boy names for hockey lovers

Jack

English, diminutive of John

"God is gracious"

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…

Alexander

Greek

"defending men"

Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree. Alexander is derived from the Greek name Aléxandros, composed…

Bennett

English medieval form of Benedict, Latin

"blessed"

Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt 's Jane…

Elliott

English diminutive of Elias, Greek

"Yahweh is God"

One of the four perfectly proper spellings of this name ranging from the spare (but poetic) Eliot to the full-blown Elliott. Elliott and Elliot are the two most popular, and they have given to almost…

Patrick

Latin

"noble, patrician"

Patrick, long tied to a hyper-Irish image, is enjoying something of a renaissance as a stylish classic, as it has long been considered in England. Along with such choices as Charles and George,…

Samson

Hebrew

"sun"

With the prevailing popularity of Samuel, some parents are considering this more (literally) powerful biblical name, which shares the desirable nickname of Sam. Samson was, of course, the…

Crosby

Irish

"village with crosses"

Crosby is an attractively laid-back Irish surname with retro musical associations to Bing and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and with a jaunty air. Crosby Braverman was the name of a character on the TV…

Sidney

English from French

"Saint Denis"

A contraction name, Sidney comes from Saint Denis and is related to Dioynsius, the Greek god of fertility and wine, although another theory is that it derived from an Anglo-Saxon place name, meaning…

Curtis

French

"courteous, polite"

Curtis is an attractive if somewhat dated surname name that has been borne by several significant musicians and athletes--think Curtis Mayfield, Curtis James Jackson III--aka 50 Cent, and also…

Bailey

English occupational name

"law enforcer, bailiff"

Extremely amiable, open-sounding surname that's gradually being taken over by the girls.

Thatcher

English occupational name

"roof thatcher"

Thatcher is an open and friendly freckle-faced surname, fresher sounding than Tyler or Taylor, that dates back to the days of thatched-roof cottages. It is catching on with modern parents—it reached…

Thayer

French variation of Taylor

"tailor"

Thayer is an affable, less-common alternative to Taylor, with a much more indirect connection to its occupational source. Actor Thayer David (born David Thayer: Thayer was his father's first name)…

Blade

Word name

One of the new crop of boys' names that manage to be unconventional and macho at the same time — though Blade verges on the threatening.

Benn

Benn is a masculine name that serves as a variant spelling of Ben, which itself is often a short form of Benjamin or Benedict. Benjamin derives from Hebrew, meaning 'son of the right hand' or 'son of…