Boys names

Ari, the short form of Ariel (or any other Ari- beginning name, such as Aristotle) stands up better as a boys’ name than its progenitor does. It is also short for Aristotle, as in Onassis, and is a prominent character on TV's Entourage -- the uberagent Ari Gold.

The recent ascent of this English surname is due to two things: the megapopular Ash beginning and TV/movie hottie Ashton Kutcher. The name peaked at Number 76 in 2004, a year after Ashton Kutcher's (both Christopher Ashton) hit TV show Punk'd made its debut.

Jerome has a bespectacled, serious, studious image, just like its namesake saint, who was a brilliant scholar. St. Jerome is the patron saint of students, librarians, and archaeologists.

Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.

A fresher spin on Jaxon, with built-in cool nickname Nix, and a great way to honor an ancestral Nick. But the association with disgraced former president Richard Nixon remains strong, which might explain why this otherwise bang-on-trend surname name has remained under the radar, peaking at #482 in 2017.

Quinton is among several attractive Q-beginning, n-ending two-syllable names for boys, that also includes Quentin (the most popular iteration) and Quenton. They only suffer from their similarity and possible spelling confusion, ala girls' names Kristin, Kirsten and sisters.

Long connected to the world of movie biz thanks to Warner Bros, Warner is tough sounding surname of Germanic origin. While some English speakers may find it leans a little too close in sound to "worn out" or "warmer", it nevertheless shares the cool -er ending of contemporary favorites like Sawyer, Parker, Cooper, and Carter, while also matching the sturdy sounds or feel of Warren or Walter.

Zaeden is a contemporary masculine name that appears to be a modern creation, possibly inspired by combining elements of popular names like Zayden, Jaden, and Aiden with alternative spelling. This name emerged primarily in the early 21st century as part of the trend toward invented names with distinctive spellings. Zaeden has a cosmopolitan, current feel with its stylish 'Z' beginning and '-en' ending that echoes many popular boys' names. While still uncommon, it has gradually increased in usage, particularly in the United States. The name carries a contemporary energy while maintaining masculine qualities, appealing to parents seeking something modern and unique yet relatively intuitive to pronounce and spell.

On the rise as an independent name: Zander and Xander are both widely used can increasingly be found as characters in movies and on TV.