Male Baby/Characters

Theodore

Greek

"gift of God"

Classic and elegant but with boyish charm, Theodore has become hit name in recent years, vaulting into the US Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and into the Top 5 in 2024. A favorite in English…

Sebastian

Latin from Greek

"person from ancient city of Sebastia, venerable"

With international flair and elegance, Sebastian is a saintly, Shakespearean and Disney-inspired choice: refined, classic-yet-unconventional, and totally in tune with other popular choices like…

Owen

Welsh

"young warrior; well-born"

Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now trending ever-so-slightly downhill, good news for Owen-lovers who might rightly have feared…

Silas

Aramaic, Latin, Greek

"of the forest; or prayed for"

Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and…

Ivan

Russian variation of John

"God is gracious"

Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool. Ivan is, of course, ubiquitous in Russian culture.…

Joel

Hebrew

"Jehovah is his God"

In the Old Testament, Joel was one of King David's 'mighty men' and the name was taken up by the Puritans of the sixteenth century. In the mid 1960s, Joel entered the Top 100, and stayed there for…

Shiloh

Hebrew

"tranquil"

Haunting biblical and Civil War place-name; now unisex—especially after the mega-high-profile Brangelina couple picked it for their daughter. It debuted in the Top 1000 for boys in 2015. Many people…

Reid

English

"red-haired"

The Reid spelling is the most popular by half, probably because it feels more like a name than Reed, which looks more like a word. It's used occasionally for girls but this name is firmly in the…

Orion

Greek

"boundary, limit"

Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones. The Greek mythological Orion was the legendary hunter who pursued the seven daughters of Atlas, was slain by the goddess Artemis,…

Cassius

Latin

"hollow"

Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…

Remus

Latin, meaning unknown

Remus is one of the legendary twins who, with brother Romulus, founded Rome. An unusual yet classic name for the extremely adventurous who can put aside the stereotyped image of Uncle Remus. Though…

Romulus

Latin

"citizen of Rome"

He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics,…

Monroe

Scottish

"mouth of the Roe river"

Monroe is a presidential surname which feels fresher than Jackson, Lincoln and Taylor. Marilyn Monroe is a famous female namesake, but her smart Scottish surname feels equally usable for either sex.…

Perseus

Greek

"to destroy"

Perseus is an up-and-coming name with a plenty going for it, so it's no wonder it's almost tripled in usage since the 2010s. Given to nearly 170 boys in the US in a recent year, Perseus ticks the…