Iambic Boy Names

Bashir

Arabic

"the one who brings good news"

Used both as a given name and as a surname, Bashir is a familiar but still unusual choice in the USA and UK, even among Muslim families. In 2014, only 25 boys were named Bashir in the US. One reason…

Benoit

French variation of Benedict

"blessed"

Once you get past the pronunciation hurdle, a smooth and elegant choice. In French, it's spelt with a circumflex: Benoît.

Bercel

Hungarian place name or variation of Bertil

"birch in the open wood; bright, famous"

Popular in Hungary, Bercel is likely derived from the Hungarian village of the same name, while other possibilities could be that it's a variation of the Dutch surname, Berkel, or a spelling twist on…

Berlin

German

"borderline"

Edgy German capital with definite possibilities as a baby name.

Bohdan

Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, Slovak

"given by god"

Variant of the popular Slavic name Bogdan, meaning "given by god".

Bombay

Indian place-name

The real city is now known as Mumbai, but the original name is far more evocative.

Brasil

Brasil is an unusual masculine name derived directly from the country of Brazil (though using the Portuguese spelling). This geographic name choice reflects heritage connections to the South American…

Brazil

Place-name

A geographical name that does the samba...and was also borne by a Celtic saint: a winning combination. Well used in the Creole community.

Canute

Scandinavian

"knot"

More familiar in its K forms, where it's associated with football legend Knute Rockne, Canute has a tough, macho image.

Capri

Italian from Greek or Latin

"wild boar; goats"

Cheyenne

Sioux

"people of a different language"

This is a great American name that deserves more attention from parents looking for a name that balances a soft sound with a more traditionally masculine cowboy image.

Cordell

English occupational name

"maker or seller of rope or cord"

This is a name that deserves more attention. Cordell is an occupational name that, through its similarity in sound to Cornell, Denzel, Dashiell, Boswell and Maxwell, feels both on-trend and upmarket.

Cornell

British from Latin, or Anglicized form of French

"corner or crow"

This name has not one but two impressive cultural connections: collage artist Joseph Cornell and photographer Cornell Capa--not to mention Cornell University.

Cortez

Spanish surname

"courteous"

The craze for surname names is now moving beyond the English and Irish to include worldly Spanish names for boys like this historic one currently in the Top 1000.

Daoud

Arabic variation of David

Intriguing David alternative, though American tongues will have trouble wrapping themselves around three vowels in a row.

Darnell

English

"the hidden spot"

Like so many names starting with Dar- (e.g. Darcy, Darius, and Darbey) this name feels so suave and aristocratic. British musician Darnell Bristol went by nickname Dee.

Denzel

Cornish

"from the high stronghold"

This old Cornish name took on a whole new identity via Denzel Washington, who has inspired several thousand namesakes. The actor was named after his father, who was named for a Dr. Denzel, who…

Devere

French

"of the fishing place"

An original choice for a fisherman's child.

Dior

French surname

"golden"

Dior was among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys in the US in the early 2020s, but was the fastest- falling name for boys in the 2023 statistics. Its connection to French luxury…

Dundee

Scottish place-name

A city and river in Scotland; this is upbeat and cheery, but doesn't seem that appropriate as a name.