Favorite Names for Boys

Shane

Anglicized variation of Sean

"God is gracious"

Shane ambled into the picture via the 1953 movie, adding a cowboy twist to its Irish essence. A variation of Sean with a hint of Shay and Zane, it is a popular choice in Ireland. Singer Siobhan…

Trevor

Welsh

"from the large village"

Trevor, a British standard, took a long time to cross the Atlantic, but finally began its rise here in the 1980s. It is now a thoroughly naturalized citizen, though it still retains a touch of Anglo…

Shawn

Spelling variation of Sean

"God is gracious"

Shawn is a phonetic spelling of Sean that may be past its peak – it was a Top 30 name in the early 1970s – but is still quite popular for boys: over 500 baby boys were named Shawn in the US in the…

Dustin

Norse

"brave warrior, or Thor's stone"

Dustin's popularity in recent years has probably had more due to its similarity to Justin than to idolization of Dustin Hoffman -- himself named after silent screen cowboy star Dustin Farnum -- who…

Darius

Latin from Greek and Persian

"possessing goodness"

Darius is a historic name via Emperor Darius the Great, a key figure in ancient Persian history, and several other Persian kings. His name today has an appealingly artistic image, which might well be…

Linden

Variation of Lyndon

"linden tree hill"

The graceful, natural image of the verdant shade tree transcends any connection with President Johnson. A sturdy tree that can live for centuries, Linden was actually quite a popular boys' name from…

Daulton

Spelling variation of Dalton

Stick with the original.

Darren

Irish

"little great one"

Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update.

Kendall

English

"valley of the river Kent"

The name Kendall started life as a locational surname, referring to the town of Kendale in England, and was used as a masculine name for the first half of the 19th century. By the 80s, it was a…