50+ Compound Boy Names
Updated Thu Aug 29 2024
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Compound names are formed by combining two separate names together in order to create a brand new one. Also known as combined names or smoosh names, these portmanteau monikers are less used for boys than they are for girls.
While this can make looking for compound names for boys a little more tricky, it also means there are a number of unique, and unexpected options.
Smoosh names for boys are more familiar in Italy, where options such as Gianluca and Giancarlo were once on trend. There are also a number of Hebrew names that combine seamlessly to make the likes of Lior and Dovber.
Other combination names require a little more blending and chopping to become a new name, such as the African American Jamarion, a mix of James and Marion, or the Manx Finlo, which combines Finn and Lugh.
Biblical names provide inspiration for several compound names for boys, including Zakai, Ethaniel, and Noadiah, while less traditional options blend words and on-trend sounds to make Ryatt, Oakwell, and Westland
From historical Leoluca to contemporary Rylo we've collected together some of the best and some of the newest compound names for boys, ordered below by their popularity on Nameberry.
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- Bowen
Origin:
Welsh, ChineseMeaning:
"son of Owen; wave of writing, wave of literature"Description:
Bowen is a Celtic surname representing two separate Celtic strains, one Welsh and one Irish, and entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011.
- Lior
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"I have a light"Description:
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.
- Kyler
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"victory of the people"Description:
Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to more than 1000 babies every year.
- Penrose
Origin:
Cornish and Welsh place name and surnameMeaning:
"top of the heath"Description:
Penrose – an ancient locational surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – might work as a first name, although the "Rose" syllable might lead the uninitiated to assume it's a female name. As a middle name, however, it would make for a surprising and distinguished choice. A male Penrose could be called Pen/Penn, Ross or Roe for short.
- Brooklyn
Origin:
Place-name from DutchMeaning:
"marshland"Description:
It may be the hippest of hispter neighborhoods, but as a baby name Brooklyn is now on the decline: down from a peak of 120 births for boys in 1999, and over 7000 births for girls in 2011.
- Jebediah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"beloved friend"Description:
Like its better known cousin Jedidiah, Jebediah is one of those four-syllable Old Testament names that is being shorn of its long white-bearded image, with the help of its modern-sounding Jeb nickname.
- Heathcliff
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"cliff near a heath"Description:
Heathcliff is the name of the original passionate macho hero of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, and also of the cartoon cat. It was chosen by fashionista Lucy Sykes for her son, and inspired the late Heath Ledger's name. But otherwise it's barely used, and perhaps a bit much of a namesake. For a modern boy we'd recommend Heath....or Cliff.
- Kamari
Origin:
Variation Qamar, ArabicMeaning:
"moonlight"Description:
A melodic name, popular among the African-American community, where it joins sound-alikes Amari, Jamari, and Damari. It ultimately derives from the Arabic Qamar, meaning "moon", and is also used by Swahili speakers and those from Comoros and Somalia. It could also be considered a Greek place name, from a coastal village in Santorini.
- Rylo
Origin:
Compound name blending Ryan and Milo, ScottishMeaning:
"rye clearing + soldier; rye meadow"Description:
With cool, on-trend sounds and a hint of Star Wars about it, Rylo is an up-and-coming name that has only seen notable use since 2016. It can be considered a Scottish diminutive of Ryland and an Irish surname, but also a compound name made up of Ryan and Milo. Given to 145 babies in 2024, it has been rising in use every year since the mid 2010s.
- Finlo
Origin:
ManxMeaning:
"fair Lugh"Description:
Finlo is a name from the Isle of Man, deriving from that island's pagan sun god, Lugh. Given the popularity of all Finn names right now, Finlo could be a great alternative for people who love the "Fin" sound but want a more unusual name.
- Neymar
Origin:
Brazilian inventionDescription:
Neymar was unheard of before Brazilian football sensation Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior came to fame. It is thought to be a "smoosh" name of Netuno (Neptune) and Mar (Mars).
- Giancarlo
Origin:
Combination of Gian and Carlo, Italian variations of John and CharlesDescription:
In Italy, a common melding of two popular names, heard in the US as well.
- Kaylor
Origin:
American invented nameDescription:
Kaylor is a faux surname name. It doesn't have an occupational meaning, unlike soundalike names Taylor ("tailor") and Baylor ("one who delivers goods"). It may be considered an Anglicization of surnames such as Keillor or Kohler, but its use typically arises from a combination of the names Kay and Taylor.
- Tristian
Origin:
Variation of Tristan, compound nameMeaning:
"noise, sorrow; + anointed one, follower of Christ"Description:
Tristian can be considered a compound name, combining Tristan and Christian, however, it may also be used simply as a spelling variation of the former. The name could therefore have several different meanings: "noise, tumult" from its Celtic origins, "sorrow" from its French roots, or, as compound name, "loud follower of Christ", "sorrow of the anointed one", or similar.
- Gianluca
Origin:
Italian, Combination of Gian and LucaDescription:
This is one of the attractive smoosh names heard frequently in Italy, but rarely in the US. A particularly appealing example due to the stylishness of Luca.
- Elikai
Origin:
Hawaiian variant of ElishaDescription:
A well-established (if rare) Hawaiian name that combines two trendy names: Elijah and Kai.
- Beauford
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"beautiful fort"Description:
Combine the charm of Beau with the strength of Ford and you’ll get Beauford, an attractive French surname waiting to be discovered. The most notable bearer is Beauford Delaney, a modernist painter who participated in the Harlem Renaissance.
- Johnpaul
Description:
Johnpaul is a masculine given name formed by combining the traditional names John and Paul. This compound name has Christian roots, as both John and Paul were important apostles in the New Testament. John derives from Hebrew meaning "God is gracious," while Paul comes from Latin meaning "small" or "humble." Johnpaul began gaining modest popularity in the United States during the late 20th century, possibly influenced by Pope John Paul II, who served from 1978 to 2005. The name offers parents a way to honor two religious figures or family members simultaneously. While not among the most common names, Johnpaul has maintained steady usage, particularly in Catholic communities, where it represents strength, faith, and leadership.
- Jimothy
Origin:
Invented name, combination of Jim and TimothyMeaning:
"supplanter who honors God"Description:
Jimothy is a combination of two 'dad' names: Jim, a form of James, meaning "supplanter", and Timothy, meaning "honoring God". This name is best associated with Timothy Gonzales, a British rapper and musician who used Jimothy as a stage name.
- Ryatt
Origin:
Invented nameDescription:
Ryatt — which may be a combination of names like Ryan and Wyatt — gives you the sound of Riot without the violent connotations. Naturally, it's almost twice as popular among baby boys than Riot, even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.