Boy Names Always in the Top 1000

  1. Alonzo
    • Origin:

      Italian diminutive of Alphonso
    • Meaning:

      "noble, ready"
    • Description:

      Alonzo is dashing and debonair, with a large measure of Latin flair.
  2. Allen
    • Origin:

      English and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "handsome, cheerful"
    • Description:

      Allen is the spelling of this name -- other common spellings are Alan and Allan -- most associated with the surname; it might also be the most appropriate if you're trying to steer clear of Al as a nickname, as this can easily offer you Len or Lenny as options.
  3. Andy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Andrew, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"
    • Description:

      Although we prefer Drew to the old Raggedy Andy, Andy has overtaken Drew as a name in its own right. About twice as many baby boys are named Andy, just Andy -- though about eight times as many parents go with the full Andrew.
  4. Wilson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Will"
    • Description:

      Wilson is a substantive presidential choice far less prevalent than Taylor or Tyler, and with the advantage of being a new route to friendly nickname Will. We see Wilson growing in popularity as an alternative to William; and as a patronymic, it would make a conceivable (if possibly confusing) choice for a son of William.
  5. Chris
    • Origin:

      English nickname for Christian, Christopher
    • Meaning:

      "one who carries Christ"
    • Description:

      Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls. While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread use as a short form of both the popular Christopher and Christine. Chris manages to retain its crisp appeal even though its fashion moment is over.
  6. Nelson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Neil"
    • Description:

      Nelson is a rather stiff and dated surname name that is sometimes used to honor distinguished South African activist Nelson Mandela, as Celine Dion did for one of her twin boys. Other notable associations are with the British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, novelist Nelson Algren and movie operetta star Nelson Eddy. It was also the given name of "Rabbit" Angstrom, protagonist of John Updike's series of novels.
  7. Antonio
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Italian variation of Anthony
    • Meaning:

      "from Antium"
    • Description:

      Antonio is a Shakespearean favorite -- the Bard used it in no less than five of his plays, and has long been a ubiquitous classic in Spanish-speaking countries, where the nickname Tonio is also prevalent. Antonio is also among an elite group of perennially popular names in the US, where it has always been among the boys' Top 1000 since baby name record-keeping started in 1880.
  8. Manuel
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is with us"
    • Description:

      Popular among Hispanic communities but also used internationally, Manuel is a name with a regal history.
  9. Jerry
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Gerald or Jerome, German or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "ruler with the spear or sacred name"
    • Description:

      Jerry is one of those short forms that, like Mike and Debbie, rose to popularity on the coattails of their formal versions. The equivalents today are nickname names like Ellie and Theo.
  10. Allan
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Alan
    • Meaning:

      "handsome, cheerful"
    • Description:

      This extra-L variation of Alan isn't quite as popular in the US as the original. Both spellings remain popular in Ireland and England.
  11. Luis
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Louis
    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"
    • Description:

      Luis has long been one of the most popular Hispanic names in America — it was in the Top 100 every year from 1980 to 2014, though it's dropped a bit in popularity. It's familiar, yet would add a worldly touch to a basic surname.
  12. Davis
    • Origin:

      Surname derived from David, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave.
  13. Ruben
    • Origin:

      Dutch; German; French; Italian, Polish; Swedish; Norwegian; Danish; Armenian, from Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "behold, a son"
    • Description:

      The streamlined Ruben is much more popular than the original Biblical Hebrew version in the US.
  14. Tony
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Anthony
    • Meaning:

      "priceless one"
    • Description:

      Tony, as in classy. Or To-nyyy, as yelled out a tenement window.
  15. Israel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "he who struggles with God"
    • Description:

      Though it was used by the Puritans in the sixteenth century, the founding of the modern Jewish state in 1948 transformed Israel from a traditional favorite into an icon of Judaism.
  16. Johnny
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      The ultimate midcentury nickname, retaining a good measure of retro charm, was chosen for her son by Mira Sorvino.
  17. Phillip
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lover of horses"
    • Description:

      Spelling variation of Philip. Exactly as many baby boys were named with the single 'l' spelling in 2017.
  18. Jefferson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Jeffrey"
    • Description:

      The name of the third U.S. President sounds, like Harrison and Jackson, more modern and stylish now than its root name. Used as a first name long before our surname-crazed era, Jefferson was most famously used as a first name by the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, which may justifiably make you not want to use it. Jefferson is the middle name of another Prez, William Clinton.
  19. Emanuel
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is with us"
    • Description:

      Fewer letters does not always mean easier—the traditional spelling is the one most people will recognize.
  20. Ramon
    • Origin:

      Catalan variation of Raymond
    • Description:

      The Latin Ramon has been in the U.S. Top 1000 since the beginning of baby-naming time, i.e. the past 130+ years. Ramon is the perfect blend of worldly and familiar, with a rocker edge via The Ramones. A cool name classic, if there ever was one.

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