Boy Names Lists · Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Latin
"of the city"
Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both…
Variation of Auberon
"elf king; noble bear"
The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its bold 'O' beginning has plenty of strength alongside its magical qualities. Oberon was…
Gaelic, Anglicized form of Eoghann
"born of the yew tree"
The attractive Euan and Ewan are just coming onto the U.S. radar, via actor Ewan MacGregor and Harry Potter 's Euan Abercrombie.
Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius
"fiery"
Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones.…
English
"descendant of Hilary"
Ellery is a rhythmic three-syllable boy's name that is familiar and yet rarely used--and just waiting to be discovered. It's long been identified with Ellery Queen--which was both the pen name of two…
Hebrew
"God is just"
Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth…
"white, or, man from Alba"
An ancient and highly unusual name; St. Alban -- sometimes also called Albinus or Aubin -- was an early martyr in Roman Britain. Using an alternate spelling, Alben Barkley was the 35th U.S.…
Bulgarian, meaning unknown
A name of unknown etymology, with roots in European history. Ivan Asen I (also known as Asen I) was a medieval Bulgarian emperor whose name was given to several successors to the throne. Today, it is…
Italian variation of Humbert
"renowned warrior"
A definite improvement over the English Humbert, Umberto has nevertheless been rarely heard outside the Italian community. The writer-semiotician Umberto Eco is a noteworthy namesake.
Italian from Latin
"bear"
Cool bearlike option, though Orson might be easier to embrace.
Italian form of Amadeus
"lover of God"
This euphonious Italian Italian name for boys , often associated with the painter Modigliani, makes a recommended creative choice. The Spanish tend to spell it Amadeo.
Mythological name
"ocean"
Oceanus was the Titan in ancient Greek mythology who rules what they thought was the body of water that surrounded the Earth. Oceanus was, appropriately enough, the name of the baby born on the…
Variation of Lazarus
"God is my helper"
Four-syllable names can be tricky, but this rarely used Old Testament appellation has considerable potential. In the Bible, Eleazer is a son of Aaron and nephew of Moses who succeeds his father as…
Irish
"descendant of Brian"
The use of O -prefixes could create the next wave of Irish-inflected names, offering an innovative way of honoring a relative with the old-fashioned moniker Brian. On Downton Abbey , the surname…
