By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 187 pages
of 187
Latin
"strength, health"
A dashing, dramatic and romantic Italian surname, associated with early movie heartthrob Rudolph, and later with Italian fashion designer Valentino (Garavani). Also the name of an early Roman saint,…
Greek mythology name
"destroyer; strength; father's light"
With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, and melodic option. Similar in style to Atlas and…
Norse nickname
"to live"
A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".
Spanish; Portuguese variation of Peter, Greek
"rock, stone"
Pedro is one of the most familiar Spanish names for boys , via baseball star Pedro Rodriguez and many others. Like its Anglo equivalent Peter, Pedro is not as popular as it once was. But it's among…
Italian from German
"rest; rook, crow; roar"
Cool and edgy meets sunny and beachy with this charming Italian option that might be more timeless than you think. Borne by St. Rocco, the 14th-century patron of the sick, known for helping those…
Spanish and Portuguese variation of Roderick
"famous ruler"
Rhythmically appealing international spin on the stiff original.
Italian variation of Alexander
"defending men"
For anyone seeking a more unusual version of Alexander, this is a real winner. Notable namesakes include the great Italian opera composer Scarlatti and the influential physicist Alessandro Volta,…
Italian diminutive of Alphonso
"noble, ready"
Alonzo is dashing and debonair, with a large measure of Latin flair. You may be surprised to know that Alonzo has been on the Most Popular list since 1880, when such records began to be kept, at…
Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river; place of the cherry blossoms"
Rio is a reductive ranchero place-name with an attractive Tex-Mex lilt. No Doubt's Tom Dumont has a son named Rio Atticus. Also a South American place name, and associated with the Rio Grande, it's…
Italian and Spanish variation of Elisha
"God is my salvation"
This Latinate name would have no problem fitting into an American classroom. It has made frequent appearances in the US Top 1000 over the last several decades. Borne by several Spanish saints, it…
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Herman, German
"soldier"
Armando takes the flat-footed Herman and makes it romantic. This is another of the Latin names we expect to be seeing more of.
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Robert, English from German
"bright fame"
Standard Latin classic that brings some flair to the basic boy name Robert. Nearly 4000 baby boys are still named Robert in the US each year, many of them undoubtedly named for a father or…
Spanish variation of Maximus, Latin
"greatest"
With the ubiquitous Max heard at every playground across the US, international versions have been gaining traction in an attempt to provide a fresh avenue to the highly sought nickname. This Spanish…
Spanish
"young ceremonial attendant"
The increasing popularity of Camila may have pushed this underrated Spanish name into the Top 1000 — though it remains far less popular than its feminine counterpart. A perfect familiar-but-rare…
Variation of Cairo, modern invention
"the conqueror"
Kyro is an even more modern twist on the stylish place name, Cairo. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 and has been rising quickly ever since. Less popular than Kairo and Cairo, Kyro is nevertheless…
Latinate variation of Gustav
Well used in the Latino and Italian-American communities.
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish variation of Arthur that makes the original feel more romantic and dashing.
Japanese
"strong and healthy"
Kenzo is a common Japanese name with several creative bearers: the single-named fashion designer, prizewinning architect Kenzo Takada, and painter Kenzo Okada, which makes it internationally…
Spanish variation of Julius
"youthful: downy-bearded; sky father"
What with Paul Simon's classic lyric about Julio down by the schoolyard and several distinguished bearers, this livelier Spanish version of Julius is completely familiar to the non-Hispanic community…
Spanish variation of Maurice
"dark-skinned"
This Spanish version of Maurice has been on the US charts since the 60s. Mauricio peaked in the early 2000s, getting as high as #353 before falling again. With lively, "-o" ending names getting the…
