Boy Names Dads Like More Than Moms
- Bruno
Origin:
GermanicMeaning:
"brown"Description:
Tough-yet-cuddly Bruno is an international name even in its origins: it derives from the Germanic word for "brown" plus a Latin ending, and was borrowed as a color word in many European languages.
- Mac
Origin:
Scottish or IrishMeaning:
"son of"Description:
In Ireland and Scotland, Mac and Mc mean "son of"; here, Mac is a generic fella, or a short form cooler than either Matt or Max. Mac can be a nickname of any longer Mac or Mc starting name such as McCoy or Macalister. If you want to make it feel more complete, you can always spell it Mack.
- Clay
Origin:
English word name; diminutive of ClaytonDescription:
Clay is a rich, earthy one-syllable name with a southern-inflected handsome-rogue image, featured on soap operas and reality TV. Its longer forms are Clayton and Clayborne.
- Stetson
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"cattle dealer"Description:
Best known as a popular brand of Western hats, this surname gives off rugged, cowboy vibes and a sense of confident coolness. A name on the rise, Stetson entered the US Top 200 in 2023 when it was given to nearly 2000 boys.
- Adonis
Origin:
Greek, from Semitic AdonaiMeaning:
"lord"Description:
The name of a figure from Greek mythology, Adonis is a high-pressure name often synonymous with masculine beauty. Nonetheless, many mythological names that would have previously been deemed off limits have made their way up the popularity charts—for instance, Penelope currently ranks highly for girls. And indeed, Adonis was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2016, moving up 307 spots on the U.S. popularity chart in just one year.
- Cody
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"helpful, pillow"Description:
In the early 1990s, Cody was in the Top 25 most popular boys' names in the USA; but it has been in decline since then. It retains a greater degree of popularity in the UK, however. Cody might be short for Dakota but despite its nickname feeling, it's a name of its own.
- Dallas
Origin:
Place name, surname and IrishMeaning:
"meadow dwelling, valley house, skilled"Description:
A laid-back cowboy name which feels both cool and gentle, Dallas has ranked in the US Top 500 since records began in 1880. Never super popular but surprisingly never out of style, Dallas is given to nearly 1400 boys in the US every year.
- Moses
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"delivered from the water"Description:
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's choice of this white-bearded Old Testament name helped bring it into the modern age, along with brethren Elijah, Isaiah and Isaac. User-friendly nicknames include Moe and Mose.
- Duke
Origin:
English rank of nobilityDescription:
While John Wayne and Duke Ellington are worthy role models, the reason Duke is currently enjoying a revival and returned to the Top 1000 in 2013 as one of the year's fastest-rising boys’ names is more likely due to the name given to high-profile TV couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic. Christened Edward Duke, he has always been called by his middle name, just as Edward Duke Ellington was. Duke is just one of several aristocratic titles being increasingly used by ordinary citizens.
- Trey
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"three"Description:
Originally a nickname for a third-generation son, as in Thurman Thackeray III, Trey is now being given to others, and it has also expanded to Treynor and Treyton.
- Talon
Origin:
French word nameMeaning:
"large claw of a bird of prey"Description:
Despite its somewhat menacing meaning, this name has been widely used in recent years, probably due to the appeal of its trendy on ending.
- Kylo
Origin:
Variation of Kyle, ScottishMeaning:
"narrow spit of land"Description:
The original Kyle has sparked many variations, including Kylie, Kyler, and Kylo, after Kylo Ren, the villain played by Adam Driver in the seventh Star Wars movie, released in December 2015.
- Remington
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"place on a riverbank"Description:
Remington Steele was the perfect name for an upper-crust action hero on 1980s television. Now, Remington is catching fire along with a new generation of predatory baby boy names such as Hunter, Gunner, and Colt. Or you might consider it a unisex namewith a buttoned-up British feel and the friendly short form Rem or Remy.
- Andre
Origin:
French and Portuguese variation of AndrewMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
Andre is one of the international forms of Andrew that has been familiar in the English-speaking world for decades without any need to be overly Anglicized - though round the world, it is more likely to be written as André.
- Aries
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"a ram"Description:
Better than Capricorn or Cancer, not as usable as Leo, the name of the Roman god of war becomes more possible as a baby name every day, as mythological names take the place of biblical names.
- Titan
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defender"Description:
This name comes from Greek mythology, where the Titans were a band of immortal, powerful giants.
- Slade
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from the valley"Description:
Evoking the image of a shady glen, Slade could make a distinctive middle name. It entered the Top 1000 in 2007, and has been seen as a character name on the TV show "Smallville." It's also a name that pops up in comic books and video games.
- Madden
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little dog"Description:
Madden is an Irish surname relative of Madigan rising through the charts thanks to its trendy two-syllable, -en ending sound along with its appeal to Madden Football video game-playing dads. John Madden is a former pro football player who went on to coach the Oakland Raiders and become a popular NFL commentator. Madden is also the surname of groovy Nicole Richie baby daddy Joel Madden.
- Arrow
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Words are not always easy to translate into baby names, 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.
- Stone
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Though some may find such names rather harsh and severe, increasing numbers of parents are gravitating toward this kind of flinty, steely, stony single-syllable name.