Modern Traditional Boys Names

Liam

Irish short form of William

"resolute protection"

Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number One spot for the past eight years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world. Liam originated as a short…

Oliver

Germanic, Latin

"elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"

Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to…

Henry

German

"estate ruler"

Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a…

Thomas

Aramaic

"twin"

A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…

August

German form of Latin Augustus

"great, magnificent"

The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US – and deservedly so. With its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames, 2024 saw…

Charlie

English, diminutive of Charles, French from German

"free man"

Charlie derives, of course, from the classic name Charles which, in turn, comes from a German word meaning "free man." Charles became very popular in France during the Middle Ages due to the fame of…

Elliot

English diminutive of Elias, Greek

"Yahweh is God"

Elliot (which boasts several spellings depending upon how many 'l's or 't's you want to use) is a winner -- it has the ideal quality of being neither too common nor weirdly unique. Elliot had a style…

Connor

Irish

"lover of hounds"

Connor, the appealing name of an early semi-legendary king of Ulster in Irish mythology, sits firmly in the Top 100 and taken together with its alternate spellings would rank even higher. In its…

Oscar

English or Irish

"God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"

Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing. In the nineties and the…

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,…

Emrys

Welsh, variation of Ambrose

"immortal"

Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet…

Finnick

Literary invention

Finnick has risen to prominence as a first name via The Hunger Games , in which Finnick Odair was a winner of the games. A wearable literary creation, Finnick was given to 136 boys in the US in a…

Merlin

Welsh

"sea fortress"

This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin…