German Shepherd

Sebastian

Latin from Greek

"person from ancient city of Sebastia, venerable"

With international flair and elegance, Sebastian is a saintly, Shakespearean and Disney-inspired choice: refined, classic-yet-unconventional, and totally in tune with other popular choices like…

Owen

Welsh

"young warrior; well-born"

Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever. Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine…

Kai

Hawaiian, Frisian, Chinese

"sea; warrior; triumph"

Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries. In the US, the name Kai is most commonly…

Jace

Hebrew, diminutive of Jason

"the Lord is salvation"

Jace may sound like only half a name -- it's usually pronounced like the first half of Jason though some may consider it a spelling-out of the initials J. C. -- but it's a popular choice for baby…

Cole

English

"swarthy, coal black"

Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland. Old King Cole -- which refers to a…

Emerson

English

"son of Emery"

Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her…

Jared

Hebrew

"he descends"

Jared is an Old Testament name that has been popular for decades--it was revived in the sixties via TV westerns-- and is still an appealing option. In the Bible, Jared was a descendant of Adam who…

Damon

English variation of Damian

Damon is a name with a strong, pleasing aura (much like the persona of Matt D.) and extremely positive ancient associations. From the classical myth, Damon and Pythias have become symbols of true…

Sam

English, diminutive of Samuel

"told by God"

Sam has long been used on its own for boys, as accepted standing by itself as it is as a short form of Samuel. Straightforward and down-to-earth, Sam is the name of the son of the co-stars of The…

Arrow

Word name

Words are not always easy to translate into baby names , but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o -sound ending, which…

Esmond

English

"graceful protection"

Though slightly haughtier and less accessible than cousin Edmond, Esmond could appeal to some parents seeing a distinguished appellation. It began being used (albeit sparingly) in England in the…

Sosthenes

Greek

"safe strength"

The name of two Biblical figures, one a supporter of St. Paul and the other a Corinthian ruler. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but used in the form Sosthene in modern France.

Kingsley

English

"king's meadow"

Kingsley is a sophisticated Harry Potter name that entered the US Top 1000 in 2013. Writer Kingsley Amis is its most famous bearer. Cousin Kingston is also rising in popularity, thanks to Gwen…

Ike

Diminutive of Isaac, Hebrew

"laughter"

Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century. The rise of Isaac and the stylishness of short down-to-earth…

Juniper

English from Latin tree name

"young"

Juniper is a nature name that we really like. While it's trendiest for girls -- about 2500 baby girls were named Juniper in 2022 versus 34 baby boys -- the most notable Juniper in history was the…