Family Names for Boys

Joseph

Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal. The warm and friendly nickname Joe is the…

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,…

David

Hebrew

"beloved"

David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day. David is derived from the Hebrew name Dawid, believed to come from the root dôwd , meaning "beloved". The first…

Isaac

Hebrew

"laughter"

Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the…

Beau

French

"handsome"

Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau…

Walker

English occupational name

"cloth-walker"

Walker is both a Waspy surname name—as in the W in George W. Bush—but it also has a gentle ambling quality and a creative connection to such greats as writer Walker Percy and photographer Walker…

Richard

German

"dominant ruler"

A classic old Norman name popular for a thousand years and favored for kings (Richard Nixon was named for Richard the Lionhearted), as well as the hoi polloi (as in every Tom, Dick and Harry),…

Kenneth

Scottish and Irish

"born of fire, handsome"

Kenneth may have lost much of its luster now, but Kenneth has had its moments of glory. The first king of Scotland was Kenneth, and Sir Kenneth, a Christian crusader, was the hero of the Sir Walter…

Kyle

Scottish

"narrow spit of land"

Kyle is still appreciated by thousands of parents each year for its combination of simplicity, strength, and style; it was in the Top 20 for most of the nineties. As a Scottish surname, it dates back…

Scott

English

"from Scotland"

A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.

Jeffrey

Spelling variation of Geoffrey

"pledge of peace"

The mostly Americanized version of Geoffrey was a trendy mid-century hit, with nickname Jeff the epitome of cool. Jeffrey entered the pop list in 1934 and was a Top 20 name from the mid-fifties to…

Wayne

English occupational name

"maker of wagons"

When Marion Michael Morrison became John Wayne around 1930, his last name took on an air of cowboy cool that lasted about thirty years. These days however, Wayne has been replaced by Waylon, Wesley,…

Major

Latin

"greater; or, a military rank"

This bold choice soared in popularity from 2008 to 2013, and now seems to have plateaued. But watch out—the character Major Major Major Major in the classic absurdist novel Catch-22 had a terrible…

Bailey

English occupational name

"law enforcer, bailiff"

Extremely amiable, open-sounding surname that's gradually being taken over by the girls.

Shaun

Spelling variation of Sean

Shaun is the least popular spelling of the once-wildly popular name, more usually spelled Sean or Shawn. Parents who have a reason to choose this name now would (and should) most likely go with the…

Dewey

Anglicized variation of Welsh Dewi, nickname of Dafydd

"beloved"

Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation…

Poe

English

"peacock"

An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of…

Butcher

English occupational name

One occupational name unlikely to find a single taker.