Dark Angel's list "If you love one-syllable names..." of 20 great name ideas: Earl - Moon!

If you love one-syllable names...

A comprehensive list of one-syllable names, both male and female, ranging in obscurity from the most common to the most unusual.

Earl is a title name - brought to England by the vikings - that's out of fashion right now, unlike King and Duke. Its peak popularity was in the 1920s, which gives it a dusty great-grandpa feel, but there are also younger Earls in pop culture, like the reformed criminal in "My Name is Earl".

Earl

Floyd was a Top 100 name from the 1880s to the 1940s that somehow developed an almost comical hayseed persona along with a touch of retro jazz cool; it's beginning to appeal to parents with a strong taste for the quirky. 
 In terms of namesakes and references, there is two-time heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson, well-known attorney Floyd Abrams, Mayberry barber Floyd Lawson, Muppet Floyd Pepper, and the iconic British rock band, Pink Floyd.

Floyd

Like Ray, a formerly funky nickname name that is newly cool. Comedian Amy Schumer used it for her son. 

While technically Gene is short for Eugene, it can certainly be used on its own as an honor name for grandpa Eugene or even grandma Jean.

Gene

Cool short form of Alexander, fresher than Alex and less trendy than Xander... for now.

Oak, a symbol of solidity, strength, and longevity, is joining Cedar and Pine as a viable name, one that would work especially well in the middle.
 If you'd prefer to take the longer route to the name, you can consider the surnames Oakes or Oakley.

Some names referring to expensive things -- Tiffany, Armani, Porsche -- are in fact declasse, but Price transcends that label with its simplicity and strength. 

Price

Clint

Clive started life as a surname for someone who lived near a cliff, making it a secret outdoorsy name.

Its use as a first name began in honor of Robert Clive (aka Clive of India), an eighteenth-century British statesman and military leader, essentially the founder of British India — which in the past has given the name something of a gung-ho, mustachioed image. In England today it's a grandpa name, most common on men born in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and would be a surprising (pleasantly counter-cultural!) choice for a baby.

In the States, Clive has never been widely used, though there are signs that more parents are starting to consider it. It has been given to more boys in the last decade than ever before, though still under one hundred a year. If you're looking for a short, no-nonsense nature name that everyone knows but hardly anyone's using, Clive could be a great option.

Famous Clives helping to shake off the colonial image include British silver fox actor Clive Owen; Narnia author Clive Staples Lewis; and most recently Clive Rosfield, the hero of Final Fantasy XVI.

Clive

Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.
 Another route to Bram is Bramwell, as in early actor Bramwell Fletcher, who was noted for his mad scenes in the 1932 film The Mummy.
 
Something of a Nameberry gem, Bram was given to less than 50 boys in the US in a recent year, while in England and Wales, it was chosen for just 13. Nevertheless, with renewed interest in Stoker's classic novel (thanks to the Dracula Daily project), Bram may still find favor in the future.

Bram

Lynn arrived in the 1940s, spinning off from the wildly popular Linda to become a top mid-century middle (and first) name, ranking at #58 during its 1956 peak. Now, however, Lynn is out of the charts, more likely found stuck on to the end of another name (see Emberlynn and Gracelynn)
 
Derived from either the Welsh llyn meaning "lake", the Spanish linda meaning "pretty, beautiful", or the Germanic lind meaning "soft, tender, flexible", Lynn was used predominantly as a masculine name, right up until 1942 when it swung more feminine for the first time, chosen for 1749 girls compared to 1394 boys.
 
Still given to nearly 70 girls in a recent year, Lynn remains, quietly, on the radar at least.

Lynn

In Greek mythology, Nyx was a powerful goddess and the embodiment of the night, giving this name a dark yet mystical feel. She is often depicted as one of the first deities, an offspring of Chaos who appears in black robes and whom even Zeus fears to anger.
 
Similar in sound to Nicks (or Nicky) and to Onyx, Phoenix, Lennyx, Pixie, and Trixie, some may associate it too strongly with the word nix (meaning "nothing", "refuse" or "put an end to"), or to the make-up brand, Nyx. It was nevertheless chosen for nearly 70 girls (and 30 boys) in the US in a recent year.

Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name. While most famous as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy, more than 60 percent of the babies named Blue are boys.

Blue

Burke

Generally used in conjunction with another name to form a religious phrase -- for instance the daughter of rapper DMX is called Praise Mary Ella. 

Praise

One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops. 

Slate

One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.

Lynx

Jayne

Thor, the powerful name of the Norse god of thunder, strength and rain, would make a bold statement. Long a comic book staple, Thor has now invaded the big screen, and could land on birth certificates as well.
 Thor Heyerdahl was a famous Norwegian anthropologist/adventurer, author of the book Kon Tiki.
In Norse mythology, Thor was the son of Odin--another crossover name possibility--who was sometimes referred to as Bjorn in Old Norse poetry. Tor is a popular variation (which is also the Hebrew name of a bird that symbolizes the arrival of spring).

Thor

This name of a character played by Kirsten Dunst in the movie Virgin Suicides, originally a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, is gaining attention, also thanks to the heroine Lux, Lady of Luminosity in the League of Legends games. Luz is the Spanish version.
 
Influencer Brooklyn Larsen named her daughter Lux in 2026.

At one time, Moon might have felt like a celebrity-only option, memorably chosen by Frank Zappa for his daughter Moon Unit. Now, with Sunny, Goldie, Wren, Star, Storm, Ocean, Onyx, and Scout in the charts — and Luna a popular option — does Moon really seem so far out?
 
In a recent year, more than 50 girls in the US were given the celestial moniker, ranking it alongside Suki, Wrenna, Ellora, Nayvi, and Clarice in the stats. We suspect, however, that more parents saved it for the middle spot, thanks to its off-beat, one-syllable, nature-connected vibe.