Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
Cool Names with a Strong O
Across 8 pages
of 8
Orson
Latin and English
"bear cub"
In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…
Ottilie
German, French
"prosperous in battle"
Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as…
Othenio
Germanic
"wealthy"
Othenio is most likely an old-timey elaboration on Otto, with a much grander, more fantastical feel than its original form. It is mainly known for Othenio Abel, an influential Austrian paleontologist…
Oz
Hebrew, English, Irish
"strength, powerful, courageous; god's warrior; deer friend"
While some may think of ruby slippers and a yellow brick road, Oz is a legitimate Hebrew name denoting power. An element in a number of names including Ozni, Oziel, and Ozias, it may also be used as…
Ozzie
Diminutive of Osmond, Oswald, or Oscar
"divine; deer"
Ozzy has been on the rise in recent years and currently sits in the Top 1000 in the UK and the US. The Ozzie spelling has yet to catch up, but has nevertheless gained more attention thanks to its…
Paolo
Italian, variation of Paul
"small"
Paolo is an irresistibly lush Italian name for boys , worlds more romantic than its spare English equivalent. Among noted bearers of the name are Renaissance painters Uccello and Veronese, architect…
Philo
Greek
"loving"
Could Philo be the next Milo? We love the o-ending and sweet meaning of this dynamic and distinctive Greek name, often used in literature, but never particularly popular. The ancient Philo (aka Philo…
Piero
Italian, variation of Peter
"rock"
Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.
Placido
Italian and Spanish
"serene"
Placido was commonly used by early Christians to convey their serenity in the faith, and it was borne by several minor saints.
Plato
Greek
"broad-shouldered"
The name of one of the greatest Western philosophers is often used as a first name in its land of origin, Greece, and would make a really interesting, thought-provoking choice here. It is remembered…
Primo
Italian
"first"
Primo is number one among the Latin birth-order names--Octavius et al--and the one most likely to be used in these days of smaller families. It has that jaunty 'o' ending and Italian flavor that many…
Reno
Place-name
Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
Reo
Variation of Rio or Rhoeo, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river; flow, stream; graceful + cherry blossom"
Short, snappy, and stylish, Reo may be viewed in a number of ways:. It could be an alternative spelling of Spanish Rio or the Greek Rhoeo, both associated with rivers and flowing water.…
Rollo
Latin form of Rolf
"wolf"
Rollo is a livelier, roly-poly, o-ending version of Roland. Although it sounds modern, Rollo actually was seen regularly on Latin documents in the Middle Ages, though not heard in everyday speech.…
Scorpio
Latin
"scorpion"
Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy. In the soap…
Stefano
Italian variation of Stephen
"garland, crown"
As commonly heard in Rome, Italy, as Steve is in Rome, New York. With the accent on the first syllable, Stefano has a lot of charm.
Taddeo
Italian variation of Thaddeus
"gift of God"
A particularly charming spin on the original, as is the Spanish name Tadeo. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.
Viggo
Scandinavian
"war"
Though to most Americans Viggo is a one-person name attached to intense actor Mortensen, it is actually an old Norse name dating back to the Vikings, and is currently the 32nd most popular…
Vittorio
Italian variation of Victor
"conqueror"
Was there ever a name that rolled more appealingly off the tongue? Vittorio calls to mind the glory days of Italian cinema, featuring names like Vittorio de Sica and Vittorio Gassman.
Waldo
German, pet form of names such as Waldemar
"to rule"
Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of…