Boy Names Lists · Name Image · Cool Baby Names
Cool Boy Names
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About this list
Many of us name babies based on who we want them to grow up to be, and all of these names nudge your son toward cool guy status. It's hard to picture a man named Dash or Rhett as being anything but exceptionally rad, and that's exactly the point.
Along with Dash and Rhett, other cool guy names in the US Top 1000 include Chase, Finn, Levi, Luke, Miles, Otis, Ryder, and Wyatt. Many cool guy names are also word names, such as Chance, King, Ransom, and West.
These are the cool names of the guys who are good-looking but not pretty, tough but also tender, bad boys but in the best possible way. If this is your prime criteria for a name, forget name style (though many of these are stylish) and focus on names that convey the cool guy image.
The names
Levi
Hebrew
"joined, attached"
Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. Now it's being…
Santiago
Place-name or Latin
"Saint James"
Santiago is a spirited Spanish name with great crossover potential. It's a place-name (a city in Chile), a surname, and the name of the patron saint of Spain. Santiago has been rising through the…
Luke
Greek
"man from Lucania"
Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker. Today, the Luke constellation of names is more popular than ever,…
Wyatt
English surname
"brave in war"
Wyatt has been hot, which is to say cool, for several years now. With its easy Wyatt Earpish cowboy charm, it's relaxed but still highly respectable. Wyatt is a lot more classic a name than you might…
Roman
Latin
"citizen of Rome"
Roman is an ancient name trending in a major way. A surprise hit name of recent years, Roman now ranks in the Top 100 not only in the US but throughout the English-speaking world, and is rising in…
Miles
English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"
"soldier or merciful"
Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting…
Maverick
American
"independent, nonconformist"
It's ironic that the name Maverick is not such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun , Maverick symbolizes an…
Thiago
Spelling variation of Tiago, diminutive of Santiago
"supplanter"
Some high-profile soccer stars, such as Thiago Silva, have contributed to its success. The correct Portuguese pronunciation is chee-AH-go. Thiago is ranked Number 2 for boys in Puerto Rico.
Grayson
English
"the son of the bailiff"
Grayson, which you might think of as a Jason-Mason substitute, has been rising through the US Top 1000 since 1984 and has ranked in the Top 100 since 2011. That makes Grayson a modern classic boys'…
Beau
French
"handsome"
Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau…
Lincoln
English
"town by the pool"
Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now,…
Enzo
Italian variation of Heinz or Henry, German, or diminutive form of -enzo names, "estate ruler"
"estate ruler"
Internationally popular, Enzo is a confident and captivating name, playful but down to earth. Similar in sound or style to the likes of Leo, Luca, Eli, and Ezra, and in tune with Mateo, Gabriel, and…
Atlas
Greek
"bearer of the heavens"
Atlas is one of those names that was previously thought too powerful for a baby boy, who would have to be strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders. Now Atlas has joined the pantheon of Greek…
Axel
Scandinavian variation of Absalom
"father of peace"
A classic in its native Scandinavia, Axel has a cool rock 'n' roll flavor in the US, thanks to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose (born William). With its distinctive letter 'x', it has an effortlessly cool…
Adriel
Hebrew
"God is my master"
This biblical name is getting wider notice. While Adrian has had its time in the limelight since the late 70s, parents are beginning to look for fresher alternatives. In the Bible, Adriel was the…
Kai
Hawaiian, Frisian, Chinese
"sea; warrior; triumph"
Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries. In the US, the name Kai is most commonly…
Xavier
Basque
"new house"
Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the…
River
Nature name
River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named…
Austin
English, shortened form of Augustine, Latin
"great, magnificent"
Austin is one of the most attractive city names for babies , with an appealing southwestern feel and place-name panache. Austin has been an Anglo-Saxon surname and a first name since medieval times.…
Hunter
English
"one who hunts"
Hunter has been dropping a bit for the past few years but is still one of the leaders of a distinctive band of boys' names that combines macho imagery (Hunter, Austin, Harley) with a softened…
Ryder
British surname
"cavalryman, messenger"
Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending boys’ names , has been in the spotlight since Kate Hudson and her rocker husband Chris Robinson chose it for their son in 2004. Very popular in several…
Zion
Hebrew
"highest point"
Zion has taken off in recent years, particularly after singer Lauryn Hill used it for her son back in 1997 and incorporated the name into a hit song. It combines a user-friendly Ryan-Brian sound with…
Arlo
Irish or English
"between two hills"
Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry. Along with its Irish and English…
Hayes
English surname and nature name
"hedged area"
One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. Chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, it…
Ace
Latin
"one, unity"
No longer tied to the hapless Ace Ventura, this jaunty, high-flying nickname name is starting to take flight among celebrity and other parents, with its countless positive references to doing well in…
Beckham
English
"homestead by the stream"
Who knew there were so many soccer fans in the U.S.? Beckham -- as in British sensation David -- has exploded onto the baby name scene in the past decade.
Jett
Mineral or word name
Short, sharp, and cool, Jett is a contemporary choice that connotes both gemstones and jet engines. Rarely used before the 90s, John Travolta, and then George Lucas, helped to put the name on the map…
Nico
Italian diminutive of Nicholas, Greek
"people of victory"
Nico is one of the great nickname names, full of charm, energy and effortless cool -- a neo Nick. Nico is commonly heard in Italy -- as a short form of Niccolo -- and also in France, Belgium,…
Aziel
Hebrew
"God is my strength"
The name of a musician in the Old Testament, this once rare Biblical name entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 and has shot up the charts since. Given to less than 50 boys a decade ago, Aziel was chosen…
Rhett
English from Dutch
"advice"
Rhett has been more tied to Gone with the Wind than even Scarlett, but now we're hearing rumblings of its finding new and independent favor among parents, perhaps emboldened by the growing popularity…
Chase
French
"to hunt"
Chase, with its sleek and ultraprosperous aura, is redolent of the worlds of high finance and international banking. Chase has been well used during the last few decades, seen as a character on 24…
Legend
English
"hero or fable"
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend")…
Knox
Scottish
"round hill"
Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to…
Kingston
English
"king's town"
Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King. Kingston…
Finn
Irish, Scandinavian, Norse
"fair, white; from Finland"
Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as…
Maddox
Welsh
"son of Madoc"
Maddox, a previously obscure Welsh family name with a powerfully masculine image, suddenly came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie chose it for her son in 2003. By the following year it was in…
Kairo
Spelling variation of place-name Cairo, Arabic
"the conqueror"
Contemporary Kairo fits in with the modern trend of substituting a C for a K initial, and in this case, it works to get you more easily to the cool nickname Kai. In fact, parents in the US and the UK…
Brody
Irish, English, and Scottish
"broad eye or broad island"
The energetic Brody is a name that claims different meanings and origins depending on whether you're looking at its Irish, Scottish, or English history -- and Eastern Europeans claim a version too.…
Dallas
Place name, surname and Irish
"meadow dwelling, valley house, skilled"
A laid-back cowboy name which feels both cool and gentle, Dallas has ranked in the US Top 500 since records began in 1880. Never super popular but surprisingly never out of style, Dallas is given to…
Ronan
Irish
"little seal"
Ronan is the compelling legendary name of twelve Irish and Scottish saints that is now drawing some deserved attention; this cousin of the ascending Roman and Rowan was chosen by actor Daniel…
Cade
English
"round, barrel; battle"
Strong and modern, Cade shot up the popularity lists around the millennium—it was as high as Number 201 in 2001. Now, it has declined in popularity slightly, but nevertheless remains in the US Top…
Nash
English
"by the ash tree"
Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson…
Crew
English word name
"a band or force of armed men"
Crew is yet another word name that was added to the baby name lexicon when this one was chosen by The Young and the Restless star Joshua Morrow for his son. It debuted on the Top 1000 in 2010. We've…
Bodhi
Sanskrit
"awakening, enlightenment"
Bodhi is a Sanskrit name translated as "enlightenment" or "awakening" which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego.…
Koa
Hawaiian
"warrior; flowing tree native to Hawaii"
The international popularity of Noah has led to some parents searching for alternatives and the rhyming Koa is now attracting more attention than ever. With its cool K initial and summery,…
Maximus
Latin
"greatest"
The powerful name of the powerful character played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film Gladiator first appeared on the popularity charts that same year. Max to the max. One time considered a "too much…
Shiloh
Hebrew
"tranquil"
Haunting biblical and Civil War place-name; now unisex—especially after the mega-high-profile Brangelina couple picked it for their daughter. It debuted in the Top 1000 for boys in 2015. Many people…
Colt
Word name
"young horse"
Colt is the kind of unconventionally macho name that is so trendy right now, because of or in spite of its association with horses and guns. A rent study of voter names by political party found that…
Cash
Word name; also diminutive of Cassius
"hollow"
With the popular 'ash' sound and a contemporary feel, Cash is a widely used name in the US. Used occasionally before the 2000s, Cash really took off in 2003, following the death of American musical…
Lennox
Scottish
"elm grove"
Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the…
Holden
English
"hollow valley"
Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the…
Remington
English
"place on a riverbank"
Remington Steele was the perfect name for an upper-crust action hero on 1980s television. Now, Remington is catching fire along with a new generation of predatory baby boy names such as Hunter,…
Dante
Latin diminutive of Durant
"enduring"
Though closely associated with the great medieval Florentine poet Dante Alighieri -- who's so famous most people skip the last name -- it's not as much of a one-man name as you might think. Heck,…
Banks
English surname
"one who lives on the hillside or riverbank"
Banks is a topographical surname that refers not to those places where people keep their money but to riverbanks or hillsides, and specifically the people who live and work on them. A name with two…
Zane
Possible variation of John
"God is gracious"
Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image. Zane Grey was the great-grandson of Ebenezer…
Cruz
Spanish
"cross"
For a single-syllable Latino surname, this new popular kid on the block packs a lot of energy and charm and is one of the most stylish Spanish names for boys in general use today. Victoria and David…
Jax
Modern invented name, English
"God is Gracious"
With its cool -X ending, Jax is an update on the classic nickname Jack, likely inspired by the rise of Jackson. It garnered attention in the US thanks to the game, Mortal Kombat II back in the '90s,…
Wells
Surname from place name
"spring"
Wells is a newly-famous baby name thanks to pregnancy guru Rosie Pope, who uses it as the short form of the buttoned-up Wellington, name of her youngest child.
Hendrix
Dutch and German, from first name Hendrik
"estate ruler"
Hendrix is one of those hip rock and roll names, like Lennon, Jagger and Presley, that have been used by fellow celebs and others, to honor the seminal guitarist/singer/songwriter Jimi. And this one…
Briggs
English variation of Bridges
Having only entered the US Top 1000 in 2012, Briggs is yet another ends-in-s surname name for boys currently on the rise, along the lines of Brooks and Hayes.