Boy Names

Alec, though an old nickname for Alexander, is much fresher sounding than Alex, with the additional advantage, at least to some parents, of being distinctly male (there are as many girl Alexes these days as there are boys). While Alec has a clipped British image, it's actually one of the classic Greek names for boys, by way of father name Alexander.

A variation of Alex used in a number of languages, Alek has the cool, solid feel of Erik and Axel. It can also be a name of Greenlandic origin, meaning "harpoon line".

Naming your son Armen is like naming him Roman, or German -- it's the term that denotes a person of Armenian descent. Armen has been used as a first name for centuries and is an unusual yet approachable choice, especially if you want to honor your Armenian heritage.

Despite its brotherly meaning, sounds rather formal and cold.

Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool.

Justin has been widely popular since the 1980s, when parents were seeking a fresher 'J' boys’ name to replace Jason, Jeremy and Jonathan. It's been dipping in popularity a bit in recent years but it reached as high as Number 9 in 1990. At this point it's Justin that is suffering from overexposure.

Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.

Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to more than 1000 babies every year.

Liem is a compact masculine name with Vietnamese origins, where it carries meanings of modesty, humility, and diligence. In Vietnamese culture, it's traditionally spelled Liêm and represents moral integrity and honesty. The name has gained modest international recognition in recent decades as Vietnamese diaspora communities have grown in Western countries. Liem offers the appealing combination of being straightforward to pronounce in multiple languages while maintaining its distinctive cultural heritage. In the United States, Liem began appearing on naming charts in the early 2000s and has seen a gradual increase in popularity, particularly in diverse urban areas. The name's simplicity, meaningful origin, and cross-cultural accessibility contribute to its growing appeal.

Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.

Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending boys’ names, has been in the spotlight since Kate Hudson and her rocker husband Chris Robinson chose it for their son in 2004. Very popular in several provinces of Canada, Ryder was chosen by John Leguzamo for his son and adorns Boy Meets World star Ryder Strong.

The presidential Tyler rocketed up popularity charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s (it ranked Number 9 for that entire decade), along with cousin Taylor, becoming almost pandemic across the land-- and to make matters more confusing, both (especially Taylor) have been used for girls as well.