User-created list
By classifiedcosmos · Updated July 2026
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Italian short form of Giovanni
"God is gracious"
Giovanni is the Italian form of John, and Gio is its dashing nickname. A lot cooler than Johnny, no?
Modern invented name, English
"God is Gracious"
Unusual letters like X and Z are often considered badass and cool , so by that logic, does having two Xs in one name make it next level awesome? This seems to have been the thinking of the parents to…
Scottish
"dark warrior"
Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity…
German, Welsh
"fame, power, ruler; dark-skinned"
Maverick meets Merritt in this strong sounding choice, which has its origins in Welsh, German, and Scottish. Notably borne by dancer Merrick Hanna, comedian and presenter Merrick Watts, and by…
"blond, yellow"
Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…
Diminutive of Benjamin
Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname
English
"lives near the ford by the cliff"
Clifford is beginning to overcome a slightly stodgy intellectual image and showing signs of possible revival. Kids might or might not like the association with the big red dog. In England, the…
English occupational name
"law enforcer, bailiff"
Extremely amiable, open-sounding surname that's gradually being taken over by the girls.
"pleasant seaside meadow"
Harley is a tough guy, while the rhyming Marley has a softer, gentler image. The name brings to mind reggae great Bob Marley, as well as the lovable dog from bestseller Marley and Me . Marley is…
Word name
Chosen for their daughter by Bruce and Demi (inspired by the To Kill a Mockingbird character), and for her son by Tai Babilonia, an interesting choice for either sex, with overtones of a "good scout"…
Diminutive of Osmond, Oswald, or Oscar
"divine; deer"
Ozzy has been on the rise in recent years and currently sits in the Top 1000 in the UK and the US. The Ozzie spelling has yet to catch up, but has nevertheless gained more attention thanks to its…
German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund
"victorious peace; victorious protection; victory"
Perhaps the ultimate nicknamey name, Ziggy manages to sound cool, cutesy, spiky, and energetic all at once. It brings to mind the glam-rock of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the cool vibes of reggae…
Diminutive of Montague or Montgomery, variation of Monte, English, Spanish
"mountain"
Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own in the US. But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname…
French
"forest guardian"
The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy,…
American diminution of Christopher, Greek and Latin
"bearer of Christ"
Kip Thorne, nobel laureate and long-time colleague of Stephen Hawking, is just one of several Kips who don't have a longer name. But Kip is often short for Christopher.
"driftwood"
Several spelling variations of this name feel stylish for either a boy or girl, including Marlo, Marlow, and Marlowe. This spelling in particular feels in line with trending Arlo and is most evenly…
Spanish, diminutive of Ricardo
"dominant ruler"
Consider this short form for your little Richard.
Norse mythological name
"lock"
Loki is the shape-shifting, gender-bending god of mischief in Norse mythology. Taking several animal forms, from a salmon to a seal to a fly, Loki is alternately friend and foe of the gods.
Diminutive of Reginald
"counsel power"
Old time nickname that's starting to sound fresh again, à la Alfie and Freddie.
Diminutive of Huckleberry, word name
Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.
