Boy names with emphasis on the second syllable

  1. Sinclair
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "from the town of St. Clair"
    • Description:

      Could be a novel way for a boy's name to honor an ancestral Claire.
  2. Antonio
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Italian variation of Anthony
    • Meaning:

      "from Antium"
    • Description:

      Antonio is a Shakespearean favorite -- the Bard used it in no less than five of his plays, and has long been a ubiquitous classic in Spanish-speaking countries, where the nickname Tonio is also prevalent. Antonio is also among an elite group of perennially popular names in the US, where it has always been among the boys' Top 1000 since baby name record-keeping started in 1880.
  3. Demetrius
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "follower of Demeter"
    • Description:

      Classical and Shakespearean name that may appeal if you like your names long, flowing and multicultural.
  4. Noel
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "Christmas"
    • Description:

      Noel is British, fey, and sophisticated, connoting wit and creativity, much like namesake Noel Coward. Noel has also been a character on Felicity and Pretty Little Liars. Thanks to their association with Christmas, Noel and Noelle make ideal names for December babies and names for Christmas babies.
  5. Mathias
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Mattias, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      Matthias is the ancient Biblical form of Matthew, widely used along with brother Mathias in the US for the past 20 years.
  6. Horatio
    • Origin:

      English variation of Latin Horatius
    • Meaning:

      "hour, time"
    • Description:

      Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern reference is the charismatic TV character Horatio Caine played by David Caruso in CSI: Miami.
  7. Emmanuel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is with us"
    • Description:

      Emmanuel--spelled with one or two 'm's'-- was popular with early Jewish immigrants, until overused nickname Manny caused it to fade. Now, this important biblical name is being revived in its full glory.
  8. Johannes
    • Origin:

      German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Estonian variation of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.
  9. Fernando
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Portuguese variation of Ferdinand
    • Meaning:

      "bold voyager"
    • Description:

      Can you hear the drums Fernando? Although 58% of Nameberries prefer Ferdinand to Fernando, the Iberian variant has a softer, more romantic feel that makes it a better fit with all those Javiers, Lorenzos and Matteos.
  10. Gustavo
    • Origin:

      Latinate variation of Gustav
    • Description:

      Well used in the Latino and Italian-American communities.
  11. Tiberius
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "of the Tiber"
    • Description:

      The name of an important ancient Roman emperor, Tiberius might sound a bit heavy for a modern boy to carry, but with the rise of Atticus, Tiberius and brothers begin to feel more baby-friendly, much in the same way as Old Testament names like Elijah and Isaiah have been rejuvenated.
  12. Elisha
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is my salvation"
    • Description:

      Creative name whose only limitation is that it looks like it would be pronounced akin to Alicia and Elissa — although as a Biblical boys’ name, it is traditionally pronounced ee-LIE-shah.
  13. Felipe
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Philip, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lover of horses"
    • Description:

      A royal name in Spain, Felipe could make a lively alternative to the English sounding Philip. It has ranked on the US Top 1000 almost every year since the beginning of the twentieth century, but has never risen above the Top 300, making it a familiar without being overused.
  14. Armand
    • Origin:

      French variation of Herman, German
    • Meaning:

      "soldier"
    • Description:

      Since the first production of Camille this has been considered one of the world's most romantic names, though it's one of those French names for boys rarely heard in this country.
  15. Francesco
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Francis
    • Description:

      Thanks to the inspiration of Pope Francis, Francesco has galloped to the front of the line to become the Number One boys' name in Italy. As Francesca has become a familiar and popular form of the name for girls in the wider world, so does the handsome Francesco have that potential for boys.
  16. Gerard
    • Origin:

      English and Irish from German
    • Meaning:

      "spear strength"
    • Description:

      Gerard is currently in style limbo, after reaching peak popularity in the 1950s. With its strong meaning and gentle sound, it may be back in a generation or two. But for now, a boy called Gerard will likely be the only one in his class...unless you live in Catalonia, where it was recently in the Top 10.
  17. Napoleon
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lion of the new city"
    • Description:

      Overly ambitious choice, recently borne by the hapless hero of cult movie hit Napoleon Dynamite.
  18. Fitzgerald
    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "son of Gerald"
    • Description:

      Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
  19. Iago
    • Origin:

      Welsh and Galician variation of James and Jacob
    • Description:

      Iago, the villain of Shakespeare's Othello, was so treacherously evil that his name has hardly ever been heard offstage. Try the much-more-benign Inigo.
  20. Othello
    • Origin:

      Variation of Otho
    • Meaning:

      "wealth, fortune"
    • Description:

      Possibly created as an elaboration of Otho or Otto, Othello is almost exclusively associated with Shakespeare's 1603 tragedy of the same name. Borne by a Moorish General who is tricked and manipulated by the cunning Iago, Othello is also the name of a classic board game.

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