The Conversation Starters

Theodore

Greek

"gift of God"

Classic and elegant but with boyish charm, Theodore has become hit name in recent years, vaulting into the US Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and into the Top 5 in 2024. A favorite in English…

Otto

German

"wealthy"

Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers. Like most German names , Otto fell out of favor during and after the two…

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…

Tobias

Greek from Hebrew

"God is good"

Tobias is one of a number of s-ending boys' names that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree. Tobias is the Greek form of…

Hugo

Latinized form of Hugh

"mind, intellect"

Hugo, the Latin form of Hugh, has more heft and energy than the original -- and of course we love names that end (or begin, for that matter) with an o. This one is especially appealing because it's…

Augustus

Latin

"great, magnificent"

Parents are beginning to look at imposing, somewhat fusty-sounding names like this one with fresh eyes: they definitely make a strong statement. Augustus originated as a title given by the Roman…

Asa

Hebrew; Japanese

"healer; born in the morning"

A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame. Asa was the name of an important biblical king of…

Otis

Variation of Otto, German

"wealthy"

Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk. The appealing hero of the British TV show Sex Education has done much to propel Otis into the…

Amos

Hebrew

"carried by God, load, burden"

Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way. Similar to other popular choices like Amias, Asa, Moses, and Thomas, it has a contemporary air…

Montgomery

Norman

"man power"

This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…

Anders

Scandinavian variation of Andrew

"strong and manly, masculine"

Friendly and rugged at the same time, Anders is a Scandinavian form of the Andrew and Andreas family, used across Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and in the US. Consistently in the American Top 1000 since…

Rafe

Variation of Ralph, English

"wolf-counsel"

A top ranking choice in England and Wales, making frequent appearances on the Telegraph Announcments, Rafe feels equal parts rugged, amiable, and posh. Traditionally seen used a variant of Ralph…

Norman

English

"northerner, Norseman"

Norman, perhaps because it sounds so much like the word 'normal', conjures up the image of a normal-looking guy with a normal kind of job-- not necessarily an image many modern parents seek for their…

Errol

Scottish, spelling variation of Earl

Errol was a swashbuckling name in the Errol Flynn era, which still has a trace of jazz cool.m thanks to jazz pianist Erroll Garner.

Ivo

Germanic, Slavic

"yew wood, archer; God is gracious"

Succinct, stylish, and catchy, Ivo has the energetic impact of other names ending in -o . It is a multicultural choice with two distinct origins, and, as such, is familiar across a variety of…

Absalom

Hebrew

"father of peace"

Absalom, because of its biblical and literary associations, just might appeal to the daring namegiver. In the Old Testament, Absalom was the handsome, favored but rebellious son of King David. In…