Boys and Girls Names by Romy Marylou Amber

Cooper

English occupational name

"barrel maker"

The genial yet upscale and preppy Cooper was one of the first occupational last names to catch on -- and Cooper remains a pleasing option. Cooper began his rapid climb in 1982 and is a popular choice…

Alexander

Greek

"defending men"

Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree. Alexander is derived from the Greek name Aléxandros, composed…

Braxton

English

"Brock's settlement"

Braxton entered the popularity ranks in 1985 and has been climbing steadily ever since. It has gained from the all-powerful X-factor, and perhaps also from the reality TV show, Braxton Family Values…

Alex

Diminutive of Alexander, Alexis

"defending men"

The independent Alex has become a classic in its own right. One of the truest unisex names , Alex is used almost equally for both sexes. Alex is used both on its own and as a short form of formal…

Blake

English

"fair-haired, dark"

Blake -- an early unisex option -- dropped out of the Top 100 in 2017 for the first time since 1988, but remains a sophisticated choice. And yes, both conflicting meanings of Blake are accurate. It…

Bryan

Variation of Brian, Irish

"strong, virtuous, and honorable"

An alternate spelling of Brian, Bryan's one of the most enduring of Irish imports. Bryan is now slightly more popular than the original, with associations to Bryan Cranston, Bryan Ferry and Bryan…

Bryce

Variation of Brice, Scottish surname

"speckled, freckled"

This spelling of Brice relates the name to Utah's spectacular Bryce Canyon -- and is much more popular for both genders than the original Brice. Basketball's LeBron James named his son Bryce Maximus…

Desmond

Irish

"one from south Munster"

Desmond is a sophisticated and debonair name, with noble ties to 1984 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Desmond Tutu, and with some great nicknames: Des/Dez, Desi/Dezi. Another notable Desmond is…

Bo

Norse nickname

"to live"

A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".

Armani

Italian surname derived from Herman or Arman, German, Arabic

"son of Ermanno, son of the soldier; wishes"

Armani is catching on along with other brand names, and this one is among the most gender-neutral, with a recent year seeing the name split 47:53 towards boys. Similar in sound to the likes of Amari,…

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…

Devin

Irish

"poet"

Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the…

Eliseo

Italian and Spanish variation of Elisha

"God is my salvation"

This Latinate name would have no problem fitting into an American classroom. It has made frequent appearances in the US Top 1000 over the last several decades. Borne by several Spanish saints, it…

Dax

French place-name

The appealingly energetic Dax, with its trendy X-ending, re-entered the Top 1000 in 2007. Its somewhat sci-fi vibe emanates from his appearance as a fictional being in the Star Trek universe, seen on…

Bruno

Germanic

"brown"

Tough-yet-cuddly Bruno is an international name even in its origins: it derives from the Germanic word for "brown" plus a Latin ending, and was borrowed as a color word in many European languages.…