K names

Extremely simple and extremely distinctive -- a winning combination. Sound-alike Calla is a Greek (and botanical) name that means beautiful.

Kade falls into the trend of using a letter K at the beginning of a traditionally C-starting name, perhaps to give it a sharper edge. Trending since the 90s, Kade is currently in the Top 400, while Cade ranks nearly around 70 places ahead. Given to 933 babies in 2023, it is a consistently used name.

Kaj is a name that looks great on paper, but while it's pronounced with to rhyme with rye, it is sure to be pronounced by most people to rhyme with "raj" or, much worse, "Madge".

A name of multiple identities: a somewhat soap-operatic single-syllable surname, a homonym for the biblical bad boy Cain, and, when found in Japan and Hawaii, it transforms into the two syllable KA-neh. Kane also has multiple meanings: in Welsh, it's "beautiful"; in Japanese, "golden"; and in Hawaiian, "man of the Eastern sky."

Kavanagh, which can also be spelled Cavanagh, Cavenagh, Kavanaugh, and Cavanaugh, is one of the few traditional Irish surnames not to start with Mc or O'. Kavanagh relates to the name first Kevin or Caomhan. Early kings of Leinster bore the name Kavanagh.

Although Kenton has the trendy K beginning and on ending, and a jazz reference to Stan Kenton, it still manages to sound stiff and old-fashioned.

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.