By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 197 pages
of 197
Arabic
"the one who brings good news"
Used both as a given name and as a surname, Bashir is a familiar but still unusual choice in the USA and UK, even among Muslim families. In 2014, only 25 boys were named Bashir in the US. One reason…
English
"one who lives near a grove of trees"
Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look, similar in…
Indian, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Sikh
"powerful"
An Indian boy's name with a powerful meaning.
Jr (often spelled out as Junior) is a traditionally masculine name or designation that originated as a way to distinguish a son who shares the exact same name as his father. Rather than being a…
Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian variation of Lazarus, Latin from Greek
"God is my helper"
With Lazarus heating up, this slimmer Eastern European form will likely see an uptick in use.
Olliver is a variant spelling of the more common Oliver, which derives from the Old French name Olivier, introduced to England by the Normans. The name has Germanic origins meaning 'elf army' or…
Romir is a masculine name with roots in multiple cultures. In Indian origins, it can be derived from Sanskrit elements meaning "beautiful ocean" or "peaceful ocean." In Slavic contexts, it may…
Arabic, Persian
"leader, commander, rule"
A confident and powerful feeling name with its roots in Arabic and Persian. It is associated with leadership, and occasionally, the army.
Zaheer is a masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "supporter," "helper," or "one who shines brightly." Popular in Muslim communities worldwide, particularly in South Asian countries like Pakistan…
Hebrew, modern invention
"music for God; beauty; heart, mind"
Zamar is an ancient Hebrew name with a musical meaning, but it might also be used as a modern variation of the Arabic names Jamal or Zamir. along the lines of Jamar or Zamari.
Zyhir is a modern masculine name with uncertain origins, possibly a creative variant of similar-sounding names like Zahir (Arabic for 'visible, evident') or Zephyr (Greek for 'west wind'). The unique…
Amer is a masculine name with diverse cultural roots. In Arabic contexts, it means "prosperous" or "long-lived" and has been used for centuries throughout the Middle East and North Africa. In Slavic…
French
"love"
The French word for "love" translates nicely into a baby name for a child of either sex.
"chief secretary"
Of the names derived from titles, this is one of the least obvious (unless you are of German extraction). Chancellor also has the attraction of offering the exciting - and very on-trend - nickname…
