Future Cool Boy Name List

River

Nature name

River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named…

Jasper

Persian

"bringer of treasure"

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara , meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to…

Knox

Scottish

"round hill"

Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to…

Finn

Irish, Scandinavian, Norse

"fair, white; from Finland"

Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as…

Ellis

English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh

"my God is Yahweh; benevolent"

Ellis is a former Old Man Name turned gender-neutral choice for the 21st century. It's one of the less used names in the currently popular El-family, unless you're in the UK, where it's a Top 100…

Lennox

Scottish

"elm grove"

Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the…

Paxton

Latin and English

"peace town"

Paxton stands out from a lot of other two-syllable surname names for two reasons: the dynamic letter X in the middle, and its admirable peace association, providing the great nickname Pax. One well…

Kieran

Irish

"little black-haired one"

Long popular in Ireland and England, Kieran, the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints, has been building its U.S. fan base thanks to its strong and attractive sound, and…

Rhys

Welsh

"ardor"

Rugged but gentle, Rhys is the traditional Welsh spelling of this name, which can also be anglicized as Reese or Reece. Up until 2010, Reese was the preferred spelling in the US, perhaps because…

Soren

Danish, Norwegian

"stern"

This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but…

Adan

Spanish, Somalian, and Haitian variation of Adam, English variation of Aiden, Arabic variation of Eden

"son of the red earth; little fiery one; place of pleasure, delight"

Adan is one of those names that feels familiar because it is in fact a variation of several other names. Used in Hispanic cultures, it is a form of Adam, more conventionally spelled with an accent as…

Lawrence

Latin

"from Laurentium or bay laurel"

Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s…

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…

Ariel

Hebrew

"lion of God"

Despite its distinguished pedigree and popularity in Israel, Disney's Little Mermaid cartoonized Ariel in the US, at least in some people's minds. But it was used for a male character in…

Aries

Latin

"a ram"

Better than Capricorn or Cancer, not as usable as Leo, the name of the Roman god of war becomes more possible as a baby name every day, as mythological names take the place of biblical names.

Dexter

Latin

"dyer, right-handed"

The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism. Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities—C. K. Dexter…

Evander

Scottish; Greek

"bow warrior; strong man"

Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander. Evander was prominent in Greek and Roman mythology: in…

Ocean

English, nature name

"ocean"

Nature names like Ocean and River are flowing back into favor, especially with nature lovers and green-oriented parents. In 2024, it was given to 483 boys and 325 girls, making this a unisex favorite…

Ambrose

Latin

"immortal"

Gentle but grandiose and beloved by British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose was a fast rising name in 2022. Entering the UK Top 1000 for the first time and proving…

Foster

English occupational name

"forester"

Foster is one commonly heard last name that makes a fine first. The word foster means "to nourish" — as in "fostering hope", or "fostering a relationship". The only problem with Foster might be its…