the ultimate boys name list

Although Fraser is the more common (and original) form of this surname, Frasier is perhaps more familiar in the US thanks to the eponymous sitcom. Kelsey Grammer portrayed psychiatrist Frasier Crane from 1984 to 2004 — first on Cheers and then in his own spinoff series, Frasier.

Strong, straight, and leafy, one of the new tree names used mostly as middles.

One part nature name, one part surname name. Oakes gives you the best of both worlds.

Overwhelmingly feminine in the US, where parent name Mackenzie is wildly popular, but masculine in the UK, where Kenzie ranks among the Top 1000 names for baby boys.

Brecken is a fresh, distinctively Irish alternative to similar-sounding (and much more popular) Beckett or Beckham. While Brecken is a spelling variation of the original Breccan, it's the most popular form of the name. By whatever spelling, it's a name we'll likely see rise in popularity.

Rhythmic and energetic, Drury is of French origin, with the wonderful meaning of "dear one, sweetheart."

Amadeo and Amedeo are both valid Italian forms of the Roman Amadeus, most famous as the middle name of the composer Mozart as well as the title of a movie about him. Mozart's name was actually the Greek Theophilus, but he transformed it to the Latin version. Amadeo is also used in Spain, where it was the name of a 19th century king who was born in Italy.

Merce Cunningham (born with the French version Mercier) was a highly influential avant garde dancer-choreographer and his name still resonates with an aura of bold originality.  

If you like names that are not really names -- some say, the wave of the future -- Harbor has an attractive sound as well as an appealing meaning and image.

Traditional African name made cartoonish by the Disney character in The Lion King. In Shona it means "strength".

Romanticizes Rudolph and distances the name from the red-nosed reindeer. After remaining steadily in the US Top 500 for much of the twentieth century, Rodolfo has been slipping of late.

An aromatic, unconventional name.

An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.

Carver is an occupational name with an artistic bent, associated with wood carving predominantly, though it could also be linked to those who carve from stone, marble, ice, and pumpkins. More familiar that the equally arty Painter, but fresher than the 90s style Carter, Carver has received more interest in recent years.

Klay is a masculine name that represents a modern variant spelling of Clay. The traditional Clay derives from the English surname referring to someone who worked with clay or lived on clay-rich soil. The 'K' spelling gives the name a contemporary edge while maintaining the same pronunciation. Klay gained increased recognition through basketball player Klay Thompson, contributing to its sporty, dynamic image. As a given name, Klay remains relatively uncommon compared to Clay, appealing to parents seeking distinctive spellings of familiar names. The name's brevity and strong sound align with current preferences for short, powerful boys' names. Klay projects an image of strength and earthiness with a modern twist.

Brogan is a cheerful Irish surname that would fit right in with the Logans and Br-starting names now trendy for boys. It's been on the pop list for the past three years, though it's sliding again. Its history includes Saint Brogan (Broccan in Gaelic), who was Saint Patrick's nephew and scribe.

This sleek Italian name was raised from the dead by Mexican Mozart in the Jungle star Gael Garcia Bernal, who chose it for his son (he also has a daughter named Libertad). For athletic inspiration, Lazaro Alvarez, boxing for Cuba, is the three-time world champion lightweight boxer. Lazarus and root name Eleazar are both also destined for comebacks.

Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days.

An English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses, but hardly heard since th 1950s.