Boy Names Lists · Popular Names and Name Trends
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
English
"lives near the bridge"
A recent addition to the Most Popular list, Bridger has the trendy two-syllables and 'er' ending, and a historical reference to Jim Bridger, a foremost nineteenth-century frontiersman, explorer,…
Variation of Briar, English word name
"a thorny patch"
This spelling of the rising unisex name Briar may strike some parents as more definitively masculine than its source, less Briar-Rose, more last-name-as-a-given-name and cowboyesque. Though it is…
Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Gentle but solid, as much of a word as it is a name, Robin is a rising star in the US, and a favorite in Belgium, France, Czechia and Switzerland. With memorable namesakes like Robin Hood, Robin…
Old English
"place where Rye is grown"
Similar to popular Riley and Ryan and the origin of Rylan, this Old English surname has been in the US Top 1000 since the early 2000s. While it has declined in recent years, it was still given to…
Greek, Hebrew
"my strength is God"
A cool Biblical option that entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever in 2024, Ozias gets extra points for its user-friendly nicknames Oz and Ozzie or Ozzy. Given to around 280 boys in 2024, it…
Hebrew and Spanish variation of Aaron
This shortened variation of Aaron—it was Elvis's middle name—is now a widely used choice.
Native American place name
"flat lands"
The name of the protagonist of Disney’s Brother Bear also has a geographical connection: the Kenai Peninsula and Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. With boy names like Kai and Levi at the top of…
Invented name
Ryatt — which may be a combination of names like Ryan and Wyatt — gives you the sound of Riot without the violent connotations. Naturally, it's almost twice as popular among baby boys than Riot, even…
Short form of Wesley, English
"West"
Short and cool with rugged charm, Wes is a rising star in the US, climbing the charts along side Wesley and Weston and joining other one syllable options such as Mack, Jett, Tate, and Brooks.…
Word name
Cannon sits amongst other weapon names like Colt, Pistol, Lance, and Remington. Definitely a name that offers bombast.
Spanish variation of Nathan, Hebrew
"given"
A Spanish spelling of Nathan, notably used in Puerto Rico and the US, to reflect the English pronunciation, it made its debut in the US stats in 2025 when it climbed 775 places. It can be said as…
Variation of Weston, English
"western town"
Relaxed American cowboy meets modern and trendy, Westyn is a spelling variation of Top 100 Weston. Joining both the traditional spelling and the alternative choice Westin in the Top 1000, it was a…
Invented name, African American, Arabic
"beauty + prince, ruler"
A tweaked version of Jamir, itself a modern invented name, Jahmir is based on Arabic names Jamal and Amir. Jahmir was amongst the fastest-rising boy names of 2023, and one of the newest additions to…
French variation of Marcellus
"little warrior"
Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and…
English from German, Irish
"mind, intellect; fiery one"
Tough yet gentle in look and sound, Hugh was a Top 100 choice in the US back in the late 19th-century and while it's never reached those heights again, it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000…
German, diminutive of Rudolph
"famous wolf"
Rudy is one of those names that has been consistently in the US Top 1000 since the early 20th century without ever becoming overwhelmingly popular. It peaked back in the 1930s, when it briefly…
Persian variation of Yusuf, Arabic
"God increases"
While Yusuf is the more popular Arabic form of Joseph, Yousef is the Persian variant and is sometimes used as an Arabic transcription. Currently in the Top 500 in the UK and the Top 1000 in the US,…
German, Yoruba
"order, command; return"
Bode is a short and sharp name that has been on and off the US charts since the mid-2000s. Similar to on-trend choices such as Brooks, Beau, Boone, Brody, and Bodhi, Bode suffers a little, perhaps…
Hebrew
"my strength is Yahweh"
With Azariah and Azriel in the Top 1000, and Ezra, Josiah, and Isaiah in the Top 100, it makes sense that this lesser known Hebrew choice is being revived in the US. Most likely deriving from Uzziah…
Scandinavian variation of Mateo, Spanish
"gift of God"
With Mateo making its first ever appearance in the US Top 10 in 2023, its Scandinavian variant Matheo borrowed some of its spotlight and appeared in the Top 1000 for the first time. Popular in…
