GP Names

  1. Major
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "greater; or, a military rank"
    • Description:

      This bold choice soared in popularity from 2008 to 2013, and now seems to have plateaued. But watch out—the character Major Major Major Major in the classic absurdist novel Catch-22 had a terrible time.
  2. Hawk
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Meaning:

      "hawk, a bird"
    • Description:

      Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example.
  3. Hannibal
    • Origin:

      Punic and Assyrian
    • Meaning:

      "grace of Baal, god of fertility and fortune"
    • Description:

      These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.
  4. Indiana
    • Origin:

      American place-name
    • Meaning:

      "land of the Indians"
    • Description:

      This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) makes Indiana "Indy" forever cool for a boy.
  5. Rocket
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R, you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and Racer) to your list.
  6. Bay
    • Origin:

      English word, Old English
    • Meaning:

      "an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
    • Description:

      Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word beġ meaning "berry"
  7. Titan
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defender"
    • Description:

      This name comes from Greek mythology, where the Titans were a band of immortal, powerful giants.
  8. Bishop
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "senior member of the church"
    • Description:

      Occupation names and spiritual names are in style, so it's hardly surprising that Bishop has been making appearances in the Top 1000. Popular back in the late 19th and early 20th century, it reappeared in the charts in 2015. Given to 170 boys in a recent year, it tends to drop in and out of the Top 1000.
  9. Treat
    • Origin:

      English word and nickname
    • Description:

      One of the magical words of childhood (and beyond), and associated with actor Treat (born Richard) Williams, whose nickname came from ancestor Robert Treat Williams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
  10. Lake
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Evocative modern unisex choice brought into the spotlight by actress Lake Bell.
  11. Goliath
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "exile"
    • Description:

      Not a traditional biblical choice, but the Philistine giant isn't a bad character as such, just a champion fighter who lost to the underdog. He has given his name to everything from insect species to roller coasters. In a time when we're seeing more biblical names with chequered associations — Leviathan and Cain spring to mind — Goliath may appeal to some.
  12. Neptune
    • Origin:

      Roman god of the sea, freshwater springs, and horses.
    • Description:

      This Roman mythology (and planet) name would be very hard to handle. It derives from a root meaning cloud.
  13. Cotton
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      A name heard in Puritan times -- Cotton Mather was a minister involved in the Salem witchcraft trials -- which really deserves modern consideration as it blends nature and softness into a really trendy and wearable masculine name.
  14. Lemon
    • Origin:

      English fruit name
    • Description:

      Sour or sweet? Enough like Lennon, Leonard, and Clement to work, or best left in the fruit basket? That's up to you to decide, but Lemon has been appearing in the US charts for boys since the 1880s.
  15. Captain
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "person in charge"
    • Description:

      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 takes the lead and holds influence and responsibility, Captain has links to team sports, the military, seafaring, superheroes, and the police.
  16. Anchor
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "heavy object used to moor a ship; provide with a solid foundation"
    • Description:

      Plausible word name, denoting strength and stability, currently given to a small handful of boys in the US each year.
  17. Poet
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Poet is a new entry in both the trendy word and occupational categories as well as a member of the growing group of gender neutral names. A handful of baby boys received the name in the US last year. A perfect choice, especially in the middle, for the child of writers or those with a poetic bent. And Po is an adorable nickname for either gender.
  18. Field
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      More unusual than Forest or Forrest, Field is a nature name that is simple, evocative, and fresh--sort of the male equivalent of Meadow.

      Field and Fields are both relatively common surnames, noted bearers including department store owner Marshall Field, poet Eugene Field (Wynken, Blynken and Nod) and actress Sally. Those with the plural include W.C. Fields, cookie company founder Debbi, and entertainers Gracie and Kim Fields.

  19. Oceanus
    • Origin:

      Mythological name
    • Meaning:

      "ocean"
    • Description:

      Oceanus was the Titan in ancient Greek mythology who rules what they thought was the body of water that surrounded the Earth. Oceanus was, appropriately enough, the name of the baby born on the Mayflower. Modern variations include Ocean, Oceana, and Oceane, a popular French name for girls.
  20. Seaborn
    • Origin:

      Surname name
    • Description:

      TV watchers will instantly think of hunky West Wing character Sam Seaborn, played by Rob Lowe, while techies may associate it with a programming toolkit used in statistical analysis. Few, though, will see it as a great first name.

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