Boy Names Lists · Popular Names and Name Trends
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Variation of Zaire or Sire, Kongo, English
"the river that swallows all rivers; king, royal, noble"
Zaire has been a hugely stylish choice in the US in recent years, derived from the name of a now dissolved Central African state which takes its name from the Kongo term "the river that swallows all…
Sanskrit
"brave"
One of the fastest-rising Indian boy names of the past few years, Veer is a straightforward choice with visual appeal and a striking V initial. Sleek and simple, Veer has joined the US Top 1000 boy…
Latin variation of Josiah, Hebrew
"God supports, heals"
An attractive, surprisingly uncommon variation of Josiah. To give you an idea of how comparatively rare Josias is, there were about 200 baby boys named Josias in the US last year, versus nearly 6000…
Hebrew
"excellence"
Jethro, though the biblical father-in-law of Moses, has suffered for a long time from a Beverly Hillbilly image, but some really adventurous parents might consider updating and urbanizing it and…
Italian from German
"old and wise"
A spirited German name very popular in Italy and occasionally used here, Aldo is one of the unique baby names with international flair. And names that mean wise have an enduring appeal.
Norman
"man power"
This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…
Scottish
"foreigner, stranger"
Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit . And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver…
Variation of Beau, French
"handsome, beautiful, beauties"
A fanciful way to spell the popular Beau, Beaux is also the plural form of the French adjective. Appealing to those who love Margaux or the letter X in general, it entered the US Top 1000 for boys in…
Place-name
"home on a forested dune"
With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem is one to watch out for. It has lingered down the lower end of the US Top 1000 since 2018 but has been trending upwards. It's already been…
Modern invention, from Cawston or Casey
"calf town; brave in battle"
One of many spelling variations of Cason, Caysen, Kasen, and so on, Kaycen made its debut in the US charts in 2025 when it was one of the fastest rising choices for boys. Climbing 241 places, it may…
Arabic variation of Aslan, Turkish
"lion"
Readers will be familiar with Aslan — a historied Turkish name — via C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia . Azlan is the Arabic variation, rising in popularity among Muslim families and…
Diminutive of Tobias, Greek, Hebrew
"God is Good"
Sweet and spirited, kindly and handsome, posh and approachable, Toby is a versatile nickname, popular in the UK as a stand-alone choice, but familiar in the Netherlands and New Zealand too. In the…
Variation of Dominic, Latin "belonging to the lord"
"belonging to the lord"
A variation of the classic Dominic, this is the German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Polish, Hungarian, and Croatian form. Traditionally chosen for children born on Sundays (owing to its meaning), it…
Catalan, Occitan variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
There are now more boys than girls given the name Joan each year in the US, although the two are distinct names. The masculine version, pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, is among…
Latin
"the golden one"
Since Aurelius was given the supermodel seal of approval by Elle Macpherson, it has joined Augustus as an ancient Roman name that feels usable today. Slightly mystical and magical with a golden hue,…
Irish and Scottish
"yellow"
Attractive Scottish and Irish surname name of a seventh-century saint, associated with the illusionist and escape artist David Blaine.
English
"pilgrim; one who holds a palm"
Palmer is a name that derives from the fact that pilgrims often carried palms, thus the double meaning. It's a fresher sounding twist other surname style names, such as Spencer, Carter, Porter and…
French and English
"ruler or king of the land"
St. Landry was a seventh century bishop of Paris, founder of the city's first hospital, though in the US, it may be better connected with legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, an association…
"might of God"
An obscure Old Testament name used by parents of 75 boys in 2016, Oziel could be a distinctive route to fashionable nickname Oz.
Variation of Maclaine, MacLean, or MacLaughlin, Scottish
"son of servant of Saint John; son of Lachlann"
Borrowed from several Scottish surnames Macklin feels more wearable as a first name: a cool and current way to nickname Mack. If you view Macklin as a variation of MacLean or MacLaine, it is a name…
