Baby Boy Names for #12

Owen

Welsh

"young warrior; well-born"

Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever. Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine…

Dylan

Welsh

"son of the sea"

Dylan still feels poetic and romantic after years of popularity. It still ranks highly on the charts, among the top boy names starting with D , so if you choose it, be aware that yours may not be the…

Arthur

Celtic

" bear"

Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals.…

Callum

Scottish form of Columba, Latin

"dove"

Callum is a gentle, charming name of Scottish origin, that is a popular choice across the UK. In the US, it was a rare option until the late 2000s, however, since 2017 it's been rising up the ranks.…

Dawson

English

"son of David"

Dawson was scarcely heard as a first name before the debut of Dawson's Creek in 1998, at which point it leaped up more than 550 places in one year. The character Dawson Leery, played by James Van Der…

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…

Maddox

Welsh

"son of Madoc"

Maddox, a previously obscure Welsh family name with a powerfully masculine image, suddenly came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie chose it for her son in 2003. By the following year it was in…

Griffin

Welsh, variation of Griffith

"strong lord"

Griffin is one of the newer and most appealing of the two-syllable Celtic surnames. In English, griffin is the name of a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. It re-entered the list in 1983…

Malcolm

Scottish

"devotee of St. Colomba"

Malcolm is a warm and welcoming Scottish appellation (originally Mael-Colium) that fits into that golden circle of names that are distinctive but not at all odd. A royal name in Scotland, Malcolm is…

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…

Colin

Diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish

"people of victory; pup"

Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching…

Grady

Irish

"noble"

Following in the footsteps of popular brother Brady, Grady is another lively, ebullient Irish surname name. The O'Gradys (originally O Gradaugh) were an ancient clan that produced an impressive…

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…

Darcy

English, French, Irish

"from Arcy; dark one"

The ultimate Jane Austen hero name, Darcy makes a handsome, surname style choice. Predominantly used for girls in England and Wales, across the pond in Australia, it is a stylish Top 100 name for…

Hamilton

English and Scottish

"treeless hill"

Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr…

Kimball

Welsh

"warrior chief"

Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.

Cedric

Celtic

"bounty; loved"

Soft yet solid, Cedric was invented by Sir Walter Scott for the noble character of the hero's father in Ivanhoe , presumed to be an altered form of the Saxon name Cerdic ("bounty"), or the Brythonic…

Howell

English variation of Hywel, an eminent Welsh king

A familiar and usable last name turned first. Or you could look at it as a homophone of the verb howl, which gives it a wilder feel.

Floyd

Welsh

"gray-haired"

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…