By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 197 pages
of 197
German
"rich"
As a stylish name, Ryker has three big things going for it: its Ry beginning (as in Riley, Ryder, and Rylan), its two-syllable rhythm, and its er ending. A nice surprise for many is it's "rich"…
Greek
"rock, stone"
Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah,…
Latin
"conqueror"
Victor is one of the earliest Christian names, borne (as Vittorio) by several saints and popes, symbolizing Christ's victory over death. It has been quietly in the Top 200 since 1880, but just…
English occupational surname
One of the most appealing of the newly hip occupational names, evoking sweet smells emanating from the oven. Much fresher sounding than than others that have been around for a while, like Cooper, and…
English occupational name
"maker of tiles"
The presidential Tyler rocketed up popularity charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s (it ranked Number 9 for that entire decade), along with cousin Taylor, becoming almost pandemic across the…
English or Irish
"God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"
Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing. In the nineties and the…
"army ruler"
Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a…
Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
"defending men"
Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, the Latin variation of the Greek Alexandros. Its meaning, "defending men," is taken from the Greek roots aléxein , "to defend," and andros , "men." Zander,…
Arabic, Hebrew
"flourishing, thriving; eloquent"
A multicultural choice with an appealing open O sound, Omar blends stately strength with familiarity. Also transcribed as Umar, it is a popular choice among Muslim families and features in the name…
Spelling variation of Carter
"transporter of goods by cart"
Lovers of the name Carter and the Kardashians method of baby naming have popularized this choice, one of many boys' names starting with K that began life as boys' names starting with C . Karter has…
Spanish variation of Xavier, Basque
"new house"
One of the most popular Spanish names for boys in the US, Javier is embodied for many Americans in the magnetic persona of Spanish-born Oscar-nominated actor Javier Bardem. While off its peak in the…
English
"house steward, dispenser of provisions"
Spencer is a name that has everything: it's both distinguished sounding and accessible, dignified but Spencer Tracy-like friendly. Picked by several celebrities (a couple of times even for a girl),…
"grinder of grain"
Miller is an up-and-coming choice in the stylish occupational genre, among the fastest-rising names for both boys and girls in the US in 2023. Miller is also among the most common last names in the…
"head of hair"
Cesar is the sleeker version of Caesar, as in emperor Julius, used in the US most frequently by Hispanic parents who put the emphasis on the second syllable. With ancient Roman names back in vogue,…
"one who delivers goods"
Baylor's 2014 ascension to the US Top 1000 for boys is probably thanks to its fashionable two-syllable, r-ending, occupational surname feel. Think of it as Taylor with a twist. Baylor is also the…
Basque
"visitation"
Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer…
Diminutive of Alexander
On the rise as an independent name: Zander and Xander are both widely used can increasingly be found as characters in movies and on TV.
Dutch
"victory of the people"
Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to…
"holding fast"
Previously used primarily by Latino families, this name of the great hero of the Trojan War is beginning to be considered more seriously by others seeking noble ancient hero names as well. Currently…
Surname or word name
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.…
