Lopes da Silva (male names, Part 11 of 12)

  1. Trevor
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "from the large village"
    • Description:

      Trevor, a British standard, took a long time to cross the Atlantic, but finally began its rise here in the 1980s. It is now a thoroughly naturalized citizen, though it still retains a touch of Anglo class.
  2. Jamie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of James
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      The cool form of James in the 1970s and '80s for both sexes. Still a more stylish short form than Jimmy, though many parents will want to call James by his entire, not-very-long name.
  3. Murray
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "settlement by the sea"
    • Description:

      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?
  4. Sam
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Samuel
    • Meaning:

      "told by God"
    • Description:

      Sam has long been used on its own for boys, as accepted standing by itself as it is as a short form of Samuel. Straightforward and down-to-earth, Sam is the name of the son of the co-stars of The Americans, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. Sam is one of the most popular names that start with S in the Western world, ranking higher in several European countries than it does in the US, where it's trended downward since the 19th century, though it's always been in the Top 1000.
  5. Hadrian
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dark-haired"
    • Description:

      Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor.
  6. Seamus
    • Origin:

      Irish variation of James
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Parents who have tired of Sean are now contemplating Seamus, the Irish form of James, which has a lot more substance and verve.
  7. Jared
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "he descends"
    • Description:

      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.
  8. Carlos
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Charles
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Carlos is the Spanish and Portuguese variation of Charles, which has been used in solid numbers in the US for as long as data has been kept. Carlos has never fallen out of the Top 600, but peaked from the 70s-early 2000s. Today Carlos is still within the Top 200. Notable namesakes include musician Santana, writers Fuentes and Castaneda, and numerous athletes. Carlos Irwin Estevez is the birth name of Charlie Sheen.
  9. Ted
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Theodore or Edward, Greek or English
    • Meaning:

      "gift of god; rich guard"
    • Description:

      Like Ed, Eddie and Teddy, Ted is rarely used as an independent name – in the US, at least. In the UK, Eddie ranks just outside the Top 200, Teddy ranks just outside the Top 30, and Ted is a Top 200 pick.
  10. Bryan
    • Origin:

      Variation of Brian, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "strong, virtuous, and honorable"
    • Description:

      An alternate spelling of Brian, Bryan's one of the most enduring of Irish imports. Bryan is now slightly more popular than the original, with associations to Bryan Cranston, Bryan Ferry and Bryan Brown.
  11. Gary
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "spearman"
    • Description:

      When Gary cracked the Top 10 in 1950, it was one of the first nonclassic boys’ names to do so, largely due to Gary (born Frank) Cooper, who was renamed after Gary, Indiana, his agent's hometown. Now, a 65 years later, Gary isn't particularly high in the charts, and has lost any glitter it had. May we suggest the fuller name Gareth?
  12. Glenn
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "valley"
    • Description:

      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.
  13. Tanner
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "leather tanner"
    • Description:

      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.
  14. Angel
    • Origin:

      Spanish and English
    • Meaning:

      "angel, messenger"
    • Description:

      As a boys' name, Angel has two distinct name personalities. One is as a perennial favorite Hispanic boys’ name, popular in the US along with Spain, Mexico, and South America.
  15. Drake
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "dragon; or, male duck"
    • Description:

      A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D.
  16. Edmond
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy protector"
    • Description:

      The sophisticated Edmond and its nearly-identical twin Edmund are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. Parents looking for an alternative might gravitate to Edmond, a handsome classic that has both class and style.
  17. Marty
    • Origin:

      Short form of Martin, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "warlike"
    • Description:

      Marty is one of those Old Man nicknames that's just starting to sound cute again.
  18. Nehemiah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "comforted by God"
    • Description:

      Nehemiah is an Old Testament name used by the Puritans, whose white-bearded image kept it out of favor for centuries, until it suddenly reappeared in 1998, along with the more user-friendly Josiah and Isaiah.
  19. Severus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "stern"
    • Description:

      Though it has literary credentials--making an appearance in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and as the mean-spirited teacher Severus Snape in the Harry Potter books, most modern parents would find it too--well--severe.
  20. Chris
    • Origin:

      English nickname for Christian, Christopher
    • Meaning:

      "one who carries Christ"
    • Description:

      Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls. While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread use as a short form of both the popular Christopher and Christine. Chris manages to retain its crisp appeal even though its fashion moment is over.