kas' favourite 'romantasy' baby boy names

Tommaso

Italian variation of Thomas, Aramaic

"twin"

Tommaso is the handsome Italian version of the classic Thomas, still leading directly to short forms Tommy or Tom.

Torrien

Torrien is a masculine name with a modern sound but possible ancient roots. It may be a creative variation of names like Torben (meaning 'Thor's bear' in Norse tradition) or Torrey (from an Irish…

Vance

English and Irish

"someone who lives near marshland"

Short and sharp with a nature related meaning, Vance was trending upwards in recent years thanks to the musicians Foy Vance and Vance Joy. 2024 saw it take a downwards dip however, likely due to its…

Whitley

English

"white meadow"

Used occasionally for boys since the early 20th century, Whitley became a hit for girls in the 80s following its use in the show It's a Different World . Recent years have seen it come back into…

Wilbur

English, German

"wild boar"

Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last…

Willis

Diminutive of William, German

"resolute protection"

A common surname that was popular as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th century, Willis dropped off the US Top 1000 back in the early 90s, just as alternative William diminutive, Liam,…

Wynton

English

"friend's farm"

This spelling of Winton has gotten considerable buzz via jazz musician Wynton Marsalis.

Yuta

Japanese

"grief; gentle"

Yuta Okkotsu is a major character in the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen . The kanji used in the Japanese manga give his name the meaning "grief," in reference to the loss of his dear childhood friend,…

Zenith

English

"the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer"

Zenith is an uplifting if quirky word name, meaning the top or the peak. Eight boys received the name in one recent year, only a third of those who were called Nadir -- the low point!

Hewett

French, diminutive of Hugh

Hugh plus.

Ilari

Finnish form of Hilarius, Roman, Latin

"cheerful"

Light and cheerful as its meaning but with plenty of substance, Ilari is the Finnish form of Hilarius and Hillary. Used as a masculine name in Finland, it is used, albeit quietly, as a unisex option…

Archimedes

Greek

"master planner"

Archimedes of Syracuse was a famous Ancient Greek thinker, especially in the fields of mathematics and sciences. He made important contributions to geometry and calculus. His name was a perfect…

Thales

Greek

"to blossom"

This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician.

Lorien

Literary name

The name Lórien appears several times in Tolkien’s novels. It’s both a place name and a character name, and although the name may sound feminine due to the similarity with Lauren and Marien,…