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Baruch
Hebrew
"blessed"
Think of this as the Hebrew equivalent of Benedict or Benito; best for observant Jews.
Bassett
English, originally a nickname for a short person
Nothing but a hound dog.
Bat
Short form of Bartholomew
Bartholomew is one vintage name with Biblical antecedents that hasn't risen again in the modern world, perhaps because short form Bart, as in Simpson, would be too difficult for a contemporary boy to…
Bates
English diminutive of Bartholomew
Bates is a fresh version of Bartholomew, and feels more wearable than Bart. Bates could be considered a patriotic choice for American parents - Katharine Lee Bates was an author and professor best…
Bathsheba
Hebrew
"daughter of an oath"
Popular with the Puritans, this name of the shrewd and beautiful wife of King David and mother of King Solomon could be a bit of a load for a modern girl to carry. Bathsheba is the name of the…
Baxter
English occupational name
"baker"
An x makes any name cooler, so that Baxter has a bit more pizzazz than the original Baker. Baxter had some currency as a first name a century ago--it was on the popularity lists sporadically from…
Beal
English from French
"fair, handsome"
Could be a possible and more modern, namesake for Uncle Neal.
Beale
English from French
"fair, handsome"
Surname of a character in Henry James' What Maisie Knew .
Beauchamp
French
"the beautiful field"
Pronounced Beecham, but still too fancy and fey. Likewise Beaufort (beautiful fort), Beaufoy (beautiful beech tree), and Beaumont (beautiful mountain).
Beaumont
French
"beautiful mountain"
Beau is now in now in the Top 200 boys' names , and this is a more elaborate way to get there. Comic power couple Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti named their first son Beaumont Gino in July 2017.…
Bedford
Bedford is a masculine name derived from an English place name and surname meaning 'Beda's ford' - referencing a river crossing associated with a person named Beda. The name carries strong…
Belcher
English from French
"pretty face"
Try telling the kids it really means "pretty face" and not "burper".
Bell
English and Scottish occupational name
"ringer of the bell"
Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.
Belle
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…
Benajah
Hebrew
"God has built"
Benajah, the name of several minor Old Testament figures, is also written as Benaiah. Benajah might make a great Benjamin update or name for the son of a builder or architect.
Berenger
German
"warrior fighting with a spear"
Last-name-first-name with a romantic but dangerous edge.
Beriah
Hebrew
"in envy"
Unusual biblical name that may be too close in sound to the feminine Mariah.
Berkeley
English
"where birches grow"
The Brits say BARK-lee, but we pronounce it the same as the name of the California college: either way it's quite pretentious and of another era.
Bernadine
German
"brave as a bear"
As dated as the old Pat Boone song.
Bernardo
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
"strong as a bear"
This Latinate form of Bernard hovered in the lower regions of the US Top 1000 from the late 1940s until 2006, possibly inspired by the character in West Side Story . It remains popular in Portugal…