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Favorite Boy Names
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The names
Liam
Irish short form of William
"resolute protection"
Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number One spot for the past eight years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world. Liam originated as a short…
Oliver
Germanic, Latin
"elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"
Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to…
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'…
William
German
"resolute protection"
William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down…
Michael
Hebrew
"who is like God?"
Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…
Daniel
Hebrew
"God is my judge"
Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real…
Luke
Greek
"man from Lucania"
Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker. Today, the Luke constellation of names is more popular than ever,…
Thomas
Aramaic
"twin"
A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…
Caleb
Hebrew
"dog; whole heart"
Caleb is an attractive Old Testament name that has been in the US Top 100 for nearly three decades now. Consistently popular but never too popular, Caleb feels more like a classic than a momentary…
Jason
Greek
"to heal"
Jason, the Number 3 name for the entire decade of the 1970s -- thus the title of our original baby-naming book, Beyond Jennifer & Jason -- is more likely to be dad's name now than baby's, but it's…
Max
English and German diminutive of Maximilian or Maxwell
"greatest"
Max was derived from Maximilian, a Latin name that originated from the Roman family name Maximus. The character name Max in the children's classic Where the Wild Things Are had an impact on baby…
Ashton
English
"ash trees place"
The recent ascent of this English surname is due to two things: the megapopular Ash beginning and TV/movie hottie Ashton Kutcher. The name peaked at Number 76 in 2004, a year after Ashton Kutcher's…
Riley
English, Irish
"rye clearing; courageous"
Riley -- one of the most popular unisex names -- is trendier now for girls though for boys it's a classic, ALWAYS ranking in the US Top 1000. In fact, after a decade of softening, Riley has recently…
Lukas
German variation of Lucas
"man from Lucanus"
Highly popular in Germany, Norway, Lithuania, and Austria, Lukas is a spelling variation of the also extremely popular Lucas. The "K" spelling gives it extra kick and a more international,…
Casey
Irish
"brave in battle"
Casey is a name with a big wide grin, Irish, friendly, and open, and associated with several American folk heroes--Casey Jones, the engine driver of the Cannonball Express who gave his life to save…
Jax
Modern invented name, English
"God is Gracious"
With its cool -X ending, Jax is an update on the classic nickname Jack, likely inspired by the rise of Jackson. It garnered attention in the US thanks to the game, Mortal Kombat II back in the '90s,…
Axl
Variation of Axel, Scandinavian version of Absalom
"father of peace"
Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel…