Boy's Names

Alfred

English

"wise counselor; elf counsel"

Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in…

Theon

Greek

"godly"

Theon, an ancient name attached to a noted Greek teacher of mathematics and astronomy, also father to the first woman mathematician, might appeal to parents in this field. You can think of Theon as…

Lemuel

Hebrew

"devoted to God"

Lemuel is a neglected Old Testament name, with the friendly nickname Lem, that we're surprised hasn't been picked up on by parents who have known too many Samuels. In the Bible, Lemuel is mentioned…

Hopper

English or Dutch

"leaper, dancer; hop grower"

Sean and Robin Wright Penn chose this name for their son to honor their friend Dennis Hopper; others might associate it with the painter Edward. Couldn't be more spirited.

Luther

German

"army people"

Once restricted to evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant revolution. In more recent times it has been favored by parents…

Morrison

English

"son of Morris"

Morrison is one of the more uncommon patronymics; it could be used to honor an ancestral Morris, or one of the well-known surnamed Morrisons: Toni, Jim or Van.

Forrester

Surname name

"woodsman"

A slight elaboration on Forrest, with the same woodsy charm.

Crane

English surname

"crane"

This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane. Crane is a surname that originated for a tall…

Raleigh

English

"meadow of roe deer"

Attractive North Carolina place-name and surname of explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Distinctive, classy-but-approachable choice for either sex.

Murray

Scottish

"settlement by the sea"

Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names.…

Padraig

Irish

"patrician, noble"

Parents of Irish heritage are increasingly looking for more authentic Gaelic names, and this is a native spin on Patrick. Pronunciation will be confusing for many Americans, though: It's POR-rick.…

Akim

Russian form of Hebrew JEHOIAKIM

"God will establish"

This strong and commanding Russian name is pronounced ah-KEEM.

Rooney

English or Gaelic surname

"descendent of the champion"

Rooney is one of many bouncy Irish surnames that could make an agreeable first, once tied to Mickey Rooney (who was actually born Joseph Yule) in his young and spunky Andy Hardy period. Young "Girl…

Fielder

English

"dweller in open country"

An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.

Kep

Kep is a short, distinctive masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from Cambodian geography, referring to Kep Province, giving it cultural significance in Southeast Asian…

Fane

English

"happy, joyous"

Fane, used as a nickname in the Middle Ages for someone with a cheerful disposition, is one of the more offbeat members of the Zane-Kane family.

Haven

Word name, English

"a place of safety"

Like Harbor, one of the new generation of word names with appealing meanings, though (female) memoirist Haven Kimmel has tipped it decidedly toward the girls' side. There are now more than ten female…

Ranger

French

"forest guardian"

The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy,…

Nashua

Place name from Penacook

"beautiful stream with a pebbly bottom"

The name of a city in New Hampshire which takes its name from the Nashua River, named by the Indigenous Algonquian tribe the Nashuway or Nashua. A striking alternative to Joshua.