Strong Boys Names From Childhood-Adulthood

Desmond

Irish

"one from south Munster"

Desmond is a sophisticated and debonair name, with noble ties to 1984 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Desmond Tutu, and with some great nicknames: Des/Dez, Desi/Dezi. Another notable Desmond is…

Lennon

Irish

"lover"

A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and…

Hyde

Medieval measure of land, or English surname

"hide"

Hyde, of course, is most familiar as a surname -- as in Mr. Hyde, evil alter ego of Dr. Jeckyll. Unless Hyde is a family name or you have some other excellent reason for using it, we think you could…

Redd

Redd is a masculine name that originated as a nickname for people with red hair or ruddy complexions before evolving into an independent given name. Derived from the Old English 'read' meaning "red,"…

Redford

English

"red ford"

An unusual surname-style choice with a strong meaning and potential for nicknames Ford and Red. Associated with the actor Robert Redford, it was also used for a one of the main characters in the 2019…

Edmund

English

"fortunate protector"

The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…

Elwood

English

"elder tree forest"

The "el-" sound is red-hot these days, and a myriad of place names and surnames give this name a wealth of possible namesakes. The main drawback is its kinship to the name of the hero of the Legally…