Baby Boy Potentials

Names I like at the moment.
  1. Lucian
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      Lucian is a sleeker, more sophisticated version of Lucius that is climbing in tandem with other Lu-starting names.
  2. Zephyr
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "west wind"
    • Description:

      If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of Stefan or Seth, its zippy Z initial and cool Y, it is primed to rise up the US charts.
  3. Emrys
    • Origin:

      Welsh, variation of Ambrose
    • Meaning:

      "immortal"
    • Description:

      Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin, it's currently in the Welsh top 100 and in the England and Wales Top 500 over all.
  4. Lennox
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "elm grove"
    • Description:

      Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the name into the spotlight as a first name, while as a last it's tied to Eurythmics singer Annie L.
  5. Dorian
    • Origin:

      Greek, name of a tribe
    • Description:

      The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian derives from the Greek doron, meaning "gift," along with related names such as Dorothy and Dora.
  6. Sullivan
    • Origin:

      Irish surname
    • Meaning:

      "black-eyed one"
    • Description:

      Sullivan is a jaunty Celtic three-syllable name, with a real twinkle in its eye. It was immortalized in the 1930s classic film Sullivan's Travels and was chosen for one of Patrick Dempsey's twin boys. Nickname Sully is equally jaunty.
  7. Dimitri
    • Origin:

      Russian from Greek Demetrius
    • Meaning:

      "follower of Demeter"
    • Description:

      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 possible spelling variations are Dmitri, Dmitrii, Dmitriy, and Dmitry.
  8. Dashiell
    • Origin:

      Anglicization of French surname de Chiel, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      Dashiell, though missing from many other name sources, is among the hottest new names, chosen by such celebs as Cate Blanchett and author Helen (Bridget Jones) Fielding. With its great dash and panache, Dashiell is associated with detective writer Dashiell Hammett (born Samuel, as in Sam Spade, Dashiell being his mother's maiden name). Alice Cooper was ahead of the game: He named his son Dashiell in 1985.
  9. Casimir
    • Origin:

      English; French, from Polish
    • Meaning:

      "destroyer of peace"
    • Description:

      Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering if you've got an adventurous streak — and bet your son will too.
  10. Marcel
    • Origin:

      French variation of Marcellus
    • Meaning:

      "little warrior"
    • Description:

      Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and Jolie-Pitt pick) Marcheline, Marcel may be on the brink of a style renaissance.
  11. 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.
  12. Keegan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "son of Egan"
    • Description:

      Keegan is one of a clan of spirited Irish surnames starting with K and ending with 'n'--this one with the cheery double 'e' in the middle-- that are appealing to an increasing number of parents. It derives from Mac Aodhagáin, meaning "son (or descendant) of Aodhagán," a diminutive of the Irish name Aodh--pronounced Aye.
  13. Enoch
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "dedicated"
    • Description:

      A major figure in the Old Testament, Enoch was the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and the great-grandfather of Noah whose Book of Enoch provides a focal point for ancient Jewish mysticism. Another Enoch was the son of Cain. "Enoch Arden" is a famous poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. On the negative side, British politician Enoch Powell gave the infamously racist Rivers of Blood anti-immigration speech, taking the name out of consideration for many parents in the UK.
  14. Valor
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "courage and bravery"
    • Description:

      This modern virtue name gives a nod to ancient chivalry and could also work as an updated form of the classic Victor. A bold choice, but one that an increasing number of parents have been making in the last decade.
  15. Septimus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "the seventh son"
    • Description:

      Septimus is one of the more dashing of the birth-order Latin number names that were revived by the Victorians. So even if you don't anticipate son number 7, you might be bold enough to consider this relic, certainly preferable to sixth-son name Sextus.
  16. Khalil
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "friend"
    • Description:

      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.
  17. Chandler
    • Origin:

      English from French occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "candle maker"
    • Description:

      For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends. Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but this name deserves consideration beyond these connotations: Chandler is a fresh take on the professional surname names.
  18. Vesper
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "evening star"
    • Description:

      While this is usually thought of as a girls' name because of the Bond Girl connection, its sound is masculine and there's no reason it couldn't work for boys.
  19. Brantley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "sword, fiery torch"
    • Description:

      Brantley is one of several English surnames that was new to the tops in 2009. A possible-probable inspiration is the country rock singer Brantley Gilbert.
  20. Fabrizio
    • Origin:

      Italian form of the Latin family name Fabricius
    • Meaning:

      "craftsman"
    • Description:

      Romantic Italian choice.