Nerdy Boy Names for My Future Poodle

Luca

Italian variation of Luke and Lucas

"man from Lucania"

The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world. That's an astonishing success…

Miles

English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"

"soldier or merciful"

Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting…

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…

Theo

Diminutive of Theodore

"gift of God"

See the popularity graph below for the name Theo? It's been heading straight uphill since 2010, when it hopped back onto the Top 1000 after a 60+ year absence. Now in the Top 100 in this form, Theo's…

Micah

Hebrew

"who is like the Lord"

The bright, playful Micah feels like the middle ground between the safe, solid qualities of Michael and the flair and energy of Luca. Both Biblical and stylish, Micah is proving popular among parents…

Milo

Latin and Old German

"soldier or merciful"

Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles , meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the…

Harvey

French

"battle worthy"

Harvey, which was brought to England by the Normans, is a genial, old-timey name that has been much more popular across the pond in the UK. It was a Top 100 choice in England & Wales from 1997 until…

Malcolm

Scottish

"devotee of St. Colomba"

Malcolm is a warm and welcoming Scottish appellation (originally Mael-Colium) that fits into that golden circle of names that are distinctive but not at all odd. A royal name in Scotland, Malcolm is…

Atticus

Latin

"from Attica"

Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird , is a real winner among boy names . Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004…

Archie

Diminutive of Archibald, Teutonic

"truly brave"

Archie made global news as the surprise first name of the newborn royal baby, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Harry and Meghan) back in 2019. Already a popular choice in England, Wales,…

Edwin

English

"wealthy friend"

Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available. The most famous Edwin in history was a seventh century…

Samson

Hebrew

"sun"

With the prevailing popularity of Samuel, some parents are considering this more (literally) powerful biblical name, which shares the desirable nickname of Sam. Samson was, of course, the…

Harry

Diminutive of Henry, English, German

"estate ruler"

Harry is the medieval English form of Henry, which derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning "estate ruler." Harry was the nickname of all eight King Henrys; it is also a diminutive of Harold…

Darius

Latin from Greek and Persian

"possessing goodness"

Darius is a historic name via Emperor Darius the Great, a key figure in ancient Persian history, and several other Persian kings. His name today has an appealingly artistic image, which might well be…

Melvin

English and Scottish

"council protector"

This once perfectly respectable surname has suffered decades of abuse, not least by Jerry Lewis's character in the fifties. NFL running back Melvin Gordon stars for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Darwin

English

"dear friend"

Enough parents have found naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, a worthy hero to keep Darwin relatively consistently in the Top 1000. It has a lovely meaning too—"dear…

Wallace

Scottish

"foreigner, stranger"

Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit . And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver…

Booker

English

"scribe"

Booker would make for a very cool name, for writers, reformers, R & B fans and those wanting to pay tribute to Booker T. Washington. Booker T. Washington, born into enslavement, became a dominant…

Elvis

Meaning unknown

When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. The name Elvis is…

Linus

Greek

"flax"

Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be…