Bold Boy Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

This one's cutting right to the chase, but with such names as Justice and Peace on the rise, why not? And we guarantee your seven-year-old son will love it, though your 17-year-old, maybe not so much. Could be used as a middle name, as Talisa Soto and Benjamin Bratt did.

Epic feels like it could be the boys' version of Saga. Epic poetry tells some of our most celebrated stories - from Beowulf and the Odyssey, to the Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost. Despite being short, Epic is a lot of name, so it might be a choice for an adventurous middle name.

Donnelly is among the more appealing Irish surname names, less well used than Donovan. Related options include the place name Donegal and the mythological god name Donegan.

Mingo is a cute nickname of the Spanish version of Dominic. It's not to be confused with Mungo, the name of the patron saint of Glasgow.

Dinand is popular in the Netherlands thanks to a local singing sensation. Dinand is one of many Dutch short forms that come from the middle or end of a name -- think Bas for Sebastian or Hans from Johannes -- rather than from the beginning as is more usual in the U.S. and UK, though we're catching on.

Raider is one of the new genre of badass word names, which also includes Rogue, Rebel, Danger, Wilder, and so on. Choose it at your own peril.

Sounds a bit like a nickname in a Dickens novel, but this short form was used in New England a few centuries ago, back when names like Micajah were popular. Both short and long forms are now ripe for revival.

Asking for trouble.

Solemn but soaring name with patriotic symbolism.

Used in Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, this strong-sounding name belonged to a hero in Persian legend. Its derivation is unclear, but the consensus seems to be that it relates to the hero’s great size and strength, possibly from Avestan raodha "to grow" and takhma "strong, brave, valiant".

This is one of the least known or used of the Theo names, quite possibly because of its last syllable. In Samuel Butler's 1903 novel The Way of All Flesh, there is a clergyman character named Theobald Pontifex.

The name of a monk who is the patron saint of blacksmiths -- not a twentieth-century occupation or baby name.

Possibly meaning "bold", this West African surname is less commonly found as a first name, too.

A distinctive word name or a short form of the Italian Bonaventura, Venture could make a bold choice, similar in style to Knight, Worthy, Brave, Truth, and Valor. It has been given to around 10 boys each year since 2020.

Now that Bear is becoming a hot name, can Grizzly be far behind? A handful of baby boys did get this name last year in the US.

Derived from the personal name Adalhard.

Power is one of the new crop -- Justice, Liberty, Peace -- of strong, clear-cut, declarative choices, though this one carries more assertiveness than virtue.

A tough and rugged nature name.

Romanticizes Rudolph and distances the name from the red-nosed reindeer. After remaining steadily in the US Top 500 for much of the twentieth century, Rodolfo has been slipping of late.

Jimbo is a masculine name that originated as a familiar, affectionate nickname for James. With English-American origins, it combines the shortened form 'Jim' with the suffix 'bo,' which was a popular addition to nicknames in the southern United States. This playful diminutive has occasionally been used as a given name in its own right, particularly in the late 20th century when informal names gained acceptance. Jimbo conveys a friendly, approachable quality with a distinctly casual American flair. While not commonly found on birth certificates, it maintains popularity as a nickname and carries associations with down-to-earth warmth and unpretentious charm. The name has folksy appeal and projects an easygoing personality.