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The names
Owen
Welsh
"young warrior; well-born"
Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever. Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine…
Weston
English
"western town"
Weston has gone from being a Jane Austenish British surname to a first name with a relaxed American western cowboy feel. Along with other trendy 'n'-ending boys’ names , Weston is rising in…
Lincoln
English
"town by the pool"
Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now,…
Eden
Hebrew
"place of pleasure, delight"
Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the 17th century. Eden entered the Top 1000 in 1989, and…
Kennedy
Irish
"misshapen head"
This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert…
Arthur
Celtic
" bear"
Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals.…
Brooklyn
English Place name from Dutch
"marshland"
Extreme makeover: Brooklyn has gone from jokey Borough Boy name in the 1990s to a leading girls' name starting with B . The status of New York's Brooklyn as hipster heaven is ironic as few bona fide…
Hayes
English surname and nature name
"hedged area"
One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. Chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, it…
Ashley
English
"dweller near the ash tree meadow"
Ashley was a sensation in the 1980s and 1990s; it hit Number 1 in 1991. Ashley is still pretty but more and more parents are turning to newer names like Ashlyn and Aubrey, and spellings such as…
Mackenzie
Scottish
"son of Kenneth"
Originally inspired as by eighties TV actress Mackenzie Phillips, parents since have flocked to Mackenzie for their daughters. Now a staple All-American choice, Mackenzie has ranked in the US Top…
Alexandra
Greek, feminine form of Alexander
"defending men"
Alexandra fell out of the Top 100 for the first time since 1983 in 2015 but is still a popular choice. Strong, tasteful, and elegant, Alexandra remains a chic modern classic with a solid historic…
Walter
German
"army ruler"
Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a…
Russell
French
"redhead, fox-colored"
One of many R- boys' names that started as a nickname for a redhead, Russell had a measure of popularity from the early twentieth century through the 1950s. After a low point in the 2010s, Russell is…
Hope
Virtue name
Can a name as virtuous as Hope be cool and trendy? Strangely enough -- yes. But though this optimistic Puritan favorite is experiencing substantial popularity, Hope is too pure and elegant to be…
Marco
Italian and Spanish form of Mark
"warlike"
Simple and universal, Marco is a Latin classic that would make a much livelier namesake for an Uncle Mark. It was used for her son by actress Jill Hennessy and goes well with surnames of any…
Hector
Greek
"holding fast"
Previously used primarily by Latino families, this name of the great hero of the Trojan War is beginning to be considered more seriously by others seeking noble ancient hero names as well. Currently…
Lawrence
Latin
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s…
Albert
German
"noble, bright"
Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top royal baby boy names , a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer). Albert became popular in Britain…
Clyde
Scottish river name
Even though in the past Clyde may have been identified as half of the infamous outlaw duo with partner Bonnie Parker—especially after the 1967 movie in which he was played by Warren Beatty—Clyde has…
Douglas
Scottish
"black water"
Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's…