An energetic Japanese name that would make for an on-trend choice in the English-speaking world. Especially appropriate for a first-born son.

A familiar Scandinavian surname — typically spelled Christofferson in Denmark — via actor and singer Kris Kristofferson.

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be associated with fish eggs or a small breed of reddish deer.

Judson remained in the US Top 1000 every year until it dropped off in 1987. In 2014, the named rejoined the list. With Hudson gaining in popularity, Judson—a possible alternative to Justin—could follow its path.

At first glance, Alson appears to be a streamlined version of Alison, however, the names are unrelated. Alison is a variation of Alice, not derived from a surname, while Alson would have originally been bestowed upon sons of men named Allen, Alexander, or the like.

Author Colson Whitehead put his name on the map, and now variations such as Colsen and Colsyn are shooting up along with it. With its cowboy style, Colsen was one of the fastest rising boy names of 2024, when it was given to 442 boys — more than four times the number of babies who were given it previous year.

Author Colson Whitehead introduced this surname-name to the lexicon, perfect for a son or grandson of a Nicholas, a Nicole, or a Colin. Or anyone else who likes the sound for that matter, since there are plenty of Jacksons and Harrisons whose parents are not called Jack or Harry.

This surname name fits in with current favorites like Hudson, but is much less common as a given name. It's widely familiar thanks to the late Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets.

A mostly undiscovered alternative to the ultra-popular Colton; just 80 baby boys were named Coleson in 2016. It's also a surname name in its own right.

New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.

Protagonist of the manga and anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The kanji used to spell his name give it the meaning of "coal + calm son," which describe his former profession as a coal worker.

McKay is the Anglicized form of Mac Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" in Gaelic. Aodh is the origin of names such as Aidan and Hugh, making McKay a subtle way to honor people with those names.

Ibsen is a literary hero name possibility, after the great Norwegian dramatist, Henrik I. The name Ib is a short form of Jacob, so you might consider Ibsen as an honorific for or a twin of a Jacob.

A familiar choice in Japan, Kazuo is known more globally due to award winning writer, Kazuo Ishiguro, whose works include Never Let Me Go, The Remains of the Day, and Klara and the Sun. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.

Name from legend that might be an interesting Jason alternative.

An interesting international possibility for a third son.

Would often be confused with Madison.

This one may well be an undiscovered choice for many parents - it has a fabulous meaning, a sturdy surname-name appeal that is very on trend right now and several great namesakes including the Bartlett pear and the tome of quotations. Despite that third T, it could also be a favorite of The West Wing fans wanting to evoke fictional president Jed Bartlet.

One of the most severely punished characters in Greek mythology, and the first two syllables don't help.

Benaiah is an unusual Biblical choice that can get you to Ben.