Boy Names Lists · Popular Names and Name Trends
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 20 pages
of 20
English
"Brock's settlement"
Braxton entered the popularity ranks in 1985 and has been climbing steadily ever since. It has gained from the all-powerful X-factor, and perhaps also from the reality TV show, Braxton Family Values…
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"…
"hero or fable"
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend")…
Scottish
"round hill"
Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to…
English, Celtic
"battle; round, barrel"
Caden is a key member of the rhyming contingent that includes Aiden, Jayden, Kayden, Brayden et al. It may derive from the Celtic Cadan or Irish Cathán, both from the same root meaning "battle". It…
"Tate's homestead"
Tatum is one of the rare examples of a name that was exclusively female, as in Tatum O'Neal, but now is used for boys too, entering the male Top 1000 in 2010. Khloe Kardashian made headlines when she…
"king's town"
Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King. Kingston…
American and British place-name, Scottish
"winding valley"
Camden is a surprise hit, probably as a result of some star baby cred: it has been chosen by no less than four celebrity parents since 2012. Gentle but not flimsy, Camden could be an updated spin on…
Aramaic word name
"expected savior or deliverer"
A handful of years ago, a judge in Tennessee ruled that parents could not name their son Messiah, "because there's only one." That decision has since been overturned and the name no longer looks out…
Welsh
"son of Madoc"
Maddox, a previously obscure Welsh family name with a powerfully masculine image, suddenly came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie chose it for her son in 2003. By the following year it was in…
Modern invented name, Arabic
"growth, increase"
Used by parents who love that Z initial, Zayden is also part of the Rhymes-with-Aiden-Clan. This particular for form ranks in the US Top 300 and the UK Top 600, outranking spelling variations Zaiden…
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…
Hebrew
"priest"
Cohen is a common last name among Jews and an important spiritual name in the Jewish religion, associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron. As a result of its…
Spelling variation of place-name Cairo, Arabic
"the conqueror"
Contemporary Kairo fits in with the modern trend of substituting a C for a K initial, and in this case, it works to get you more easily to the cool nickname Kai. In fact, parents in the US and the UK…
Irish
"bright-headed"
Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry…
Spelling variation of Kaden, modern invented name
This version of Kaden is also a popular choice and one of the many boys' names starting with k that can also start with a C, as in Caiden, Cayden et al.. Kaiden Alenko is a character in the video…
Place name, surname and Irish
"meadow dwelling, valley house, skilled"
A laid-back cowboy name which feels both cool and gentle, Dallas has ranked in the US Top 500 since records began in 1880. Never super popular but surprisingly never out of style, Dallas is given to…
Surname derived from Nicholas or Colin, Greek or Irish and Scottish
"people of victory or pup"
Collins is a surname name that has made the girls' Top 1000 thanks to its use for the daughter of the real-life Blind Side heroine. As of 2022, Collins climbed into the US Top 300. This derivation of…
Italian place name, Slavic, Sanskrit
"middle of the plain; gracious, dear; union"
Effortlessly stylish with an international feel, Milan re-entered the US charts back in 2013 after a 55 year hiatus. It has been powering up the charts ever since, following in the footsteps of sweet…
