Lopes da Silva (male names, part 1 of 12)

Allen is the spelling of this name -- other common spellings are Alan and Allan -- most associated with the surname; it might also be the most appropriate if you're trying to steer clear of Al as a nickname, as this can easily offer you Len or Lenny as options.

Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update.

Just the kind of casual, flippant nickname that upscale Brits are putting on their sons' birth certificates, but few U.S. parents are.

This Americanized spelling of the Dutch name is now used nearly exclusively for girls in the US.

Jared is an Old Testament name that has been popular for decades--it was revived in the sixties via TV westerns-- and is still an appealing option.

Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names. Currently Number 60 for baby boys born in its native Scotland; it was at its highest in the US in 1922, when it reached Number 208, but has been off the list since 1975. Could it be time for a comeback?

A name that sounds both arty and rough-and-tumble, Bastian can be used as either a short form or a stand-alone variant of elegant Sebastian. Also spelled as Bastien, Bastiaan, and Bastían, it notably appears in the German fantasy children's book, The Neverending Story , which features a young boy character called Bastian Balthlazar Bux.

Marvin has been neglected for so long that it's hard to believe that it has windswept Welsh roots. It also has some strong namesakes going for it -- singer Marvin Gaye, composer Marvin Hamlisch and boxer Marvin Hagler. It's the real name of both Neil Simon and Meatloaf. And let's not forget mention Marvin Gardens on Monopoly.

Glenn appealed to a lot of post-World War II parents for its cool, leafy image, also calling up the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller and the calm, composed image of actor Glenn Ford, whose name at birth was the Welsh Gwyllyn. It could possible be in line for a comeback in the more nature-evoking spelling of Glen, as used by Glen Campbell, or possibly even the Welsh Glyn.

Just like Sam and Ben, Tom could be revived as a simple, well liked name on its own. Tom, just Tom, is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France

More often used in Britain than here, where most names ending in ville fall into the unthinkable class, this might make an exception via fans of the musical Neville Brothers.

The Darien spelling, which relates to the posh Connecticut town, peaked at Number 393 in 1994 but more recently has been just hanging on at the bottom of the Top 1000. Still, a name with an appealing sound and feel that may ascend again.

One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining.

The Old Testament Noah has been so popular for so long that variations are becoming popular too. Noe is a streamlined form used in Greek and Latin Bibles, and in Georgia too. Spelled as more often as Noé, it is also popular across France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain.

The ultimate midcentury nickname, retaining a good measure of retro charm, was chosen for her son by Mira Sorvino.

Tim is a boyish short form occasionally given on its own. There were 37 baby boys named Tim in the US last year, versus over 1700 named Timothy.

Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names.

This lilting Irish saint's name shone in neon lights on Broadway for the classical 1947 musical "Finian's Rainbow," later made into a film starring Fred Astaire as Finian McLonergan, and there was also a character on "General Hospital" named Finian O'Toole. With the growing popularity of Finn and Finlay/Finley--and boys' names ending in 'an'--Finian, which can also be spelled Finnian, seems like a sure-fire winner.

Eliott is a masculine name representing a variation of Elliott, which originated as an English surname derived from the Hebrew name Elijah, meaning 'my God is Jehovah' or 'the Lord is my God.' This specific spelling with one 't' is less common than the double-t version, giving it a slightly more distinctive appearance while maintaining the familiar sound. Eliott combines traditional roots with a clean, modern feel. The name has seen steady usage throughout English-speaking countries, experiencing an uptick in popularity during the early 21st century as part of the trend toward classic names. It offers the friendly nicknames Eli or El. Eliott carries an intellectual, approachable quality that works well from childhood through adulthood.

Hundreds of families have adopted this Scottish name, attracted by its trendy Ty beginning and upbeat second syllable. (Tyrell and Tyrese are also increasing in popularity. ) Tyree Glenn was a great jazz trombonist.