Boy Names-Jen

  1. Abner
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "father of light."
    • Description:

      This neglected Biblical name--it was the name of the commander of Saul's army and appears twice in the New Testament--is ready to flee Dogpatch. It was regularly used in the nineteenth century, but was pretty much demolished by the long-running hillbilly comic strip L'il Abner, which began in 1934 and ran through 1977. A more respectable namesake is Abner Doubleday, who has been credited with inventing baseball.
  2. Abram
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "father of multitudes"
    • Description:

      Abram was Abraham's original name in the Bible; it's more user-friendly but with a bit less gravitas. And it does offer that cool nickname Bram, as well as the friendly Abe. After some early American usage, in 1936 Abram completely disappeared for nearly forty years, until its return in the 1970s.
  3. Ancel
    • Baldwin
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "brave friend"
      • Description:

        One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.
    • Bauer
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "farmer, tiller of the soil"
      • Description:

        A surname name with an occupational background, but although it derives from the German language it is not used as a first name there as it has pejorative connotations – sometimes used as slag for an uneducated person. In the US, a prominent association is the character Jack Bauer from 24.
    • Beresford
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "ford where barley grows"
      • Description:

        Upper-crusty hotelish surname.
    • Birch
      • Origin:

        Tree name
      • Description:

        Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree.
    • Boman
      • Origin:

        Persian
      • Meaning:

        "great mind"
      • Description:

        Unusual alternative to Roman, chosen for his son by Matthew Modine.
    • Boris
      • Origin:

        Slavic
      • Meaning:

        "to fight"
      • Description:

        Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential.
    • Brahms
      • Origin:

        German surname
      • Description:

        A melodic choice for lullaby-lovers.
    • Bramwell
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "well where the gorse grows; bramble well"
      • Description:

        An unexpected route to nicknames Bram or Wells, this English surname derives from a historical hamlet in England, whose exact location has been lost to time. It comes from the Old English word for "bramble bush", giving it a connection to the natural world.
    • Brandt
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "dweller on burnt land"
      • Description:

        Less commercial-sounding than Brand.
    • Brosnan
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "dweller near the Brosna River"
      • Description:

        Actor Pierce made both his first and last name appealing.
    • Caddock
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "battle"
      • Description:

        Anglicized form of Cadoc, a Welsh saint's name.
    • Callahan
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "bright-headed"
      • Description:

        Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry Callahan.
    • Charleston
      • Origin:

        American place-name
      • Meaning:

        "Charles' town"
      • Description:

        Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used it for his daughter.
    • Claiborne
      • Origin:

        French and German
      • Meaning:

        "boundary with clover"
      • Description:

        This surname-name oozes Southern charm; nevertheless, its most famous bearer was a New Englander, Rhode Island senator Claiborne de Borda Pell, who sponsored education legislation leading to the much beloved Pell scholarship programme. That connection alone instills this name with intellect as well as style.
    • Clayton
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "place with good clay"
      • Description:

        Clayton is one of those names that feels like it could be recently popular but does in fact have a long history of use. It has made the US Top 400 every year since the records began, and though more recently it has been in decline, it is still given to more than 1000 babies every year
    • Curran
      • Origin:

        Irish surname from O Corrain
      • Meaning:

        "descendant of Curran"
      • Description:

        Curran is a common surname in Ireland, but unusual even there as a first. With its savory feel, calling to mind curry and currants, Curran can make for an attractive update on Colin or Connor.
    • Darton
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "deer town"
      • Description:

        Obscure, though legitimate, name that could be used to honor a relative named Barton or Martin.