kei's boy names

Julian

English from Latin, variation of Julius

"youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"

Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder…

Beau

French

"handsome"

Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau…

Theo

Diminutive of Theodore

"gift of God"

See the popularity graph below for the name Theo? It's been heading straight uphill since 2010, when it hopped back onto the Top 1000 after a 60+ year absence. Now in the Top 100 in this form, Theo's…

Vincent

Latin

"conquering"

Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor…

Dean

English

"church official"

Dean may sound to some like a retro surfer boy name, but it is once again climbing up the popularity chart in the USA. For decades it was associated with Dean (born Dino) Martin; more recent…

Romeo

Italian

"pilgrim to Rome, Roman"

It wasn't so long ago that Romeo was considered as outre for an American baby as Casanova or Cupid. But that really changed when David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their second son in 2002, a…

Dante

Latin diminutive of Durant

"enduring"

Though closely associated with the great medieval Florentine poet Dante Alighieri -- who's so famous most people skip the last name -- it's not as much of a one-man name as you might think. Heck,…

Niko

Finnish form and Croatian and Slovene short form of Nicholas, Greek

"victory of the people"

Popular in Croatia, Spain, New Zealand, and Slovenia, Niko has also been rising up the US popularity charts for boys since the late 2000s. Fresher than Nicholas, spikier than Nico, it currently ranks…

Kobe

Swahili

"tortoise"

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, whose name was inspired by a Japanese steak house, brought this energetic and appealing name into -- and out of -- the mix. Bryant's tragic death in a helicopter crash…

Nikolai

Russian variation of Nicholas

"people of victory"

Russian forms, like Russian supermodels, are hot these days. This is a strong, worldly way to make Nicholas new; it was chosen for his son by Barry Bonds, Jr. Nikolai also comes with several…

Vincenzo

Italian variation of Vincent

"conquering"

This classic yet poetic Italian name for boys , is a Top 50 choice in its native Italy, and has been climbing up the charts in the US and the UK too. It had sporadically made the US charts throughout…

Lucien

French form of Lucian

"light"

Sophisticated Gallic version of Lucian, Lucien may appeal to parents attracted to this meaning over that of Lucas and Luke, which have a different root, and also looking for a more unusual choice.…

Kenji

Japanese

"second son; healthy + second; wise + second; modest second"

A international feeling name of Japanese origin that could be used to refer to a child's place in the family, Kenji has attracted notice in the US as the name of The Food Lab chef, James Kenji…

Dimitri

Russian from Greek Demetrius

"follower of Demeter"

Dimitri is a Slavic variation of the Russian Dmitriy, a name that comes from the Greek Demetrius. Demetrius was derived from Demeter, the name of the Greek goddess of fertility and farming. Among the…

Dominique

French form of Dominic, Latin

"belonging to the lord"

Unisex option Dominique peaked for boys at Number 170 in 1991, perhaps due to the popularity of basketball player Dominique Wilkins. While it has now fallen out of the popularity charts in both the…

Kaito

Japanese

"sea, ocean + to fly, soar"

A popular Japanese name with an uplifting meaning, Kaito is connected to the air and the sea. Said with three syllables and not the two English speakers may expect, it has been borne by a number of…

Demian

Variant of Damian

Two Latino men have put this Damian variant on the map in the last decade: Brazilian MMA champ Demian Maia and Oscar-nominated actor Demian Bichir.

Akira

Japanese

"bright, intelligent"

Akira is a popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games. Akiro is a related name popular for boys.

Kaspian

Polish variation of Caspian

"white"

Silvio

Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of Silvius

"wood, forest"

A shiny and sylvan choice, this sleek yet spirited name feels familiar yet is rarely used.