Boy Names Like Nicholas

Sullivan

Irish surname

"black-eyed one"

Sullivan is a jaunty Celtic three-syllable name, with a real twinkle in its eye. It was immortalized in the 1930s classic film Sullivan's Travels and was chosen for one of Patrick Dempsey's twin…

Gideon

Hebrew

"hewer; or, having a stump for a hand"

Gideon is a no-longer neglected Old Testament name, but still makes an excellent choice for parents looking to move beyond such overused biblicals as Benjamin and Jacob. In the Old Testament, Gideon…

Spencer

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),…

Matthias

Aramaic variation of Matthew

"gift of God"

With Matthew sounding somewhat exhausted, and ancient endings sounding new again, this New Testament apostolic name makes an appealing and recommended choice. Both Mathias and Matias are well used in…

Conrad

German

"brave counsel"

Solid and intellectual, with just a touch of ruggedness thanks to that rad ending, Conrad has appeared consistently in on the US popularity charts since the 19th century. Over the years, it has been…

Francis

Latin

"Frenchman or free man"

Since this was the name chosen by the late Roman Catholic pope in 2013, Francis has come into the spotlight. The name, which was in the Top 10 at the turn of the last century, has been pretty much…

Donovan

Irish

"dark"

One of the first of the appealing Irish surnames to take off in this country, this boys’ name has long outgrown its "Mellow Yellow" association, which came via the single from a sixties…

Leonidas

Greek

"lion"

Leonidas is an ancient name that has started rising again along with centuries-old names such as Augustus and Cato. The original Leonidas was the most famous of Sparta's warriors, sacrificing his…

Dorian

Greek, name of a tribe

The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian…

Augustine

Latin

"great, magnificent"

Augustine is more substantial (and saintly) than August, less pretentious than Augustus, and, along with its nickname Gus, is definitely a viable choice. Augustine is actually the diminutive form of…