Handsome Gentlemen

  1. Amadeus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "lover of God"
    • Description:

      Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's middle name could make an interesting pick for music-loving parents--if only in middle place. Amadeus is the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film in 1984.
  2. Asher
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "fortunate, blessed, happy one"
    • Description:

      Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite.
  3. Benedict
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "blessed"
    • Description:

      Parents who like Ben and Benjamin but find those forms too popular sometimes consider Benedict as a more distinctive choice. Unlike the Old Testament Benjamin, Benedict is the name of the saint who formed the Benedictine Order and of fifteen popes,including a recent one.
  4. Blaze
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "fire"
    • Description:

      Originally a form of the saint's name Blaise, though now more likely to be a hot word name used for both sexes, though heavily weighted toward the boys. It has been in the boys' Top 1000 since the year 2000.
      br>On the pop culture side of things, Blaze Bayley is a singer and musician who has been connected to the bands Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden.
  5. Cadmus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "one who excels"
    • Description:

      Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet. Its ancient feel might appeal to modern parents — especially since Cadmus Peverell is a human Harry Potter character, one of the three original owners of the Deathly Hallows.
  6. Cato
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "all-knowing"
    • Description:

      Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman antiquity.
  7. Draco
    • Origin:

      Greek from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dragon"
    • Description:

      For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.
  8. Drake
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "dragon; or, male duck"
    • Description:

      A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D.
  9. Edmund
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "fortunate protector"
    • Description:

      The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name.
  10. Ephraim
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "fruitful, fertile, productive"
    • Description:

      Ephraim is an Old Testament name we would place high on the list of neglected Biblical possibilities, solid but not solemn.
  11. Finn
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "fair or white"
    • Description:

      Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity.
  12. Gale
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games, it has new force for boys.
  13. Hyperion
    • Ignatius
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "fiery"
      • Description:

        Ignatius? Good gracious! This is a name making a truly surprising return, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities--Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson.

        Ignatius, the name of several saints including the founder of the Catholic Jesuit order, was considered more apt to be borne by churches and schools than babies in the recent past, though it was not unusual from the late nineteenth century to 1930; it ranked as high as Number 602 in 1913.

    • James
      • Origin:

        English variation of Jacob, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "supplanter"
      • Description:

        James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
    • Jude
      • Origin:

        Latin diminutive of Judah
      • Meaning:

        "praised"
      • Description:

        Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity -- for more than a decade now. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
    • Liam
      • Origin:

        Irish short form of William
      • Meaning:

        "resolute protection"
      • Description:

        Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number 1 spot for the past five years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world.
    • Lior
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "I have a light"
      • Description:

        Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar," though it's really lee-OR, with a long e sound and emphasis on the second syllable.
    • Luca
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
      • Meaning:

        "man from Lucania"
      • Description:

        The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
    • Morgan
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"
      • Description:

        Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common boys’ name in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were given the name in one recent year, vs. 362 boys – though it's one of the most traditional unisex choices. Morgan was actually a Top 200 pick for boys in Victorian Britain!