Names for Sons

  1. Addison
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Adam"
    • Description:

      Despite its origin as a patronymic meaning "son of Adam", Addison really caught on for baby girls in the US around the turn of the millennium, following in Madison's footsteps to peak at #11 in 2007 and again in 2010.
  2. Alison
    • Barnabas
      • Origin:

        Aramaic
      • Meaning:

        "son of consolation"
      • Description:

        Barnabas, whose birth name was Joseph, was one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem, who undertook missionary journeys with Paul the Apostle, His name is a bit Old World compared to the update Barnaby, but could gain some attention as boys' names ending in 's' are enjoying a comeback.
    • Bartholomew
      • Origin:

        Aramaic
      • Meaning:

        "son of the furrow"
      • Description:

        Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish nickname. That character, by the way, has the full name of Bartholomew JoJo Simpson, and creator Matt Groening came up with Bart as an--uh oh--anagram for brat. Two old alternate nicknames are Barty and Tolly.
    • Benjamin
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "son of the right hand"
      • Description:

        Benjamin is a biblical name that has enjoyed widespread favor for decades, ranking in the US Top 50 for almost half a century and the Top 10 from 2015 until 2023.
    • Benson
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of Ben"
      • Description:

        Benson has outgrown its long association with a wisecracking TV butler. Parents may see it as an alternate route to nickname Ben, very different in image than the biblical Benjamin. Benson also carries the patronymic theme made popular by Jackson, Harrison, and Jefferson. More recently, Olivia Benson of Law and Order: SVU has reclaimed this as a surname. On a less salubrious note, Benson is still connected to the cigarette brand Benson and Hedges.
    • Bevis
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "from Beauvais"
      • Description:

        An English surname derived from the French place name Beauvais, which in turn comes from the name of an ancient Gaulish tribe, the Bellovaci.
    • Branson
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of the raven"
      • Description:

        Branson is a fairly recent addition to the Top 1000, first breaking in at Number 988 in 1995. While it may not be a common sighting yet, it fits the trend of more popular cousins Mason, Grayson, Hudson, and Carson.
    • Cormac
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "charioteer"
      • Description:

        Both offbeat and upbeat, this evocative traditional Irish name that runs through Celtic mythology is known here via award-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (born Charles). The author's adopted name is related to Cormac Mac Airt, one of the great legendary high kings of Ireland.
    • Davis
      • Origin:

        Surname derived from David, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "beloved"
      • Description:

        Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave.
    • Dawson
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of David"
      • Description:

        Dawson was scarcely heard as a first name before the debut of Dawson's Creek in 1998, at which point it leaped up more than 550 places in one year. The character Dawson Leery, played by James Van Der Beek, was a teen favorite until the show's demise in 2003.
    • Dylan
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "son of the sea"
      • Description:

        Dylan still feels poetic and romantic after years of popularity. It still ranks highly on the charts, among the top boy names starting with D, so if you choose it, be aware that yours may not be the only Dylan in his class.
    • Edison
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of Edith or Adam"
      • Description:

        This rhythmic last-name-first-name projects the creativity and inventiveness of Thomas Edison. It's an English surname deriving from either Adam or Eda, a medieval diminutive of Edith.
    • Ellison
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of Ellis"
      • Description:

        Updates Ellis -- but also has a lot of feminine potential thanks to Allison/Ellie similarity.
    • Emerson
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of Emery"
      • Description:

        Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her daughter, it is definitely still a viable boys name.
    • Fitzgerald
      • Origin:

        Irish and Scottish
      • Meaning:

        "son of Gerald"
      • Description:

        Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
    • Gibson
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "Gilbert's son"
      • Description:

        Gibson is an undiscovered patronymic surname, with some appealing nicknames. It also brings to mind the popular brand of guitars.
    • Grayson
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "the son of the bailiff"
      • Description:

        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.
    • Hanson
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian
      • Meaning:

        "son of Hans"
      • Description:

        More familiar and melodic to the American ear than either Hans or Hansen, and some might attach it to the three-brother pop-rock band called Hanson.
    • Harrison
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "son of Harry"
      • Description:

        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 territory.