Baddest Boy Names

Joaquin

Spanish variation of Joachim

"God will judge"

Actor Joaquin Phoenix (brother of River, Rain, Liberty and Summer) highlighted this one, then Kelly Ripa began talking about younger son Joaquin on her daily TV show, and presto—it's now one of the…

Granger

English and French surname

"worker of the granary; farmer"

If you're seeking a solid but underused occupational name with a warm, friendly sound, and an earthy feel, Granger is one to consider. Associated with faming, grain, and the outdoors, it fits in with…

Hart

English

"stag"

Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…

Roark

Irish

"illustrious and mighty"

This distinguished surname belonged to one of Ireland's great princely families. Its many variations include Rourke (as in actor Mickey), and O'Rourke. The family surname is thought to be one of the…

Riordan

Irish

"bard, royal poet"

Has a legitimate first name history in its native land and an appealing meaning, but pronunciation is far from obvious.

Law

Law is a masculine name with multiple origins and meanings. As an English surname-turned-first-name, it derives from the Old English 'hlaw' meaning 'hill' or as a shortened form of Lawrence, meaning…

Locke

English

"enclosure or fortified place"

Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong one-syllable name is theoretically…

Lev

Hebrew, Russian

"heart; lion"

This concise one-syllable name, has two possible derivations and two positive meanings associated with it. In Hebrew, it means "heart", while in Russian it means "lion". So strong and simple Lev has…

Lander

English from German

"territory"

Lander is a name that straddles two trends. It's an er-ending surname name, ala Cooper and Carter. And it's also, more subtly, a green name, in the manner of Fielder or Reed.

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.

Lorcan

Irish

"little, fierce"

Lorcan is a name rich in Irish history as belonging to several kings, including the grandfather of the most famous high king of Ireland, Brian Boru. Lorcan O'Toole, known in English as Laurence…

Christos

Greek diminutive of Christopher, Greek and Latin

"bearer of Christ"

A Greek classic.

Taos

American place-name

This beautiful New Mexican pueblo locale has long attracted artists and skiers, and now may attract some baby namers as well.