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Boy Names Dads Like More Than Moms

Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Thu Feb 01 2024
Boy Names Dads Like More Than Moms

All parents bring their experiences with their own names to bear on the naming of a child, which is why dads may sometimes have stronger feelings about boy names while moms may be more sensitive around names for girls.

Traditionally, dads have a preference for strong classic or he-man names for their sons, such as Christopher and Roman. These names confer a clear measure of masculinity on a baby boy.

Along with Christopher and Roman, other boy names dads like more than moms in the US Top 200 include Maverick, Hunter, Axel, Austin, Jace, Vincent, Ryker, and Beau. Dads are more likely than moms to prefer names from their own generation that feel very familiar, such as Ryan, Kyle, Blake, and Jeremy. Many dads favor names that reference athletes or sports, cool guys or rock gods. The choices here are names that we’ve anecdotally gathered are popular among dads. Browse this list to see what’s cool with fathers today, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Boy Names

  1. Enzo

    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Henry, German

    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"

    • Description:

      You may be surprised to know that Enzo is now a Top 100 boy name in the US and the UK, where it has been climbing straight uphill since the turn of this century.
  2. Charlie

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Charles, French from German

    • Meaning:

      "free man"

    • Description:

      Charlie derives, of course, from the classic name Charles which, in turn, comes from a German word meaning "free man." Charles became very popular in France during the Middle Ages due to the fame of Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne. Charley is an alternate spelling.
  3. Lucas

    • Origin:

      Latin form of Luke

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even more popular than they are.
  4. Vincent

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "conquering"

    • Description:

      Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor Vince Vaughn and country singer Vince Gill. Vin Diesel was born with the more prosaic name Mark Vincent.
  5. Jack

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular boy names starting with J.
  6. Alexander

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree.
  7. Beau

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "handsome"

    • Description:

      Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
  8. Gabriel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my strength"

    • Description:

      Gabriel has become a biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri’el, Gabriel is taken from the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, in reference to God.
  9. Christopher

    • Origin:

      Greek and Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bearer of Christ"

    • Description:

      Christopher derived from the Greek Christophoros, which is composed of the elements Christos, referring to Christ, and phero, meaning "to bear."
  10. Michael

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "who is like God?"

    • Description:

      Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names, it's still widely used.
  11. Jesse

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God exists"

    • Description:

      King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of bearers, from outlaw Jesse James to Olympic athlete Jesse Owens to activist Jesse Jackson to current actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Eisenberg. The spelling Jesse is more usual as a boys' name while Jessie is more traditional for girls.
  12. Joseph

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah increases"

    • Description:

      Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal.
  13. Magnus

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "greatest"

    • Description:

      Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named after Charlemagne, introduced it to his culture, and thus Magnus was the name of six early kings of Norway and four of Sweden. It is still a highly popular name in Denmark and Norway.
  14. Bowen

    • Origin:

      Welsh, Chinese

    • Meaning:

      "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.
  15. Roman

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "citizen of Rome"

    • Description:

      Roman is an ancient name trending in a major way. A surprise hit name of recent years, Roman now ranks in the Top 100 not only in the US but throughout the English-speaking world, and is rising in other European countries as well.
  16. Matthew

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M. The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the fashionable classic—safe and sturdy, yet with a more engaging personality than John or William.
  17. Luke

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker.
  18. Cassius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "hollow"

    • Description:

      Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are enjoying a new moiment in the sun.
  19. Axel

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Absalom

    • Meaning:

      "father of peace"

    • Description:

      A classic in its native Scandinavia, Axel has a cool rock 'n' roll flavor in the US, thanks to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose (born William). With its distinctive letter 'x', it has an effortlessly cool vibe about it, and is currently growing in popularity.
  20. Wilder

    • Origin:

      Surname or word name

    • Meaning:

      "wild, untamed, uncontrolled"

    • Description:

      Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.