Preppy Boys

  1. Piers
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "rock"
    • Description:

      Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to the high visibility of TV personality and former news editor Piers Morgan.
  2. Bran
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Brandon
    • Meaning:

      "broom-covered hill"
    • Description:

      A little heavy on the fiber content; we prefer Bram. But Bran is also the Celtic god of the underworld, whose symbol is the raven.
  3. Topher
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Christopher
    • Description:

      The new kid on the block in terms of Christopher short forms, it was introduced into the mix by actor Topher Grace, who didn't like Chris.
  4. Niles
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "son of Neil"
    • Description:

      Perfect name for TV Frasier's effete brother. In the 2020 film Palm Springs, Andy Samberg plays a character with the updated spelling Nyles.
  5. Chip
    • Origin:

      Pet name for Charles
    • Description:

      Only if you're madly nostalgic for sixties TV.
  6. Brant
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "sword"
    • Description:

      Brant, a no-nonsense one-syllable name, had some popularity in the early 1970s, but has been off the lists for a decade. Now, with similarly brisk names like Chase, Jace, Bryce, and Grant finding favor, Brant could make a comeback.
  7. Matheiu
    • Description:

      Matheiu is a French variant of Matthew, though less common than the standard French spelling Matthieu. The name derives from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of God' or 'gift of Yahweh.' Throughout Europe, variations of this name have been popular since medieval times, largely due to the influence of Saint Matthew, one of Jesus's twelve apostles and author of the first Gospel in the New Testament. Matheiu maintains the elegant French pronunciation but with a slightly unconventional spelling. While not as widely used as Matthieu in French-speaking regions, it offers a distinctive variation that still carries the name's rich historical and religious heritage while being recognizable across many Western cultures.