the potential for spanning across a far-reaching future. Bridges and Bridger are other possiblities.
English variation of Barnabas, Aramaic
"son of consolation"
Barnaby, a genial and energetic name with an Irish-sounding three-syllable lilt, is an ancient appellation that manages to be both unusual and highly attractive and deserves to be used more than it…
British surname
"homestead at a hollow"
Bingham is the unusual surname name chosen by Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy for their son. It was Bellamy's mother's maiden name, and the nickname Bing, coincidentally, belongs to almost-stepfather…
Tree name
Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree. The best known bearer of the name is former high-ranking Democratic Senator…
Dutch
"gatekeeper"
This upbeat, friendly surname name has appeared on television's Battlestar Galactica a handful of cartoons, and on a literary note, a character in Herman Melville's Moby Dick . Sports fans might…
"son of Breasal"
An Irish surname choice that could very well make its way into first name territory, though its father name Breasal is virtually unknown in the US.
Modern invented name
If you're tired of Kevin and Devin, you might consider the newly coined Brevin.