Updated October 2026
Across 11 pages
of 11
Word name
Wildly optimistic -- and unrealistic -- choice.
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.
Not even for Brandy's twin brother.
Irish
"bee"
An Anglicized derivative of the Gaelic name Beatha, meaning "life," best known as the surname of Irish playwright Brendan Behan.
English and French
"bow-maker, cattle herder"
Two completely different images come from its national pronunciations -- BOY-err or boy-AY -- the latter giving it an effete French accent.
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.
English
"well where the gorse grows; bramble well"
An unexpected route to nicknames Bram or Wells, this English surname derives from a historical hamlet in England, whose exact location has been lost to time. It comes from the Old English word for…
irish
"little raven"
Branigan, also spelled Branagan or Brannigan, is an Irish name full of energy and cheer. It was the title of a 1975 John Wayne movie, and Zapp Brannigan is the antihero of the animated sitcom…
"firebrand, sword"
Rugged and straightforward brand-new name, though you might not like the idea of branding your son.
"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…
Modern invented name
Jason with a Br.
Spanish from German
"glowing"
Bráulio was a medieval bishop and saint whose name has an energetic, modern quality.
Italian word name
One way to encourage some cheers for your little one, but not recommended.
Nature name
A slow and sultry southern choice that's definitely cool for babies of either gender.
"freckled, speckled"
This Irish name of a saint from the Isle of Aran also appears in myth and fantasy fiction, giving it an intriguing, mystical air. Some modern parents are attempting to update the spelling, as in the…
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…
Italian
"vivacity, zest"
Musical term with a lot of energy.
Bristow is a distinctive masculine name with English origins, derived from an Old English surname and place name meaning 'place by the bridge.' With its strong consonant sounds and crisp ending,…
Scandinavian
"brother"
One of the more unfamiliar Nordic choices, a perfect set-up for the nickname Brody.
Latin
"heavy, dull"
Brutus is the quintessential brute--far too close to the word brutal. And any child with this name would spend much of his life hearing "Et tu." Originally an old Roman family name, borne by Marcus…