gabhart's baby name dna

Barrett

German

"bear strength"

Barrett is one of many surname names that are up and coming for boys in recent years. Barrett joints Bennett, Beckett, and others in the trend of "-tt" ending boy names taking over the charts.…

Winston

English

"friend's town; joy stone"

Long associated with the Churchill family and common in the West Indies, the distinguished Winston is back in style having been slightly neglected in the US after its brief flash of popularity during…

Tadeo

Spanish variation of Thaddeus

Has a lot of energy and charm, as does the Italian form, Taddeo.

Odin

Variation of Óðinn, Old Norse

"god of frenzy; poetic fury"

Odin is the name of the supreme Norse god of art, culture, wisdom, and law — who was handsome, charming, and eloquent into the bargain. The name projects a good measure of strength and power and has…

Saul

Hebrew

"prayed for"

Jewish parents in particular may be drawn to this quiet, composed name of the first king of Israel and the name of Saint Paul before his conversion. In modern times, it has been associated with Nobel…

Porter

English from French occupational name

"doorkeeper or carrier"

It may surprise you to know that surname name Porter was fairly popular in the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries, then went underground for 40 years only to reemerge at the turn of this century…

Alden

English

"old, wise friend"

Hot young actor Alden Ehrenreich, the new Han Solo, gives this formerly-stodgy surname name an attractive new image, making it a fresh successor to Aiden or Holden. Before it got this fresh shine,…

Harlan

German and English

"rocky land"

Pleasant but uninspired surname name somewhat connected to writers Ellison and Coben. After three decades off the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2013, maybe because it's an unusual example of the…

Boden

English or German surname, variation of Beauden, French

"hill shaped like a bow; floor; beautiful"

Boden is most often inspired by the clothing catalog of the same name, and it feels like an appropriate first name for boys because of its stylish two-syllable -n ending rhythm, a la Logan, Mason,…

Mccoy

Anglicization of MacAoidh or MacAodha, Scottish, Irish

"son of Aodh; son of fire"

One of many Irish and Scottish surnames starting with Mac and Mc that also feel usable as given names, McCoy has a jaunty and energetic sound. The name entered the US Top 1000 in 2020, and was given…

Boaz

Hebrew

"swiftness"

Now that such Old Testament patriarchs as Elijah and Moses fill the playground, Boaz seems downright baby-friendly, having more pizzazz than many of the others, perhaps as a successor to Noah. A name…

Melvin

English and Scottish

"council protector"

This once perfectly respectable surname has suffered decades of abuse, not least by Jerry Lewis's character in the fifties. NFL running back Melvin Gordon stars for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Montgomery

Norman

"man power"

This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…

Mordechai

Hebrew

"follower of Marduk"

Mordechai and Mordecai are equally valid — both are used as transcriptions from the Hebrew bible, and one did not originate before the other. But although popular culture tends to prefer the…

Van

Dutch

"of"

Whether it's used as a short form or on its own, this jazzy midcentury name is poised for a comeback along with brothers Ray and Walt. More often heard as a surname prefix (e.g. Vincent van Gogh,…

Landry

French and English

"ruler or king of the land"

St. Landry was a seventh century bishop of Paris, founder of the city's first hospital, though in the US, it may be better connected with legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, an association…