Boy Names Lists · Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Hebrew
"servant of God"
For the seriously audacious biblical baby namer who wants to move beyond Elijah and Josiah, this name has considerable old-fangled charm. Obadiah, who gave his name to one of the shortest books in…
Latin
"lover of God"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's middle name could make an interesting pick for music-loving parents, most easily in the middle place, ala Mozart. But today's more wide-ranging naming sensibility and love…
German diminutive of Hans
"God is gracious"
Those "Where's Gretel?" jokes will get old pretty fast.
"God is my father"
Abiel is a biblical name (he was the grandfather of Saul) that was used by Puritans, particularly in Massachusetts, so it has a long pedigree. Parents are increasingly looking for underused…
Italian
Amadeo and Amedeo are both valid Italian forms of the Roman Amadeus, most famous as the middle name of the composer Mozart as well as the title of a movie about him. Mozart's name was actually the…
"God is my judge"
Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.
"devoted to God"
Lemuel is a neglected Old Testament name, with the friendly nickname Lem, that we're surprised hasn't been picked up on by parents who have known too many Samuels. In the Bible, Lemuel is mentioned…
German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Estonian variation of John
An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.
Latin, from a Roman family name related to Mars, the god of war
Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius…
"God is with my people"
Amiel is a biblical name with lots of connections to those with a creative spirit, including director Jon Amiel, French pop singer Thierry Amiel, and medieval troubadour Gaubert Amiel. Ami (which…
Hindi
"sun god"
Graceful Indian choice that may sound feminine to the Western ear but is in fact the name of a male god. One form of worship of Surya that may be familiar to Westerners is the sun salutation in yoga.
Yiddish variation of Eliezer or Lazarus
"God helps"
Lazer has some biblical cred as a form of Eliezer, Eleazar, or Lazarus, all relatives, and it's also a modern bad boy name a la Ranger and Breaker. Our recommendation would be to use one of the…
Irish, variation of John
Though Eoin is a Gaelic form of John, its Anglicized pronunciation links it directly to Owen. Eoin is currently a Top 30 name in Ireland. Other variations: Ewan, Ewen, Evan and Eoghan (pronounced as…
Variation of Jedidiah, Hebrew
"beloved of the Lord"
Blink and you’ll miss that the first I in Jedidiah was swapped for an E.
Greek
"lordly"
A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a…
Russian variation of Elijah
"the Lord is my God"
A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov."…
Greek mythology name
"cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker"
These days, some may think of Hermes as an upscale brand name like Chanel and Porsche (spelled as Hermès), or a strange choice thanks to the parcel delivery company. However, with names from Greek…
Short form of Matthew
"gift of God"
Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew. Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive, and…
Spanish diminutive of Daniel
So much more worldly than Danny.
Irish
"little lord"
Tiernan is the slightly edgier and sharper cousin of Kiernan. This is one Irish surname that is attractive but distinctive; Tierney is another, related, option. Tiernan was a popular name in early…
