Trending Boy Names

  1. Callan
    • Origin:

      Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "descendent of Cathalan; descendent of the battle ruler"
    • Description:

      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 its origin name.
  2. Cillian
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "war strife or church"
    • Description:

      Cillian is one of the native Irish names that, along with Aiden and Declan, is becoming an unlikely favorite in contemporary America. The Killian spelling has been more popular in the US, but Cillian's star is rising, perhaps thanks to Irish actor Cillian Murphy, star of Oppenheimer and Peaky Blinders.
  3. Alaric
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "all-powerful ruler"
    • Description:

      Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West Goths who sacked Rome in 410.
  4. Hayes
    • Origin:

      English surname and nature name
    • Meaning:

      "hedged area"
    • Description:

      One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. Chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, it has been climbing the US charts since 2009.
  5. Shiloh
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "tranquil"
    • Description:

      Haunting biblical and Civil War place-name; now unisex—especially after the mega-high-profile Brangelina couple picked it for their daughter. It debuted in the Top 1000 for boys in 2015.
  6. Knox
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "round hill"
    • Description:

      Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to the point where it entered the popular baby names list in 2009. Knox now ranks among the most influential celebrity baby names.
  7. Callahan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "bright-headed"
    • Description:

      Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry Callahan.
  8. Boone
    • Origin:

      English from French
    • Meaning:

      "blessing, lucky"
    • Description:

      Boone is one of the advancing herd of lean and lanky cowboy names with a laid-back, backwoods, Western feel—and surprising French roots. It's inevitably linked with legendary frontiersman Daniel, and also with the positive connotations of the word boon. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015.
  9. Wells
    • Origin:

      Surname from place name
    • Meaning:

      "spring"
    • Description:

      Wells is a newly-famous baby name thanks to pregnancy guru Rosie Pope, who uses it as the short form of the buttoned-up Wellington, name of her youngest child.
  10. Onyx
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "gem stone; claw, nail"
    • Description:

      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 stone feels reminiscent of Orion. Chosen by musician Iggy Azalea for her son in 2020, it has accelerated up the charts and now sits just outside the Top 300.
  11. Shepherd
    • Origin:

      Occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "sheep hearder"
    • Description:

      Shepherd is an occupational surname with a pleasant pastoral feel. It was chosen for their son by the Jerry Seinfelds, which might inspire others to follow their lead.
  12. Nash
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "by the ash tree"
    • Description:

      Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson in the late nineties, and also via mathematician John Nash, played by Russell Crowe in the acclaimed film A Beautiful Mind.
  13. Xander
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, the Latin variation of the Greek Alexandros. Its meaning, "defending men," is taken from the Greek roots aléxein, "to defend," and andros, "men." Zander, pronounced the same way, is an alternate spelling.
  14. Beckham
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "homestead by the stream"
    • Description:

      Who knew there were so many soccer fans in the U.S.? Beckham -- as in British sensation David -- has exploded onto the baby name scene in the past decade.
  15. 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.
  16. Azriel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is my help"
    • Description:

      Azriel is more masculine than Ariel, more unusual than Israel. Also spelled Asriel and Azrael, Azriel is the name of the Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim traditions.
  17. Forrest
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dweller near the woods"
    • Description:

      Forrest is one of the earliest appealingly sylvan, outdoorsy choices, borne by newsman Sawyer, actor Whitaker, and football Hall of Famer Gregg. Forrest Gates was a character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
  18. Nova
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "new"
    • Description:

      Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, then fades.
  19. Ralph
    • Origin:

      English from German
    • Meaning:

      "wolf-counsel"
    • Description:

      Ralph has two diametrically different images: there's the suave Ralph Fiennes-type Brit (often pronounced Rafe), and then there's the Jackie Gleason blue-collar, bowling blowhard Ralph Kramden bus driver. It's all in the eye of the beholder, though its hip factor did rise when it was chosen for his son by cool U.K. actor Matthew Macfadyen.
  20. Waylon
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "cunning, craft"
    • Description:

      With its rugged, country charm and confident sounds, Waylon is among the wave of Old Western names that parents are choosing.