Top contenders

Leo

Latin

"lion"

Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for fourteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US. Brave but sparky, Leo has ranked in the Top 20 in the US,…

Maximus

Latin

"greatest"

The powerful name of the powerful character played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film Gladiator first appeared on the popularity charts that same year. Max to the max. One time considered a "too much…

Atticus

Latin

"from Attica"

Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird , is a real winner among boy names . Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004…

Tobias

Greek from Hebrew

"God is good"

Tobias is one of a number of s-ending boys' names that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree. Tobias is the Greek form of…

Titus

Latin, meaning unknown, possibly "title of honour"

"title of honour"

Titus, once seen as a slightly forbidding Roman, New Testament, and Shakespearean name, was brought back to contemporary life in the USA by the TV series Titus 2000 , increasing in popularity along…

Ari

Diminutive of Ariel, Hebrew

"lion of God"

Ari, the short form of Ariel (or any other Ari- beginning name, such as Aristotle) stands up better as a boys’ name than its progenitor does. It is also short for Aristotle, as in Onassis, and is a…

Killian

Irish

"war strife or church"

Killian – aka Cillian – is a spirited yet resonant Gaelic name that was borne by several Irish saints and could make a distinctive replacement for the dated Kelly. Kylian is another spelling that's…

Oakley

English

"oak wood or clearing"

As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee…

Troy

Greek, French

"of Troyes"

Troy shot to popularity as a first name in tandem with that of 1960s heartthrob Troy (born Merle) Donahue; its image has now, thanks in part to the Brad Pitt-starring epic, Troy , receded back to…

Lucien

French form of Lucian

"light"

Sophisticated Gallic version of Lucian, Lucien may appeal to parents attracted to this meaning over that of Lucas and Luke, which have a different root, and also looking for a more unusual choice.…

Darwin

English

"dear friend"

Enough parents have found naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, a worthy hero to keep Darwin relatively consistently in the Top 1000. It has a lovely meaning too—"dear…

Demetrius

Greek

"follower of Demeter"

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

Artemis

Greek, diminutive of Artemios

"safe; butcher"

Best known as the the Greek Goddess of the hunt and the moon, Artemis could now be considered one of the few traditionally feminine names that are currently being used for boys. Alternatively though,…

Tiberius

Latin

"of the Tiber"

The name of an important ancient Roman emperor, Tiberius might sound a bit heavy for a modern boy to carry, but with the rise of Atticus, Tiberius and brothers begin to feel more baby-friendly, much…

Nikita

Russian cognate of Greek Aniketos

"unconquered"

A popular choice in Russia, Nikita is a sharp, zippy choice that became heavily associated with the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the 50s and 60s. Derived from the Greek name Niketas meaning…

Oberon

Variation of Auberon

"elf king; noble bear"

The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its bold 'O' beginning has plenty of strength alongside its magical qualities. Oberon was…

Zigmund

Zigmund is a masculine name that represents a variation of Sigmund, which has Germanic origins meaning 'victorious protection' or 'protector through victory.' The name combines the elements 'sig'…

Beowulf

Old English

"bee wolf"

This ancient name is that of the hero of the epic Beowulf , which is thought to be the oldest-ever poem in English lit written in the vernacular. J. R. R. Tolkien used the poem as one of his…

Arrius

Roman family name

Arrius appears in the fourteenth century writings of Geoffrey Chaucer, but this name is even older. Arrius was a Roman general, and he appears briefly in Starz original series Spartacus . With names…

Auberon

English, French, German

"elf ruler, bright elf; noble bear"

Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. A Shakespeare-adjacent choice, Auberon started out as as a pet form of Auberi, the French form of German Alberich.…