Boy names with emphasis on the second syllable

Elisha

Hebrew

"God is my salvation"

Creative name whose only limitation is that it looks like it would be pronounced akin to Alicia and Elissa — although as a Biblical boys’ name , it is traditionally pronounced ee-LIE-shah. With…

Gerard

English and Irish from German

"spear strength"

Gerard is currently in style limbo, after reaching peak popularity in the 1950s. With its strong meaning and gentle sound, it may be back in a generation or two. But for now, a boy called Gerard will…

Jamal

Arabic

"beauty"

Jamal is an Arabic boys’ name meaning "beauty." Jamal and its variants are popular in the Muslim community, although Jamal’s popularity within the US has decreased in recent years. Jamal has been…

Armand

French variation of Herman, German

"soldier"

Since the first production of Camille this has been considered one of the world's most romantic names, though it's one of those French names for boys rarely heard in this country. Actor Armie…

Demetrius

Greek

"follower of Demeter"

Classical and Shakespearean name that may appeal if you like your names long, flowing and multicultural.

Octavio

Spanish variation of Octavius

"eighth"

The most popular of the number names used by Hispanic parents, open to all. Octavia and Octavio are two Spanish baby names that are moving out into the wider world.

Eugene

Greek

"wellborn, noble"

Eugene is a classic that has rather lost its way. On the one hand, it's a grandpa, even great-grandpa name that hasn't been one of the cool kids recently—or to quote Jim Carrey, who bears this name…

Felipe

Spanish variation of Philip, Greek

"lover of horses"

A royal name in Spain, Felipe could make a lively alternative to the English sounding Philip. It has ranked on the US Top 1000 almost every year since the beginning of the twentieth century, but has…

Montgomery

Norman

"man power"

This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…

Emil

Latin

"rival"

Derived from the Latin word aemulus , Emil is a name with international appeal. Concise and sturdy but with the gentle Em sound, Emil is popular across Europe, from Azerbaijan to Finland, from…

Fitzgerald

Irish and Scottish

"son of Gerald"

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

Napoleon

Greek

"lion of the new city"

Overly ambitious choice, recently borne by the hapless hero of cult movie hit Napoleon Dynamite.

Ulysses

Latin variation of Odysseus, Greek

"wrathful"

Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey , the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which…

Bartholomew

Aramaic

"son of the furrow"

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…

Calhoun

Irish

"from the narrow forest"

A beaming, friendly Irish last-name-first-name waiting to be discovered, though anyone into American history might associate it with John C. Calhoun, a 19th century statesman who defended slavery.…

Cornelius

Latin

"horn"

Cornelius, the New Testament name of a third century Pope and saint, is one of those venerable Latin names on the edge of consideration, despite the corny nickname alert. Cornelius has some magical…

Dimitri

Russian from Greek Demetrius

"follower of Demeter"

Dimitri is a Slavic variation of the Russian Dmitriy, a name that comes from the Greek Demetrius. Demetrius was derived from Demeter, the name of the Greek goddess of fertility and farming. Among the…

Giuseppe

Italian variation of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

This form of Joseph is an enduring classic in Italy where it remains in the Top 20. In the States it's been hovering under the radar for decades, but its spirited, distinctive-yet-familiar sounds…

Francesco

Italian variation of Francis

Thanks to the inspiration of Pope Francis, Francesco has galloped to the front of the line to become the Number One boys' name in Italy. As Francesca has become a familiar and popular form of the…

Montana

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.