Nameberry's Favorite Boy Names

Cornelius, the New Testament name of a third century Pope and saint, is one of those venerable Latin names on the edge of consideration, despite the corny nickname alert. 
 Cornelius has some magical vibe via Cornelius Agrippa, a medieval alchemist who appears in scores of books, including Frankenstein and Harry Potter. In Christopher Marlowe's Dr. Faustus, Cornelius was one of the two magicians who help Faustus strike his bargain with the devil. Two characters of the name appear in Shakespeare's plays—Hamlet and Cymbeline. The most famous bearer of the name is probably railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who gave the appellation an aristocratic air. Cornelius is also the birth name of Chevy Chase.
 Cornelius was consistently in the top 1000 through 2008; it was a Top 300 name through 1932.
 And if you're put off by the short form Corny, you could consider Neely, the nickname of the young Cornelius in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Cornelius

Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.

Huck

Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be yes. 
 In Greek myth, Linus is both a musician and poet, the inventor of rhythm and melody who taught music to Hercules. In the Christian era, Linus was the name of the second pope, Saint Peter's successor, while in modern times chemist Linus Pauling was awarded the Nobel Prize twice.
 Humphrey Bogart as Linus Larrabee won the heart of Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina, and Matt Damon played Linus Caldwell in three of the Oceans movies. There's also Linus Baker, one of the central character's in T.J. Klune's popular novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea. 
 Linus is currently in or around the Top 50 in Germany, Sweden and Norway, and is one of the most popular boys' names on Nameberry. In the US, it was given to around 130 boys in a recent year, making it an underused, but not totally out there choice. 
 
As with many names, the pronunciation varies, depending on language and location. Among English speakers, the first syllable is said to rhyme with eye or pie, making it LYE-nuhs. In Swedish and German, it would be more like LEE-noos, the oo sound short, like that in took or shook, while in its traditional Greek, it would be LEE-NOS. 
 
International forms include the French, Russian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian Lin (LEHn, the Lithuanian Linas and the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese Lino (LEE-no).

Linus

Azari is a rising name for both sexes, hitting a bunch of style trends at once — three syllables, strong Z, and an I ending. It's technically an invented name, likely inspired by the fashionable Hebrew name Azariah, or by the Malay Azhari. Given to around 90 boys in a recent year, it is currently three times more popular for girls. 

Azari

The "el-" sound is red-hot these days, and a myriad of place names and surnames give this name a wealth of possible namesakes. The main drawback is its kinship to the name of the hero of the Legally Blond series, Elle Woods, though that will fade with time.

Elwood

While Rumi has received attention in the contemporary US as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's young daughter, it's most famously the name of a (male)13th century Muslim mystic and poet. The most famous Rumi poem,"The Diver's Clothes Lying Empty", has inspired many modern literary works, including a novel with a similar title by Vendela Vida. 

Rumi

With a touch of celestial power, a hint of clunky charm, and the totally cool -o ending, Cosmo may well be finally shaking itself free of both the Seinfeld association (which made it a punchline of a joke) and the cartoon fairy association from The Fairly OddParents. In fact, it is in the Top 1000 in the UK and a favorite on Nameberry. 
 
An Italian variant of Cosimo or Cosmas, the name Cosmo has its roots in Greek, where it means "order, universe, beauty." It was first introduced to Britain when an 18th century Scottish Duke used it for his son, in honor of his friend, Cosimo III de' Medici. 
 
Long neglected as it has been in the US, some parents are coming round to the idea of Cosmo again, with nearly 100 boys receiving the name in a recent year. Influential celebrity couple Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost chose it for their son, born in 2021, while YouTubers Life with Beans used it in 2020, which may well help to change how people view Cosmo. 
 In literature, Baron Cosmo Bradwardine is a character in Sir Walter Scott's novel Waverley and Cosmo Topper is the befuddled banker in Thorne Smith's humorous novel Topper. In modern times Cosmo has become the short form for Cosmopolitan – both the magazine and the cocktail. And for those wishing to honor a medic in the family, Cosmo is also the name of the Arabian-born patron saint of doctors.
 
With its cosmic meaning and creative feel, Cosmo may also appeal to those looking for alternatives to Atlas, or for those who like Evren.

Cosmo

Cael is the name of the angel of the zodiac sign of Cancer and also of a warrior of Irish mythology. Its ascendance to the Top 1000 over the past decade probably has to do with its similarity to Cale and Kale (and Kyle and Cayden etcetera).

Cael

Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning.  For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar," though it's really lee-OR, with a long e sound and emphasis on the second syllable.

Lior

Oslo, the capital city of Norway, makes for an intriguing new place name, especially with its bookended O's, as in Otto and leads to cool nickname Ozzie. One Berry has already used it and we predict others will follow; in fact, stats suggest it is used eight times more often than it was a decade ago.

Oslo

Words are not always easy to translate into <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a>, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.

Arrow

An aristocratic and stately Germanic route to the popular Leo, Leopold is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium. These days, this royal tie may be seen as a drawback to the name, owing to the cruelty of King Leopold II's rule over the Congo, though it remains popular in Austria, Poland, and France (as Léopold). 
 
Though Leopold sounds as if it might be a leonine name, it's not really a relative of such choices as Leon, and Leonard. Instead, it comes from the Germanic elements liut and bald meaning "people" and "brave" respectively. Originally spelled as Luitpold or Liupold, its spelling was altered to reflect the popularity and appeal of being connected to leo and the lionlike bravery it evokes.
 In literature, the name is famous via Leopold Bloom, the central character of James Joyce's Ulysses and in music is associated with the distinguished conductor Leopold Stokowski. It also connected to St Leopold, the patron saint of Austria, step-parents, large families, and child death.
 
Like with many names, it has a variety of pronunciations depending on language and location. LEE-uh-pold or LEE-o-pold may be heard in English, while in Dutch and German, LEH-o-pawlt is used. In Polish, it's leh-AW-pawlt, in Slovak, it's LEH-aw-pawld, in Czech it's LEH-o-polt, and in French, it's LEH-AW-PAWLD. 
 
In the US, Leopold rose up slightly during the late 2010s and early 2020s, reaching its all time American peak in 2018 when it was given to 114 boys. More recently, it has begun to decline again and was given to 72 boys in the latest count. 
 
Nickname Leo might freshen it up (as Archie does Archibald), though Poldi is a German diminutive.

Leopold

Calix is once-obscure name that is starting to see some use in the US, where 62 baby boys were named Calix in 2024. An indirect influence is the actress Calista Flockhart, who introduced Americans to the female version of this attractive Greek name to prominence.
 
Calix derives from the Latin word for chalice, calyx, which in turn came from the Ancient Greek word kálux, meaning "husk" or "pod." It is also considered a diminutive of Calixtus, a variation of the Late Roman name Callistus meaning "most beautiful." Calyx can also be spelled Calyx, as in the funnel or chalice-shaped part of a flower.

Calix

Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class Britishness of Sherlock Holmes portrayer Basil Rathbone, then spiced with the fragrant aroma of the herb that entered with the Pesto generation.
 Now, it's time to take a fresh look at Basil.
 Basil was on the U.S. popularity list quite regularly up till 1970, reaching a high of Number 328 in 1904. Its history includes several rulers of the Byzantine Empire and Eastern Orthodox saints, including one whose grandmother, father, older sister and two younger brothers were all saints as well.
 Basil has also been seen as a figure of fun, as in the manic Basil Fawlty in the British TV comedy classic "Fawlty Towers," in the Disney movie "Basil of Baker Street," and as Basil Brush and Basil Wombat in other kids' entertainment.
 The Russian version, Vassily, is another possibility.

Basil

A simple and streamlined Biblical name, Joah borne by several figures in the Old Testament. Meaning "Yahweh is his brother" or "brother of God", it could be an unexpected way to honor a family Joe or an alternative to the popular Noah, Josiah, and Jonah. 
 
Currently popular in The Netherlands where it ranks in the Top 100, Joah is less familiar elsewhere, though it has been receiving increased attention in the US since 2010. Pronounced as YO-a in Dutch but more like JO-uh in English, 70 American boys were called Joah in a recent year.

Joah

Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering if you've got an adventurous streak — and bet your son will too. An alternative commonly cited meaning that modern parents might prefer is "proclaimer of peace". The traditional Polish version of the name is Kazimierz.

Casimir

Alfie is a Top 20 name throughout the British Isles, where retro nickname names are mega-popular, but it hasn't really been picked up in the US yet, given to around 70 boys in a recent year. Nevertheless, both Alfie and rising star Archie are spunky nickname possibilities with a bit of an English accent.
 Thanks to some louche fictional characters, Alfie has long had a lovable rogue image. First there was the Michael Caine character in the 1966 eponymous film, followed by a 2004 remake starring Jude Law. In Britain, the name was given a big boost by the Alfie Moon character in the long-running soap, EastEnders.

Alfie

Octavius, which was at one time used for the eighth child in a family, has the worn leather patina of all the ancient Roman names now up for reconsideration. As a Roman family name, it derives from the uncommon forename Octavus, which designated an eighth son.
 The first Roman emperor, Augustus, was called Caius Octavius or Octavian before he took his title. He was the son of Octavius and Atia, the niece of Julius Caesar, who adopted him as his son. He appears under the name Octavius Caesar in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra."
 In later lit, Octavius Guy is a character in Wilkie Collins's novel The Moonstone and Octavius Robinson is in George Bernard Shaw's play "Man and Superman," while Octave is the name of the protaganist of a Stendhal novel. And Octavius is the name of an old Roman general in the movie "Night at the Museum."
 Attractive foreign versions include Ottavio and Octavio, as in the distinguished Mexican poet Octavio Paz. Octavio is also the name of several saints, including one who lived as a hermit in an elm tree.

Octavius

Pax, one of the variations of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/411/baby-names-that-mean-peace">names meaning peace</a> that are newly popular in these less-than-peaceful times, got a lot of publicity when chosen by Brad & Angelina for their Vietnamese-born son. Parents attracted to Pax may also want to consider Paz, the unisex Spanish version, or Paxton, a growing-in-popularity surname choice that shares that magical X-factor.

Nameberry's favorite boy names are the most fashionable names for baby boys today. This list includes the

 most popular baby boy names on Nameberry

 that do not also rank in the US Top 1000.

 include Phineas, Roscoe, Alfie, and Basil.

Lesser-known international picks get lots of love on Nameberry, like Inigo, Tadgh, Akira, and Ezio, as well as last names as first names such as Halston, Marlow, Auden, and Mercer.

Boy names that rank in the Nameberry Top 1000 but outside of the US Top 1000 — including Cosmo and Penn — with meanings, origins, and popularity (Page 10)