Boy Names I Absolutely Adore

  1. Orion
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "boundary, limit"
    • Description:

      Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.
  2. Pierce
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Piers"
    • Description:

      Actor Pierce Brosnan brings a strong helping of charm to this name. Pierce was actually a popular name long before Mr. Brosnan came along, from 1880 to the end of the 1930s.
  3. Quentin
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "fifth"
    • Description:

      Quentin, an offbeat name with lots of character, relates to the Latin for the number five and is by far the subtlest and most usable of the Latin birth-order names, masculine as well as stylish and distinctive. It was borne by a third-century saint and came to England with the Normans.
  4. Quincy
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "estate of the fifth son"
    • Description:

      Quirky in the way that all Q names are quirky, Quincy was once a buttoned-up, patrician New England name, an image countered in recent years by the talented and ultracool musician Quincy Jones (middle name: Delight; nickname: Q).
  5. Quintin
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "fifth"
    • Description:

      Both this form and Quentin are authentic modern forms of the Roman family name Quintus. Your choice. In the US, this spelling lags behind Quentin and Quinton.
  6. Raphael
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God has healed"
    • Description:

      Raphael is a romantic archangel name that sounds both artistic and powerful. Raphael is also a great cross-cultural choice, with significance for people with both Latinate and Jewish roots, plus plenty of grounding in the English-speaking world.
  7. Reuben
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "behold, a son"
    • Description:

      Reuben is derived from the Hebrew words ra’a, meaning "to see, to understand," and ben, "son." As a phrase it translates to "behold, a son." In the Bible, Reuben is Jacob's first-born son by Leah and the founder of one of the tribes of Israel.
  8. Rhett
    • Origin:

      English from Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "advice"
    • Description:

      Rhett has been more tied to Gone with the Wind than even Scarlett, but now we're hearing rumblings of its finding new and independent favor among parents, perhaps emboldened by the growing popularity of Scarlett.
  9. Samson
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "sun"
    • Description:

      With the prevailing popularity of Samuel, some parents are considering this more (literally) powerful biblical name, which shares the desirable nickname of Sam.
  10. Samuel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "told by God"
    • Description:

      Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, at its highest point since the 1890s.
  11. Saul
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "prayed for"
    • Description:

      Jewish parents in particular may be drawn to this quiet, composed name of the first king of Israel and the name of Saint Paul before his conversion. In modern times, it has been associated with Nobel Prize-winning novelist Saul Bellow. Its meaning makes it appropriate for a long-awaited child.

      Saul is a character in a John Dryden poem, and heard in the Handel oratorio, "Saul."

  12. Simeon
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "he [God] has heard"
    • Description:

      Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek substitute for Simeon.
  13. Stephan
    • Origin:

      Variant of Stephen
    • Description:

      If you wanted to try to get people to pronounce your son's first name the way Stephen Curry does, this might be a way to do it.
  14. Tate
    • Origin:

      English from Norse
    • Meaning:

      "cheerful"
    • Description:

      A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates.
  15. Tennyson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Dennis"
    • Description:

      Few people would have considered the surname of this famous Victorian poet as a first name until Russell Crowe chose it for his son in 2006. But, as a rhythmic three-syllable patronymic, Tennyson has a lot going for it, not least of all the appealing nickname Tenny; it would make a novel choice for the son of a Dennis.
  16. Thaddeus
    • Origin:

      Aramaic, meaning unclear, possibly from Theodore
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      Thaddeus, a distinguished, long-neglected name, has several areas of appeal: a solid New Testament legacy, a nice antique feel, and the choice of several more modern nicknames and international variations.
  17. Theodore
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      As unlikely as it may seem, Theodore is a hot new hit name, vaulting into the Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and rising three more points last year to rank at Number 7.
  18. Timothy
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "honoring God"
    • Description:

      A second-tier classic, the New Testament Timothy moves in and out of fashion more than John and James. But though it peaked in the 1960s, many modern parents still appreciate its familiarity and lively rhythm. And the short form Tim feels eternally boyish.
  19. Titus
    • Origin:

      Latin, meaning unknown, possibly "title of honour"
    • Meaning:

      "title of honour"
    • Description:

      Titus, once seen as a slightly forbidding Roman, New Testament, and Shakespearean name, was brought back to contemporary life in the USA by the TV series Titus 2000, increasing in popularity along with other revived ancient names like Linus and Silas.
  20. Xavier
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "new house"
    • Description:

      Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."