Favorite Boy Names

  1. Sebastian
    • Origin:

      Latin from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "person from ancient city of Sebastia"
    • Description:

      Sebastian is an ancient martyr's name turned literary, and Little Mermaid hero—think Sebastian the Crab—that's more popular than ever, as a classic-yet-unconventional compatriot for fellow British favorites T Theodore and Oliver.
  2. Archie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Archibald, Teutonic
    • Meaning:

      "truly brave"
    • Description:

      Archie made global news as the surprise first name of the newborn royal baby, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aka Harry and Meghan. Archie has now officially transcended Archie Bunker and Riverdale's Archie to take the, um, throne as the quintessential retro nickname name.
  3. George
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "farmer"
    • Description:

      Iconoclasts though we may be, we like Fred, we like Frank, and we like George, which was among the Top 10 from 1830 to 1950, when the number of little Georges started to decline. Solid, strong, royal and saintly, yet friendly and unpretentious, we think that George is in prime position for a comeback, especially since it was chosen by Britain's royal couple.
  4. Frank
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Francis or Franklin
    • Meaning:

      "Frenchman or free man"
    • Description:

      A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank still has a certain warm, friendly real-guy grandpa flavor that could come back into style, like other such choices as Jake and Jack.
  5. Hugh
    • Origin:

      English from German
    • Meaning:

      "mind, intellect"
    • Description:

      Patrician to the core, Hugh was firmly in the Top 100 until 1903. It's never achieved those heights again, though it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000, scraping bottom at literally Number 1000 in 2006 before reversing course and heading back upwards.
  6. Holden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "hollow valley"
    • Description:

      Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the name of its hero, Holden Caulfield -- not coincidentally in tune with the Hudson-Hayden-Colton field of names.
  7. 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.
  8. Anders
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Andrew
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly, masculine"
    • Description:

      Friendly and rugged at the same time, Anders is a Scandinavian form of the Andrew and Andreas family, used across Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and in the US. Consistently in the American Top 1000 since 2010, a recent year saw it given to around 300 boys.
  9. Ted
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Theodore or Edward, Greek or English
    • Meaning:

      "gift of god; rich guard"
    • Description:

      Like Ed, Eddie and Teddy, Ted is rarely used as an independent name – in the US, at least. In the UK, Eddie ranks just outside the Top 200, Teddy ranks just outside the Top 30, and Ted is a Top 200 pick.
  10. Davis
    • Origin:

      Surname derived from David, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave.
  11. Dan
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge"
    • Description:

      Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.
  12. Phil
    • Description:

      Phil is a masculine name primarily used as a familiar short form of Philip or Phillip, though it occasionally stands as an independent given name. Derived from the Greek name Philippos meaning 'lover of horses,' Phil has been used across generations and carries a friendly, approachable quality. It gained particular popularity in English-speaking countries during the mid-20th century. The name has a classic, unpretentious feel and is associated with notable figures like musician Phil Collins and television personality Dr. Phil McGraw. While many Phils formally have the longer version on their birth certificates, the shortened form has a warm, casual charm that has helped it endure as both a nickname and standalone name across different eras.

Introducing the Nameberry App

Nameberry App
Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
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