Boys Names Beginning With C

Charles

French from German

"free man"

Charles derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning "man" or "free man", and is a royal name in multiple European countries. A famous early bearer is Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards and…

Christopher

Greek and Latin

"bearer of Christ"

Christopher derived from the Greek Christophoros, which is composed of the elements Christos , referring to Christ, and phero , meaning "to bear." The name was originally used figuratively, to…

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.…

Carson

English and Scottish surname

"son of the marsh dwellers"

Carson is one of the most long-running popular androgynous baby names , with a dash of the Wild West via the legendary Missouri frontiersman Kit Carson. Dating back to when it was the name of Nancy…

Calvin

Latin

"bald, hairless"

Calvin is a slightly quirky but cozy name that has a fashion edge thanks to Calvin Klein. It has been steadily on the popularity list since records were kept, never lower than Number 250, peaking in…

Colter

English

"colt herder"

A variation on the popular Colton, Colter has been climbing up the US charts since 2010. Given to around 1000 boys each year, it is now in the Top 500, and ticks the boxes for being a cool…

Cole

English

"swarthy, coal black"

Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland. Old King Cole -- which refers to a…

Chase

French

"to hunt"

Chase, with its sleek and ultraprosperous aura, is redolent of the worlds of high finance and international banking. Chase has been well used during the last few decades, seen as a character on 24…

Cyrus

Persian

"sun"

Cyrus is one of those surprising names that have always ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US. On an upward trend since the mid-90s, Cyrus now sits in that comfortable place between too…

Colt

Word name

"young horse"

Colt is the kind of unconventionally macho name that is so trendy right now, because of or in spite of its association with horses and guns. A rent study of voter names by political party found that…

Clayton

English

"place with good clay"

Clayton is one of those names that feels like it could be recently popular but does in fact have a long history of use. It has made the US Top 400 every year since the records began, and though more…

Cruz

Spanish

"cross"

For a single-syllable Latino surname, this new popular kid on the block packs a lot of energy and charm and is one of the most stylish Spanish names for boys in general use today. Victoria and David…

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…

Clark

English

"scribe, secretary, cleric, scholar, clerk"

Clark seemed to have been Gone with the Wind , but parents looking for a short, strong boy's name are now beginning to appreciate its cool combination of Gable charm with Superman power. Clark has…

Cassian

Latin, variation of Cassius

"hollow"

Rugged but gentle at the same time, Cassian is a saintly and stylish choice that was derived from the name Cassius. Before 2017, it was an obscure choice, given to a tiny handful of boys each year.…

Collin

Variation of Colin and Collins

Thanks to its dashing British image and c-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin/Collin has enjoyed a long run of popularity.

Corbin

English and French surname

"crow, raven"

Corbin, the name of the castle where the Holy Grail was said to be hidden, came to the fore in the 1980s via actor Corbin Bernsen when he was the high profile star of LA Law , but its use is only now…

Cal

Diminutive of names including Cal

"dog; the whole of; dove; bald; war-strife; beautiful"

Cal is a nickname style name that feels as friendly and calm as it does cool and breezy. While its longer forms have proved more popular over the years, Cal as a stand alone has dropped on and off of…

Cassius

Latin

"hollow"

Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…

Chris

English nickname for Christian, Christopher

"one who carries Christ"

Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls. While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread…