Boys Names K Through O

Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.

Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman god Mercury, which derives from the Latin words for trade or wages, is the patron of tradesmen and travelers and the fastest-moving planet in the solar system. Mercury is the planet associated with the sign of Virgo, so this is one of the prime names for Virgo babies.

In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".

This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin Olsen, whose father was named Merle.

A strong, attractive surname name with a mix of possible origins: either from the Welsh first name Meuric,which is a form of Maurice, and contains Germanic elements meaning fame and power, or from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning a fork in a river or a road, which led to the name of several places named Merrick in Scotland. The Supreme Court saga of Justice Merrick Garland almost certainly caused the bump in popularity that propelled Merrick to its US Top 1000 debut in 2016.

Despite its ancient history, Merrick these days sounds more modern than the somewhat tired Derek.

Merritt is an old-style surname name that could be seen as a positive virtue name. It was used in the late 19th and early 20th century for boys, reaching the Top 400 in 1899, and is notable today for being one of the names most evenly divided between boys and girls. Emmy winner Merritt Wever helped popularize it for girls.

A beyond-bold shooting-star name choice, sure to raise some relatives' eyebrows.

This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon, which has only ever appeared on the US list for girls but would make for a cool boy name too, especially for those who would like to honor Nahua or Aztec heritage.

The ultimate artist's name would make an unforgettable impression. It's the first name of famed Italian director Antonioni.

Originally a nickname for Mihael, the Slovene and Croatian form of Michael. But Miha has a life of its own — it's long been more common than Mihael in Slovenia.

A variation of Michael, most often used in Croatia, where it's in the Top 20, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it ranks in the Top 100, and also in Slovenia.

This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the family, but be prepared for a lot of people pronouncing it with a long i as in Mike.

This variation of Michael is very popular in Iceland and Puerto Rico, but has only made the cut for the US Top 1000 two separate years —2016 and 2023. Angel-esque boy names ending in L trended upwards last year, meaning we may see some more little Mikaels around soon.

Unlike Jake or Sam, few parents put Mike on the birth certificate.

Effortlessly stylish with an international feel, Milan re-entered the US charts back in 2013 after a 55 year hiatus. It has been powering up the charts ever since, following in the footsteps of sweet sound-alike Mila, and spotlighted by singer Shakira, who chose it for her son.

An attractive surname, but also the name of a popular cookie.

One of the fastest-rising boys names of 2017, Miliano can be seen as a cross between trendy unisex place name Milan and the whole Maximiliano/Emiliano family.

Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles, meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the Slavic root milu, meaning "merciful." Milo predates brother name Miles, a variation that evolved when the name immigrated to the British Isles in the Middle Ages. Mylo is an alternate spelling.

Milos, typically spelled Miloš, derives from various names including the Slavic element, milŭ , such as Miloslav, Bogomil, or Milrad. Popular in the Czech Republic, the name is also used in Serbia, Croatia, and Slovakia