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The names
Eden
Hebrew
"place of pleasure, delight"
Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the 17th century. Eden entered the Top 1000 in 1989, and…
Enzo
Italian variation of Heinz or Henry, German, or diminutive form of -enzo names, "estate ruler"
"estate ruler"
Internationally popular, Enzo is a confident and captivating name, playful but down to earth. Similar in sound or style to the likes of Leo, Luca, Eli, and Ezra, and in tune with Mateo, Gabriel, and…
Zahir
Arabic
"helper, supporter"
A popular name in the Middle East and one of the most evocative choices of its genre. One of the 99 names of Allah. The feminine form is Zahira.
Jrue
Modern invented, variation of Drew
This phonetic spelling of Drew feels particularly distanced from the original classic Andrew. Jrue, along with other phonetic "Jr" names such as Jream, is on the rise in the US — even cracking the…
Kreed
Variation of Creed
"I believe; statement of belief"
Creed already feels cool, but Kreed gives it a trendier edge. Deriving from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe", it refers to any set of beliefs and principles that someone follows, or to a…
Cyril
Greek
"lordly"
A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a…
Erskine
Scottish
"from the high cliffs"
Rarely used un-Gaelic-sounding Scottish name with literary associations to Erskine Caldwell, author of Tobacco Road and God's Little Acre .
Haze
Word name or variation of Hayes
Is Haze a spiky, contemporary form of Hayes or is it an obscure, slightly trippy word name? Is it what Blaze is to Blaise and Jaxon to Jackson or is it more in line with Misty, Stormy, Rainy, and…
Keon
Modern invented name; Gaelic, variation of John
"God is gracious"
Keon, a mashup of Kevin and Leon, has been in the Top 900 for a decade and a half, following in the wake of female cousin Kiana. Keon also has roots as a Gaelic variation of John.
Kross
English word name, German surname
"crucifix; by the crossroads; maker of mugs, jugs and pitchers"
Kross is one of the new generation of Christian word names with a twist, and joins the ranks of Chozen, Kruz, Zyon, Kannon, and Tru as options for boys. Given to around 20 babies in 2018, by 2019, it…
Laszlo
Hungarian
"glorious ruler"
The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents. A name with a royal…
Nero
Latin
"stern"
The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. Nero was born Lucius Domitius…
Remus
Latin, meaning unknown
Remus is one of the legendary twins who, with brother Romulus, founded Rome. An unusual yet classic name for the extremely adventurous who can put aside the stereotyped image of Uncle Remus. Though…
Troix
Troix is an unusual masculine name with French influence, directly derived from the French word for the number three. As a given name, it's extremely rare, likely chosen for its distinctive sound and…
Virgil
Latin
"staff bearer"
The name of the greatest Roman poet and an early Irish saint who believed the earth was round, Virgil is heard most notably today as the name of designer Virgil Abloh of Off-White. The first century…
Zephyr
Greek
"west wind"
If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…
Zaki
Arabic
"full of virtue, pure"
Not related to Zack, Zacky, Zachary, or Zachariah – but many will assume it is.
Salix
Latin, botanical name
An unusual name related to the willow family.
Valerian
Latin
"strength, health"
This name of a Roman emperor and of a sedating plant is still used quietly, given to about a dozen baby boys in the US last year. It has a strong, rhythmic sound and could make a modern-feeling honor…
Romulus
Latin
"citizen of Rome"
He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics,…