Mineral & Metal Baby Names for Boys

Jasper

Persian

"bringer of treasure"

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara , meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to…

Peter

Greek

"rock, stone"

Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah,…

Callan

Gaelic

"descendent of Cathalan; descendent of the battle ruler"

This anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cathaláin links back to the Irish given name, Cathal. Similar to Callum, Caleb, and Calvin, it might feel more usable outside of Ireland and Scotland than…

Onyx

Word name

"gem stone; claw, nail"

Unlike Pearl and Ruby and more like Jasper, this gem name works well as a boys name. With its strong final X, it feels similar to Alex, Phoenix, Jax, and Rex, while the shiny black quality of the…

Clay

English word name; diminutive of Clayton

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. There have been TV…

Harlan

German and English

"rocky land"

Pleasant but uninspired surname name somewhat connected to writers Ellison and Coben. After three decades off the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2013, maybe because it's an unusual example of the…

Aurelio

Italian; Spanish, variation of Aurelius

"the golden one"

Aurelio is an energetic Italian name rarely heard in the US, with an attractive aura. As the female version Aurelia gains greater notice, we expect to hear more from Aurelio too. In fact, Aurelio has…

Dustin

Norse

"brave warrior, or Thor's stone"

Dustin's popularity in recent years has probably had more due to its similarity to Justin than to idolization of Dustin Hoffman -- himself named after silent screen cowboy star Dustin Farnum -- who…

Emery

English from German

"industrious"

Emery is one of the newly popular Em- names that has great potential, though right now for girls more than boys: it received a boost in 2009, a year after Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn used it for…

Axton

English

"sword stone"

Macho to the max. But with the rise of x as a fashionable letter anywhere it appears in a name, ala Jaxson or Maxon, we may be hearing more of Axton.

Stone

Word name

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. Many know the name via the…

Aurelius

Latin

"the golden one"

Since Aurelius was given the supermodel seal of approval by Elle Macpherson, it has joined Augustus as an ancient Roman name that feels usable today. Slightly mystical and magical with a golden hue,…

Carnelian

Gemstone name

Carnelian is an ochre-colored semi-precious gemstone, named after a type of cherry.

Argyris

Greek

"silver"

A more modern form of Argyros.

Caledon

Irish place-name from Caledonia

"hard or rocky land"

Caledon, the name of the arrogant Billy Zane character in "Titanic," is an Irish place-name related to Caledonia, the Latin word for Scotland thought to be derived from the ancient Celtic word for…

Cairn

Scottish

"mound of rocks"

In Scotland, a cairn is a heap of stones placed as a memorial or to support a beacon. This gives the name a rugged, timeless quality that is very appealing at present.

Argento

Latin

"silvery"

A more distinctive alternative to Angelo.

Aneirin

Welsh

"very golden or noble"

Aneirin is the original form of the more common Aneurin (which was a mistaken spelling used after the 17th Century). Aneirin was one of the first great Welsh poets who flourished in the 6th Century.…

Berilo

Spanish, from Greek

"beryl, pale green gemstone"

A Latin name with a lot of tango flair.

Coal

Word name

This recently coined respelling of Cole darkens its image.