Unnamed List

Grady

Irish

"noble"

Following in the footsteps of popular brother Brady, Grady is another lively, ebullient Irish surname name. The O'Gradys (originally O Gradaugh) were an ancient clan that produced an impressive…

Garrett

Irish variation of Gerard

"spear strength"

Garrett, also spelled with one 't', is an Irish-inflected name that was in the Top 100 in the nineties, but has now slipped in popularity. Perhaps best known now as a Twilight name--Garrett was a…

Seth

Hebrew

"appointed, placed"

The long-neglected name of Adam and Eve's third son after Cain and Abel, Seth is appreciated for its gentle, understated presence -- and strong middle-name potential. It reached a high of Number 63…

Shane

Anglicized variation of Sean

"God is gracious"

Shane ambled into the picture via the 1953 movie, adding a cowboy twist to its Irish essence. A variation of Sean with a hint of Shay and Zane, it is a popular choice in Ireland. Singer Siobhan…

Shawn

Spelling variation of Sean

"God is gracious"

Shawn is a phonetic spelling of Sean that may be past its peak – it was a Top 30 name in the early 1970s – but is still quite popular for boys: over 500 baby boys were named Shawn in the US in the…

Ben

Hebrew

"son of"

Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.

Emmet

English; Hebrew

"universal; truth"

Honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, Emmet is a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, but the more common spelling is Emmett. Emmet dropped off the US Top 1000 in 1934 and reentered…

Tim

Diminutive of Timothy, Greek

"honoring God"

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.

Zack

Short form of Zachary or Zachariah

As the common short form of Zachary or, more unusually, Zachariah, Zack is less intuitive than Zach or Zac in terms of spelling but clearer in terms of pronunciations. Maybe because it rhymes with…