Trending Boy Names

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, whose name was inspired by a Japanese steak house, brought this energetic and appealing name into -- and out of -- the mix. Bryant's tragic death in a helicopter crash in 2020 increased the popularity of his name, as fans and admirers named their children Kobe in honor of the star.

If you're seeking a solid last-name-first occupational name with a warm, friendly sound, one that's not overused, this could be it.

Its most famous bearer was Prince Osman the First, founder of the Ottoman Empire.

Renly Baratheon was a fairly minor character in A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO's Game of Thrones, mostly remembered as the one of the show's few prominent LGBT characters. He played a major part in season 2 of the show, when he challenged the Lannisters and his older brother Stannis for control of the Iron Throne.

Undoubtedly inspired by country singer Trace Adkins, it has dropped in recent years.

An update of Tyson for parents who prefer the Ky nickname to Ty. It was the middle name of a character on Heroes.

Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel deliberately chose the Axl spelling to honor her rock hero.

It's not very classy to name your child after money, but Kash is arguably less of a word name than Cash. Though Cash can be an honorific for country singer Johnny. When used for girls, Kash has a very different derivation.

This name, which is the Spanish version of the Hebrew name of one of the archangels, appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2008.

Author Colson Whitehead introduced this surname-name to the lexicon, perfect for, well, a son or grandson of a Nicholas.

This first name was once a surname derived from Old English. Used quietly a century ago, the current fashion for two-syllable boy names ending in n makes this one a new hit.

Varying the spelling of an established name or word to substitute a k for a c has become more and more kommon, oops, common. Some parents feel that using a different spelling makes the name more of a name and less of a place or a word. Kairo may seem to lend itself particularly well to this practice given that the K spelling turns the first syllable into the stylish name Kai. But we prefer the more authentic Kai or Cairo.

A Quranic name especially popular in Muslim South Asia.

The nickname of writer Capote can also be seen as a shortened spelling of the virtuous TRUE.

Alfonso was a royal name in Spain as far back as the 7th century, but it is rarely heard outside the Hispanic community in the US.

This weapon name, linked to arms manufacturer Smith and Wesson, entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

Raylan, one of an uncountable number of two syllable, surname-like boys’ names end in n that are in style these days, is inspired by Raylan Givens, the cowboy hat-wearing U.S. Marshall created by writer Elmore Leonard and starring in the television series Justified. The Ray part of the name is of course a traditional choice -- it's usually said to mean "wise" -- but the lan takes it out of Old School Raymond territory. Other variations include Raylen, Raylon, Rayden and so on. The name is also sometimes given to girls, but not nearly as often as it is for boys.

A fresher spin on Jaxon, with built-in cool nickname Nix, and a great way to honor an ancestral Nick. But the association with disgraced former president Richard Nixon remains strong, which might explain why this otherwise bang-on-trend surname name has remained under the radar, peaking at #482 in 2017.

Knowledge is a word name that's on an upward trend for boys, in 2021 hovering just below the Top 1000 in the US. And if Maverick, Legend, and Justice can be popular baby names, why not Knowledge? It's an important quality for any child to possess, via their name as well as their brain.

A brisk and unconventional name that could be a style stand-in for confederates Casey, Chase, Cale, and Cade.