Boy Names Lists · International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Spanish place-name; "mountainous"
"mountainous"
Relaxed western place-name that still has some masculine punch, but be warned: this whole posse of similarly trendy names, like Sierra and Dakota, will soon ride toward the sunset.
Nature name
Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls , played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we…
Eastern African
"adventurous traveler"
One of the most popular African names for boys, Kymani was in the US Top 1000 list from 2008 until 2016. Spelled Ky-mani, it's the name of Bob Marley's son.
Diminutive of Huckleberry, word name
Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.
English word name
We've got Saint, we've got King, we've got Prince Duke Bishop Deacon and Messiah. So why not Sir? While some might find it slightly pretentious, at least 80 parents chose it for their babies in…
Diminutive of Isaac, Hebrew
"laughter"
Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century. The rise of Isaac and the stylishness of short down-to-earth…
American place-name
"Charles' town"
Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used…
Japanese or Choctaw
"carp; panther"
The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away…
Word name
Hard and shiny, Steel projects an image that's smooth, macho...and cold to the touch.
Place-name from Dutch
"marshland"
It may be the hippest of hispter neighborhoods, but as a baby name Brooklyn is now on the decline: down from a peak of 120 births for boys in 1999, and over 7000 births for girls in 2011. The most…
French or German surname
"throw away; foundling; jet"
Jeter, which of course is used as a first name only because of Yankee star Derek, rhymes with Peter and may be derived from the French surname Jette, which was often bestowed on foundlings because it…
Jazz as a full name is used slightly more often for boys than girls and has a distinctive, well, jazzy feel. Jazz is also occasionally used as a nickname for Jasper, much more often for Jasmine or…
Place-name, nickname for state of Texas resident
Despite its rakish western charm, still remains a cowboy costume without a real persona inside.
Place-name and Native American
"the great one"
Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. There were 20 boys and 55 girls given the name in…
English
"animal name"
Other wild animals like Fox, Wolf and Bear are catching on as baby names, and Tiger is a rarer option with several famous namesakes, including golf champ Tiger Woods, who was born Eldrick. Other…
Native American tribal name
"friend to us"
The name of one of the branches of the Great Sioux Nation has a very namelike sound, but is not used as a name by the Lakota people themselves, and could be seen as appropriative.
English place-name and surname
"Ellis's town"
Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also…
Place-name
Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
Diminutive of Cordell
"maker or seller of rope or cord"
This is the kind of strong one-syllable boy's name many parents are seeking these days. The more musical Chord was introduced by hot young actor Chord Overstreet.
American, a combination of the prefix La- and Shawn, Irish variation of John
"God is gracious"
The prefix La- was historically used by the Free Blacks of New Orleans in the nineteenth century to indicate paternity. Thus, someone named Lashawn was the son of Shawn, a phonetic spelling of Sean,…
