Dad Names

Khalil

Arabic

"friend"

Spelled in various ways, this name was first brought into the American consciousness by the Lebanese-American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran, author of The Prophet .

Fernando

Spanish and Portuguese variation of Ferdinand

"bold voyager"

Can you hear the drums Fernando? Although 58% of Nameberries prefer Ferdinand to Fernando, the Iberian variant has a softer, more romantic feel that makes it a better fit with all those Javiers,…

Raphael

Hebrew

"God has healed"

Raphael is a romantic archangel name that sounds both artistic and powerful. Raphael is also a great cross-cultural choice, with significance for people with both Latinate and Jewish roots, plus…

Jared

Hebrew

"he descends"

Jared is an Old Testament name that has been popular for decades--it was revived in the sixties via TV westerns-- and is still an appealing option. In the Bible, Jared was a descendant of Adam who…

Travis

French occupational name

"tollgate-keeper"

Has a laid-back rural feel some would associate with country singer Travis Tritt; Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon chose it for their son. Travis Scott, born Jacques Webster Jr., a popular rap artist,…

Malik

Arabic; Greenlandic

"king; owner; wave"

A name with many spelling variations, including Malek, Melik, and Maliq, Malik is a popular name of Arabic and Semetic origin that is used internationally as both a given name and a surname. In terms…

Sergio

Italian and Spanish variation of Sergius, Roman family name

"servant"

Widely heard in both Italian and Spanish households, Sergio and his many international brothers are rooted in Sergius, one of the original Roman family names. The meaning is unknown, but possibly is…

Chance

French variation of Chauncey

Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the…

Dalton

English

"the settlement in the valley"

Dalton is a name with multi-faceted appeal. Many are attracted to the name's resemblance to other two-syllable n-ending favorites: Colton, Holden, and cousins. Others see it as a trendy Western name,…

Pedro

Spanish; Portuguese variation of Peter, Greek

"rock, stone"

Pedro is one of the most familiar Spanish names for boys , via baseball star Pedro Rodriguez and many others. Like its Anglo equivalent Peter, Pedro is not as popular as it once was. But it's among…

Tanner

English occupational name

"leather tanner"

One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining.

Ruben

Dutch; German; French; Italian, Polish; Swedish; Norwegian; Danish; Armenian, from Hebrew

"behold, a son"

The streamlined Ruben is much more popular than the original Biblical Hebrew version in the US. Ruben is definitely a simpler and more intuitive spelling of this rich attractive name. Ruben and Ruby…

Sean

Irish variation of John

"God is gracious"

Sean, after a long reign as one of the top Irish boys' names in the US, has now slipped as parents look to fresher Irish choices such as Liam and Aidan. In Ireland, Sean is still highly popular, but…

Collin

Variation of Colin and Collins

Thanks to its dashing British image and c-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin/Collin has enjoyed a long run of popularity.

Kyle

Scottish

"narrow spit of land"

Kyle is still appreciated by thousands of parents each year for its combination of simplicity, strength, and style; it was in the Top 20 for most of the nineties. As a Scottish surname, it dates back…

Marcos

Portuguese and Spanish variation of Mark

Another culture's slant on Mark, sometimes associated with former president of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos and his shoe-collecting wife, Imelda.

Erik

Spelling variation of Eric, Old Norse

"eternal ruler"

While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the…

Drew

Diminutive of Andrew

"strong and manly"

Drew, which projects a polished, somewhat intellectual impression, is rapidly becoming the Andrew nickname of choice, replacing the past favorite, Andy. It is fully capable of standing on its own,…

Armando

Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Herman, German

"soldier"

Armando takes the flat-footed Herman and makes it romantic. This is another of the Latin names we expect to be seeing more of.

Morgan

Welsh

"sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"

Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common boys’ name in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were…