Boys names I am fond of

Levi

Hebrew

"joined, attached"

Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. Now it's being…

Michael

Hebrew

"who is like God?"

Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…

Christopher

Greek and Latin

"bearer of Christ"

Christopher derived from the Greek Christophoros, which is composed of the elements Christos , referring to Christ, and phero , meaning "to bear." The name was originally used figuratively, to…

Felix

Latin

"happy, fortunate"

Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks…

Walter

German

"army ruler"

Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a…

Paul

Latin

"small"

Paul is an ancient name for boys -- popular in Roman and medieval times -- that's not very fashionable now, which can work in its favor, scarcity balancing simplicity. To the thousands of girls who…

Cassius

Latin

"hollow"

Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…

Derrick

Spelling variation of Derek, English from German form of Theodoric,"the people's ruler"

"the people's ruler"

Derek is one of those names that, in its heyday, spawned lots of variations, all trendy. Last year, about 300 baby boys were named Derrick and about 1350 were named Derek.

Hollis

English

"near the holly bushes"

Hollis is a rugged, gentle and quietly used name, given to over 200 boys and 150 girls each year in the US. In 2023, it became one of the newest entries to the US Top 1000, where it fits in with the…

Jethro

Hebrew

"excellence"

Jethro, though the biblical father-in-law of Moses, has suffered for a long time from a Beverly Hillbilly image, but some really adventurous parents might consider updating and urbanizing it and…

Quentin

Latin

"fifth"

Quentin, an offbeat name with lots of character, relates to the Latin for the number five and is by far the subtlest and most usable of the Latin birth-order names, masculine as well as stylish and…

Clinton

English

"hilltop town"

Like many names that have strong political connotations, the attractiveness of the name Clinton will be affected by your world-view. But, taking politics out of the equation, Clinton has a lovely…

Beauregard

French

"beautiful gaze"

In the past this was seen as a jokey Southern colonel name, but we have heard of some parents considering it as a path to the likeable Beau.

Earnest

Earnest is a masculine name of English origin that developed from the word 'earnest,' meaning 'serious,' 'sincere,' or 'determined.' The name gained popularity during the Victorian era when virtue…

Able

Word name or spelling variation of Abel

Able takes this name in the direction of the word denoting someone capable and handle, and that is not a bad way to go.

Captain

English word name

"person in charge"

A commanding word name that feels occupational like Miller, Palmer, and Shepherd, while also fitting in with ambitious choices like Legend, King, Major, Maverick, and Saint. Referring to someone who…

Hermann

Hermann is a masculine name of Germanic origin meaning 'army man' or 'warrior,' derived from the elements 'heri' (army) and 'mann' (man). This powerful name has deep historical roots, most notably…