Assorted Names

Tynan

Irish

"dark, dusty"

A much fresher Ty name than Tyler or Tyson.

Vas

Vas is a concise masculine name with diverse cultural origins. In Hungarian, it literally means 'iron', symbolizing strength and durability. It can also be found as a shortened form of various Slavic…

Vaughn

Welsh

"small"

Vaughn, also commonly spelled Vaughan, has been used quietly over the years, reaching a peak of Number 349 in 1949. It is now in the process of rediscovery, being seen as a good Sean alternative or…

Veren

Veren is a rare masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from Latin 'verus' meaning 'true,' or have connections to Dutch and Germanic roots. In some contexts, it could be related…

Vesper

Latin

"evening star"

While this is usually thought of as a girls' name because of the Bond Girl connection, its sound is masculine and there's no reason it couldn't work for boys.

Voltaire

French

"determined thing"

Voltaire is the nom-de-plume of François-Marie Arouet, who became noted for his witty and satirical takes on enlightenment philosophy and Western society. Voltaire's most famous work, Candide, used…

Wit

Wit is a concise masculine name with both historical roots and contemporary appeal. Derived from Middle Dutch and Old English origins, Wit functions as both a surname and given name meaning…

Wolf

Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German

" traveling wolf"

Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…

Wren

English

"small bird"

Wren may not be as time-honored a bird name choice as Robin or even Lark, but it's more fashionable and fresh, with a gentle and earthy vibe. Given to just a handful of children a decade ago, in 2024…

Wystan

English

"battle stone"

Dignified first name of poet W. H. Auden, less exposed than his currently stylish surname.

Zahn

German

"tooth"

Newswoman Paula brought the surname Zahn to the public eye. It makes a dramatic, unusual Zane alternative -- though you may not want to enlighten your child as to its prosaic meaning.

Zenith

English

"the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer"

Zenith is an uplifting if quirky word name, meaning the top or the peak. Eight boys received the name in one recent year, only a third of those who were called Nadir -- the low point!

Ziggy

German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund

"victorious peace; victorious protection; victory"

Perhaps the ultimate nicknamey name, Ziggy manages to sound cool, cutesy, spiky, and energetic all at once. It brings to mind the glam-rock of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the cool vibes of reggae…

Étienne

French variation of Stephen, Greek

"garland, crown"

Appealingly gentle and romantic French classic--with a lot more charm than Steve.

Lyric

Greek

"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"

Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it. Currently more popular for girls in the US, it was in the Top 1000 for boys between 2007 and 2020.…

Bowie

Scottish

"blond, yellow"

Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…

Jules

French form of Julius, Latin

"youthful; soft, downy; sky father"

Though Jules hasn't been on the US popularity list in fifty years, it remains a hit in its native France where it's currently in the Top 10 — and has been in the Top 500 nearly every year since the…

Echo

Greek mythology name

"echo or sound"

Although this is traditionally seen as a female name, via the classical mythological nymph who pined away for Narcissus until all that remained of her was a disembodied voice — it can also be used…

Fallon

Irish

"leader"

Fallon was one of the first of the unisex surname names, but thanks to "Dynasty" in the 1980s it now has a feminine image. For a boy, try Phelan instead.