User-created list
Boy names - just the ones I like
Across 9 pages
of 9
Oberon
Variation of Auberon
"elf king; noble bear"
The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its bold 'O' beginning has plenty of strength alongside its magical qualities. Oberon was…
Oren
Hebrew
"laurel or pine tree"
Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.
Orpheus
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
Orsino
Italian variation of Orson
"bearlike"
Orson is being rediscovered and Orsino is every bit as attractive.
Orson
Latin and English
"bear cub"
In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…
Oskar
German variation of Oscar
Oskar is to Oscar as Jakob is to Jacob: more distinctive and continental.
Ossian
Old Irish
"little deer"
Ossian, or Osian, from the Old Irish name Oisin, was the son of Finn in Irish legend that was transformed into a Scottish hero in the Ossianic poems of James Macpherson in the eighteenth…
Pascal
French; English
"of the Passover; Easter"
The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday. Pascal has a number of notable…
Percival
French
"one who pierces the valley"
There are several Percivals scattered through the Harry Potter series, which might help transform the old-fangled, fussy image it has accrued. Actually, the original Percival was the one perfectly…
Percy
French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge
Percy is an adorable old name that is finally shedding its pampered Little Lord Fauntleroy image in this new era of boys with soft yet traditionally male names like Jasper and Elijah. Originating as…
Perseus
Greek
"to destroy"
Perseus is an up-and-coming name with a plenty going for it, so it's no wonder it's almost tripled in usage since the 2010s. Given to nearly 170 boys in the US in a recent year, Perseus ticks the…
Piero
Italian, variation of Peter
"rock"
Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.
Pierre
French variation of Peter
"rock, stone"
One of the most familiar — if not stereotypical — Gallic names. Pierre was a Top 5 name in France from the 19th century through 1940 and is now on a steady decline in its native land. In the US,…
Prospero
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Prosper
"succeed, prosper"
Shakespeare's Tempest has kept the name Prospero alive.
Raeburn
English
"stream where does drink"
Smoking jacket-wearing British surname, with artistic ties to Sir Henry Raeburn, Scottish romantic painter.
Rafferty
Irish
"floodtide, abundance, prosperity"
Jaunty and dapper, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son in 1996. Derived from the Irish, O'Raighbheartaigh, it means "(spring)…
Rami
Finnish, Arabic, Sanskrit "wise protector; father of multitudes; archer; pleasing"
"wise protector; father of multitudes; archer; pleasing"
Rami has gained notoriety in the English-speaking world as the first name of the Oscar-nominated actor Rami Malek, whose parents immigrated to the US from Egypt. Rami also feels more approachable…
Rem
Dutch, diminutive of Remment, Remmert, or Remmelt
The Dutch are fond of short nickname names, and this one is tied to influential and provocative architect Koolhaas, born Remment. Could also be short for Remington or Remy.
Reyansh
Hindi
"ray of light"
This unusual Indian name, which refers to one of the names of Lord Vishnu, has been one of the fastest-growing boys' names of the last decade. It first managed to climb into the US Top 1000 in 2014.…
Rigel
Astronomy, Arabic
"foot, leg"
This might sound and look like a blend of Ryan, Riley, and Nigel, but it is in fact the name of the seventh brightest star in the sky. Found in the constellation of Orion, its name comes from the…