*narrowing down* boys list

a somewhat narrow down of my original boys list
  1. Archie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Archibald, Teutonic
    • Meaning:

      "truly brave"
    • Description:

      Archie made global news as the surprise first name of the newborn royal baby, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aka Harry and Meghan. Archie has now officially transcended Archie Bunker and Riverdale's Archie to take the, um, throne as the quintessential retro nickname name.
  2. Arlyn
    • Colby
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "coal town"
      • Description:

        Combining the sounds of Colton and Toby, Colby has been in the US Top 1000 since the 70s. It peaked in 2021, entering the Top 100 thanks to Colby Davidson's appearance on reality TV show, Survivor that same year. Currently on the rise in the UK, in the US, its popularity has been shaky, dipping one year, rising the next. Given to around 470 boys in 2023, it is also chosen for around 50 girls each year.
    • Corbin
      • Origin:

        English and French surname
      • Meaning:

        "crow, raven"
      • Description:

        Corbin, the name of the castle where the Holy Grail was said to be hidden, came to the fore in the 1980s via actor Corbin Bernsen when he was the high profile star of LA Law, but its use is only now escalating as part of the mania for two-syllable names starting with c or k, as well as from the more youthful image of Corbin Bleu, the attractive actor-model-dancer-singer who was one of the stars of the Disney hit High School Musical.
    • Darby
      • Origin:

        Irish or Norse
      • Meaning:

        "free one or from the deer estate"
      • Description:

        Lighthearted, spirited Irish-accented name. Works particularly well with an O' surname, as in 'Darby O'Gill and the Little People'. Patrick Dempsey chose it for one of his twin boys.
    • Daxton
      • Origin:

        Modern invented name
      • Meaning:

        "from Dax town"
      • Description:

        Following in the footsteps of Weston, Braxton, Clayton, and Paxton, Daxton has been climbing the US charts since the late 2000s. While recent years have seen it decline slightly, it remains a Top 500 choice, with the cool possibility of nickname Dax.
    • Elijah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "Yahweh is God"
      • Description:

        The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire, a story sure to inspire any young Elijah.
    • Finley
      • Origin:

        Irish and Scottish
      • Meaning:

        "fair-haired hero"
      • Description:

        Finley has been used for both sexes for enough years to become one of the most popular unisex names. Given nearly equally to boys and girls, Finley appeals to contemporary parents as a truly gender neutral choice.

    • Harland
      • Henry
        • Origin:

          German
        • Meaning:

          "estate ruler"
        • Description:

          Henry is back. The classic Henry climbed back onto the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and now stands at Number 8.
      • Kennedy
        • Origin:

          Irish
        • Meaning:

          "misshapen head"
        • Description:

          This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert Kennedy, Kennedy is now one of the most popular unisex names, particularly for girls. This is one name that manages to sound trendy and traditional at the same time.
      • Kolten
        • Origin:

          Spelling variation of Colton
        • Description:

          Stick with the original—the K and E substitutions are not doing this name any favors.
      • Kylan
        • Origin:

          Modern invented name
        • Meaning:

          "Kyle's land; little Kyle"
        • Description:

          A new-style name based on Kyle and a cousin of Dylan, in spelling if not sound or image. Currently in the US Top 600, it is given to more than 500 boys each year.
      • Leland
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "meadow land"
        • Description:

          Popular in the first half of the 20th century, Leland briefly fell out of favor in the late 90s. After a short break from the US charts, it returned in the mid-2000s, with actor Brendan Fraser choosing it for his youngest son, possibly making it feel cool again. Given to around 500 boys each year, Leland is in the Top 600.
      • Lincoln
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "town by the pool"
        • Description:

          Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now, Lincoln was deeply out of fashion as recently as the late 90s, consistently hovering near the bottom of the Top 1000.
      • Logan
        • Origin:

          Scottish
        • Meaning:

          "small hollow"
        • Description:

          According to exclusive Nameberry data, Logan is officially the Number 1 gender-neutral name in the US, but that statistic is somewhat misleading given that nearly 90 percent of the baby Logans born in 2023 were boys.
      • Maverick
        • Origin:

          American
        • Meaning:

          "independent, nonconformist"
        • Description:

          It's ironic that the name Maverick is not such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun, Maverick symbolizes an unfettered, free spirit.
      • Preston
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "priest's estate"
        • Description:

          Britney Spears put this old-fashioned surname name back on the map when she chose it as her son Sean's middle name, which the family uses as his first.
      • Russell
        • Origin:

          French
        • Meaning:

          "redhead, fox-colored"
        • Description:

          One of many R- boys’ names that started as a nickname for a redhead, Russell had a measure of popularity from the early twentieth century through the 1950s. But it's now lost much of its color -- except for a few dynamic bearers, actors Russell Crowe and Russell Brand and sports stars Russell Westbrook and Russell Wilson.
      • Ryland
        • Origin:

          Old English
        • Meaning:

          "place where Rye is grown"
        • Description:

          Similar to popular Riley and Ryan and the origin of Rylan, this Old English surname has been in the US Top 1000 since the early 2000s. While it has declined in recent years, it was still given to around 375 boys in 2023 — and to 30 girls.