Truman's Brother

Theodore

Greek

"gift of God"

Classic and elegant but with boyish charm, Theodore has become hit name in recent years, vaulting into the US Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and into the Top 5 in 2024. A favorite in English…

James

English variation of Jacob, Hebrew

"supplanter"

James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys'…

Charles

French from German

"free man"

Charles derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning "man" or "free man", and is a royal name in multiple European countries. A famous early bearer is Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards and…

Harrison

English

"son of Harry"

Harrison, a name made viable by Harrison Ford, is increasingly popular with parents who want an H name that's more formal than Harry or Hank but doesn't veer into the stiff Huntington-Harrington…

Graham

Scottish

"gravelly homestead"

Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here. Among the best known bearers are novelist Graham Greene, racing driver Graham Hill and…

Beckett

English and Irish

"bee hive, little brook or bee cottage"

Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade. A handsome name with an attractively brisk sound, and rich in literary associations via major Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, it is especially…

Edwin

English

"wealthy friend"

Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available. The most famous Edwin in history was a seventh century…

Conrad

German

"brave counsel"

Solid and intellectual, with just a touch of ruggedness thanks to that rad ending, Conrad has appeared consistently in on the US popularity charts since the 19th century. Over the years, it has been…

Alden

English

"old, wise friend"

Hot young actor Alden Ehrenreich, the new Han Solo, gives this formerly-stodgy surname name an attractive new image, making it a fresh successor to Aiden or Holden. Before it got this fresh shine,…

Harlan

German and English

"rocky land"

Pleasant but uninspired surname name somewhat connected to writers Ellison and Coben. After three decades off the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2013, maybe because it's an unusual example of the…

Jefferson

English

"son of Jeffrey"

The name of the third U.S. President sounds, like Harrison and Jackson, more modern and stylish now than its root name. Used as a first name long before our surname-crazed era, Jefferson was most…

Heath

English

"the heathland dweller"

Rugged and outdoorsy, Heath was an obscure choice until the 1960s when it was used in the television series, The Big Valley for character Heath Barkley. It peaked in the 70s when it reached the US…

Kelvin

Scottish

"narrow or wooded river"

A tributary of the River Clyde in Scotland, called in Scottish Gaelic Abhainn Cheilbhinn : caol ("narrow") or coille ("wooded") + abhainn ("river"). As a surname, it derives from the name of the…

Eamon

Irish variation of Edmund

"wealthy protector"

Eamon is one of the traditional Irish names that has not yet emigrated to the US. This Irish name pronounced ay-mon was popularized by early president of the independent republic Eamon de Valera…

Brighton

English, place name meaning "bright town"

"bright town"

Brighton has long been known as a holiday resort town on the south coast of England. A cheery unisex name, it was used for his daughter by Jon Favreau, but was a boy on the TV show The Nanny .

Hart

English

"stag"

Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…

Broderick

Norse

"brother"

Despite its brotherly meaning, sounds rather formal and cold.

Hendrik

Dutch and Scandinavian variation of Henry

A bit stiff and formal for American use.

Penn

English

"enclosure"

This simple, elegant name offers something for many kinds of parents, from writers and history buffs to photographers to Pennsylvania dwellers. Most famous bearers are comedian Penn Jillette and…

Pace

Word name

Calm, straightforward, patrician sounding: Pace is one new-style name that's well-grounded. Sarah Palin has a grandson named Pace.