A Little Rock A Little Metal

Michael

Hebrew

"who is like God?"

Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…

John

Hebrew

"God is gracious"

John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to…

Adrian

Latin

"man of Adria"

Adrian is one of those names that’s easy to picture on all kinds of people. From an active and energetic five-year-old to your great grandpa, from the coolest, breeziest guy you know, to the quiet,…

Ian

Scottish version of John

"God is gracious"

Ian is Scottish form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan. It is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic Iain, which is also a viable spelling. Ian was introduced to Americans by Ian…

Robert

English from German

"bright fame"

Robert was the Number 1 boys' name in the US in both 1925 and 1950, and in fact was in the Top 25 for more than a century, giving it true classic status. Strong if not quite stylish, Robert remains…

Vincent

Latin

"conquering"

Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor…

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…

Mark

Latin

"warlike"

Mark has the rare appeal of a strong, sleek name with a minimalist modern feel and ancient roots. The name Mark is taken from the Roman god of war Mars, also the namesake of the planet. After…

Omar

Arabic, Hebrew

"flourishing, thriving; eloquent"

A multicultural choice with an appealing open O sound, Omar blends stately strength with familiarity. Also transcribed as Umar, it is a popular choice among Muslim families and features in the name…

Francis

Latin

"Frenchman or free man"

Since this was the name chosen by the late Roman Catholic pope in 2013, Francis has come into the spotlight. The name, which was in the Top 10 at the turn of the last century, has been pretty much…

Scott

English

"from Scotland"

A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.

Bruce

Scottish, English, French

"from the brushwood thicket"

Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…

Layne

Spelling variation of Lane

As surname Lane becomes more popular, so too does this variant. Regardless, it does create the possibility for spelling confusion. This version of the name has some strong musical cred. Bearers…

Corey

Irish

"from the hollow"

Former teen idol name, now middle-aged. This name has been on a steady decline since the early-1990s.

Douglas

Scottish

"black water"

Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's…

Harris

English

"son of Harry"

When Harrison is too much, but Harry isn't enough, try this stylish surname name with a touch of British flair. It briefly reentered the US Top 1000 for the first time since 1988 in 2016, but has…

Glenn

Scottish

"valley"

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…

Randall

English

"shield-wolf"

Medieval name without much of a future.