list of names for little boys

Ruben

Dutch; German; French; Italian, Polish; Swedish; Norwegian; Danish; Armenian, from Hebrew

"behold, a son"

The streamlined Ruben is much more popular than the original Biblical Hebrew version in the US. Ruben is definitely a simpler and more intuitive spelling of this rich attractive name. Ruben and Ruby…

Edgar

English

"wealthy spearman"

Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland. Edgar has been a stalwart on the US…

Dorian

Greek, name of a tribe

The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian…

Emanuel

Spelling variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew

"God is with us"

Fewer letters does not always mean easier—the traditional spelling is the one most people will recognize.

Gunnar

Scandinavian variation of Gunther

"bold warrior"

A key figure in Norse legend and a traditional Scandinavian favorite making inroads here.

Algernon

French

"moustached man"

While this name came into being as a Norman-French nickname for a man with whiskers, the name was quickly embraced as a true name by the Victorians and is likely most familiar to you as the name of…

Aren

Aren is a masculine name with multiple origins and meanings across different cultures. In Armenian, it means 'eagle,' symbolizing strength and vision. It can also be a variation of Aaron, derived…

Claude

French from Latin

"lame; enclosure"

Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…

Edmund

English

"fortunate protector"

The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…

Emrys

Welsh, variation of Ambrose

"immortal"

Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet…

Gottfrid

Gottfrid is a Germanic name with deep historical roots, primarily used in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. Derived from the German elements "gott" meaning "god" and "frid" meaning "peace,"…

Hans

German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes

Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…

Ilya

Russian variation of Elijah

"the Lord is my God"

A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov."…

Johannes

German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Estonian variation of John

"God is gracious"

An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.

Kit

English, diminutive of Christopher

"bearer of Christ"

Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones , has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son back in the 2000s, while actor…

Mauritz

Mauritz is a masculine name of Latin origin, serving as a German and Scandinavian variant of Maurice. Derived from the Roman name Mauritius, it means 'dark-skinned' or 'Moorish'. The name carries…

Mio

Mio is a masculine name with diverse origins. In Japanese, it means 'beautiful cherry blossom' or 'beautiful thread,' symbolizing delicacy and strength. In Italian, Mio translates to 'mine' or 'my…

Olof

Olof is a Scandinavian male name, primarily used in Sweden and Finland. It derives from the Old Norse name Óláfr, composed of the elements 'ancestor' and 'heir' or 'descendant', essentially meaning…

Raoul

French variation of Ralph

"wolf-counsel"

Raoul, with its unique three-vowel middle, rolls off the tongue in an appealing way. Raoul is one of the French names that sounds infinitely more romantic and attractive than the somewhat harsh…

Ren

Japanese, Latin

"water lily, lotus, romantic love, move forward; reborn"

A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on…