Admirable Boys

  1. Ellis
    • Origin:

      English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "my God is Yahweh; benevolent"
    • Description:

      Ellis is a former Old Man Name turned gender-neutral choice for the 21st century. It's one of the less used names in the currently popular El-family, unless you're in the UK, where it's a Top 100 choice.
  2. Atlas
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "bearer of the heavens"
    • Description:

      Atlas is one of those names that was previously thought too powerful for a baby boy, who would have to be strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders. Now Atlas has joined the pantheon of Greek and Roman god and goddess names in the realm of possibility, along with Mars, Zeus and Apollo.
  3. Julian
    • Origin:

      English from Latin, variation of Julius
    • Meaning:

      "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
    • Description:

      Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder Julian is a rising star.
  4. Beau
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "handsome"
    • Description:

      Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
  5. Nolan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "champion"
    • Description:

      The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.
  6. Luca
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"
    • Description:

      The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
  7. Jack
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular boy names starting with J.
  8. Gabriel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is my strength"
    • Description:

      Gabriel is a Biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri'el, Gabriel combines the elements elements gever, meaning "strong," and 'el, in reference to God.
  9. River
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named his son with actress Rooney Mara after his brother River.
  10. Hudson
    • Origin:

      English place-name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "Hugh's son"
    • Description:

      Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
  11. Conrad
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "brave counsel"
    • Description:

      Solid and intellectual, with just a touch of ruggedness thanks to that rad ending, Conrad has appeared consistently in on the US popularity charts since the 19th century. Over the years, it has been leant a literary air by the writer Joseph Conrad, a pop of rock energy by the Elvis-like character in the movie Bye, Bye, Birdie, and more recently, a serious, kind-hearted, and handsome feel by The Summer I Turned Pretty.
  12. Flynn
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of the red-haired one"
    • Description:

      Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr for their baby boy, and is also the middle name -- used as his first -- of a son of Miranda's fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson, of Gary Oldman's son Gulliver and Marley Shelton's daughter West.
  13. Alistair
    • Origin:

      English spelling of Alasdair, Scottish version of Alexander
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      With many British names invading the Yankee name pool, the sophisticated Alistair could and should be part of the next wave. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. You have a triple choice with this name--the British spell it Alistair or Alastair, while the Scots prefer Alasdair--but they're all suave Gaelic versions of Alexander. Adopted by the lowland Scots by the seventeenth century, the name didn't become popular outside Scotland and Ireland until the twentieth century.
  14. Asa
    • Origin:

      Hebrew; Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "healer; born in the morning"
    • Description:

      A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.
  15. Sawyer
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "woodcutter"
    • Description:

      Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the top unisex names. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford.
  16. Samuel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "told by God"
    • Description:

      Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, at its highest point since the 1890s.
  17. Sebastian
    • Origin:

      Latin from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "person from ancient city of Sebastia"
    • Description:

      Sebastian is an ancient martyr's name turned literary, and Little Mermaid hero—think Sebastian the Crab—that's more popular than ever, as a classic-yet-unconventional compatriot for fellow British favorites T Theodore and Oliver.
  18. Heath
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "the heathland dweller"
    • Description:

      Rugged and outdoorsy, Heath was an obscure choice until the 1960s when it was used in the television series, The Big Valley for character Heath Barkley. It peaked in the 70s when it reached the US Top 200, but it has since fallen to the latter end of the Top 1000.
  19. Ren
    • Origin:

      Japanese, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "water lily, lotus, romantic love, move forward; reborn"
    • Description:

      A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on the rise in the US where it was give to nearly 90 girls and 200 boys in a recent year.
  20. Evan
    • Origin:

      Welsh variation of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Evan has a mellow nice-guy image that has kept it popular, while it has been widely used in Wales since the nineteenth century. And interestingly—and surprisingly—enough, Evan charts highly for boys in France.

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