Adelbert

Adrian is one of those names that’s easy to picture on all kinds of people. From an active and energetic five-year-old to your great grandpa, from the coolest, breeziest guy you know, to the quiet, serious one, it’s no wonder Adrian has always made the US Top 500 since the early 20th century. 
Trending upwards since the 60’s and breaking in the Top 100 in the 90’s, Adrian has remained a solid choice for boys. Popular across Europe and in some parts of South America, Africa, and Aisa too, Adrian is a well-travelled and international choice. 
Derived from Hadrianus, a Roman family name meaning ‘from Hadria’, Adrian is associated with two ancient settlements in Italy – Adria, a northern port town, and Atri, in central Italy. 
Hadrianus itself is likely to have derived from an Illyrian word meaning “sea” or “water”, leading some scholars to record Adrian’s meaning as ‘from the sea,” making it consideration for those wanting an <a href=“https://nameberry.com/list/641/names-that-mean-ocean”> ocean inspired name</a>. 
Adrian has been in use since the Middle Ages and is the name of several saints and six popes. It has been a favorite in England since the 1950’s and appears in different forms across the world, from the Italian Adriano to the feminine forms Adriana and Adrienne. 
The versatile Adrian is used frequently in pop culture and notable Adrians include Adrian Mole, the eponymous character of Sue Townend’s comedic novels and Adrian Chase, an anti-hero in the TV show “Arrow.” Appearing in Harry Potter, the works of Shakespeare and the Marvel Universe too, Adrian isn’t short of namesakes. 
Ranking highly in Spain, Norway, and Sweden, and given to over 5000 American boys every year, Adrian is a solid, international choice. If you love the name but would prefer more unexpected however, you could try Caspian, Ariel, Kylian, Alasdair, Lucian, or Dorian.

Adrian

Aimon

In its three most popular spellings -- Alan along with Allen and Allan -- this midcentury favorite has tended to skew older. It was a Top 100 name from 1938 to 1971, peaking at Number 40 in 1951. Alan has had leading roles on recent TV, in shows like Two and a Half Men, 24 and Boston Legal.
 Current bearers include Alan Alda, Alan Cummings, and writers Alan Bennett and Alan Ayckbourn.
Alan is a venerable Celtic name, first used in England in the Middle Ages. We like the Welsh spelling Alun.

Alan

Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/341/royal-names-for-boys">royal baby boy names</a>, a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer). 

Albert became popular in Britain following the 1840 marriage of Queen Victoria to the German Prince Albert and remained in vogue for 80 years. In the US, it's been on a downward slide for a century, though it's always ranked in the US Top 1000 and is a Top 100 name in England and Denmark.

Along with such stalwarts as Walter and George, it could now make a distinctive yet classic choice. Enlivening nickname Bertie is popular on its own in the UK.

Albert

Aldred

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 of the elements aléxein, meaning "to defend," and aner, meaning "man." 
 
According to Greek legend, the first Alexander was Paris, who was given the nickname Alexander by the shepherds whose flocks he defended against robbers. He was followed by Alexander the Great, aka Alexander III, who conquered much of Asia.
 
A royal name in Scotland, Alexander is still highly popular there. In Gaelic, the name became Alasdair; in Spain, Alejandro; and in Italy, Alessandro.
 
The noble Alexander has led to the popularity of many spinoffs, such as Alex, Zander, Xan and Zan, along with female versions such as Alexandra, Alexis, and the unfortunate Alexa.
 Among the many notable Alexanders in history, standouts are Hamilton, Graham Bell, Fleming, Pope and Haig.
 Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber's Alexander is known as Sasha.

Alexander

This name leapt into the female column via vixen Alexis Carrington on 'Dynasty" in the 1980s. It's more popular for girls, but it's still a widely used boys' names and is one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a> in the US today.

Alexis is an ancient (male) saints' name as well as the name of a third century BC comic poet. In the Alexius version, it was the name of several Byzantine emperors.

Alexis

Alfonso was a royal name in Spain as far back as the 7th century, but it is rarely heard outside the Hispanic community in the US.

Alfonso

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 several European countries, especially England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
 Alfred the Great, King of Wessex (called "England's darling") was a wise, compassionate and scholarly king of old England in the tenth century. His name reached the height of its popularity from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century—it was in the Top 50 in the U.S. until 1933.
 Among its best known bearers were the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, movie director Alfred Hitchcock, biologist/sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, Swedish inventor/industrialist Alfred Nobel, and photographer Alfred Stieglitz. And let's not forget Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
 Hipper nicknames: Alf, Alfie, and Fred.

Alfred

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's middle name could make an interesting pick for music-loving parents--if only in middle place. Amadeus is the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film in 1984.
 German-born tennis ace Boris Becker chose Amadeus for the name of his fourth son.

Amadeus

During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.
 While there are still plenty of babies named Andrew -- more than 5000 in the US last year -- it now feels more like a Dad Name than baby name. And the shamed Prince Andrew has not helped the name's image much.
 
Andrew is a variant of the Greek name Andreas, ultimately derived from the element aner, meaning "man." In the New Testament, Andrew was one of the twelve apostles and the first disciple to be called by Jesus. 
 
Although the origins of the name are Greek, Andrew is the patron saint of both Scotland and Russia, as well as Greece. It has associations with two of America's most famous artists, Wyeth and Warhol.
 
One advantage of Andrew is its host of nicknames: Andy makes it friendlier, while Drew adds to its sophistication.
 
Andrew also has several appealing foreign manifestations that are sometimes used in the U.S., including Andre (French), Andrei (Russian), Andres (Spanish), Andrea (Italian), Andreas (German, Dutch and Greek) and Anders (Norwegian and Swedish).

Andrew

Anselme

Strange as it may now seem, the venerable St. Arnold was a Greek by birth, a musician who became a member of the court of Charlemagne. The name is said to have been introduced into Britain by the Normans in the form Arnaud.
Despite such reputable namesakes as composer Arnold Schoenberg, novelist Arnold Bennett and historian Arnold Toynbee, not to mention the former Governator, Arnold's image has been diminished by some nerdy fictional characters, though he is still a genuine classic who might come back along with Arthur and Albert.
We have heard stirrings of fashionable baby Arnolds populating nurseries alongside those named Wilbur and Barney.

Arnold

Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals. Arthur has led the list of possible names for the young British princes, chosen as a middle name for Prince Louis, son of William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales.
 In addition to its leading role in the Arthurian legends, Arthurs figure prominently in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Edgar Allan Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and George Eliot's Adam Bede. There are also countless Arthurs in children's literature, movies, and TV -- including The Fonz of Happy Days fame. More recently, Arthur was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Santa in the eponymous movie Arthur Christmas.
 Arthur has many notable namesakes, including playwright Arthur Miller; writer/astronomer Arthur C. Clarke; writers Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur Rimbaud and Arthur Koestler; philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer; conductor Arthur Fiedler; and tennis great Arthur Ashe, the first African American to win the U.S. Open. Queen Victoria's seventh child was Prince Arthur.
 Arthur was a Top 20 name from at least 1880 through 1926. And in 2011, actress Selma Blair named her son Arthur Saint.

Arthur

Augustine is more substantial (and saintly) than August, less pretentious than Augustus, and, along with its nickname Gus, is definitely a viable choice. 
 Augustine is actually the diminutive form of Augustus and achieved its fame via the great fourth century saint, St. Augustine of Hippo, whose teachings and writings had a great effect on early Christianity.
 A major character in Uncle Tom's Cabin is Augustine St. Clare. The full name of the author of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake is James Augustine Aloysius Joyce.
 Model Linda Evangelista chose the French form Augustin for her son, also used by Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger as a middle name for their son James.
 The Spanish Agustin is experiencing a wild burst of popularity in South America: in recent years it has been the number one name in Uruguay and in the Top 5 in Argentina.

Augustine

Aymer

Adalric

Adela

Aelfgar

Aethelred

Aethelwulf

Aimery

Alberic

Alling

Alpin

Analf

Andronicus

Ankelil

Anschitil

Artald

Aubey

Aubre

Aubri

Aubri-Geoffrey

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.

Baldwin

Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish nickname. That character, by the way, has the full name of Bartholomew JoJo Simpson, and creator Matt Groening came up with Bart as an--uh oh--anagram for brat. Two old alternate nicknames are Barty and Tolly.
 Ben Jonson's 1614 comedy Bartholomew Fair is set in London on St. Bartholomew's Day. Charles Dickens used the name in Bleak House, and, more recently, Bartholomew Cubbins is the protagonist of the Dr. Seuss books The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Bartholomew

Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.

Bela

Benjamin is a biblical name that has enjoyed widespread favor for decades, ranking in the US Top 50 for almost half a century and the Top 10 from 2015 until 2023. 

One of those golden boys' names that feels traditional as well as sensitive and stylish, Benjamin has the further advantage of the friendly, accessible nickname Ben.
Benjamin is hugely popular not just in the US but in a range of other western countries, including France and Germany along with Scandinavia and Latin America. The names Benjamin and Ben will be familiar around the world.
 Benjamin is derived from the Hebrew name Binyamin, from the elements ben, meaning "son" and yamin, "right hand." In the Old Testament's Book of Genesis, Benjamin was the youngest of the twelve sons of Jacob and Rachel and he was one of the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. 
 
There have been numerous notable Benjamin namesakes, from Benjamin Franklin to Dr. Benjamin Spock. The name's popularity spiked after the release of The Graduate in 1967, with Dustin Hoffman playing the iconic Benjamin Braddock.
 Benjamin is the name of the sons of Kelly Preston and John Travolta as well as of Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady.

Benjamin

Last-name-first-name with a romantic but dangerous edge. 

Berenger

Bernard is obviously a saint's name, but how did it get to the big, benevolent dog? The eleventh century monk, patron saint of mountain climbers, who lived in the Alps, was famed for setting up safe houses for pilgrims on their way to Rome over the treacherous St. Bernard Pass, and the canine breed, also used to rescue people in treacherous conditions, was named for him.
 Over the years, though, the name has taken on a highly intellectual image, losing most of that old Alpine energy. There were lots of little Bernies in the early decades of the twentieth century; Bernard reached as high as Number 45 in 1921.
 And the name does have some cultural cred, via playwright (George) Bernard Shaw, seminal art historian Bernard Berenson, and novelist Bernard Malamud. And let's not forget that 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Bernie Sanders's first name is Bernard as well.

Bernard

Old Norman name last current in the 1930s, and firmly in our 'so far out it will always be out' category – despite its appearance as a Hogwarts student in Harry Potter. This is the full first name of P.G. Wodehouse's inimitable Bertie Wooster.

Bertram

The origins of the name Brian are not entirely clear, but it is suspected that it evolved from an Old Celtic word related to nobility. In Ireland the name is associated with Brian Boru, the most famous of all Irish warrior-kings, credited with driving the Vikings out of Ireland around the year 1000. 
 
Like other native Irish names, Brian was outlawed in Ireland during the centuries of British rule, restored to use after the war for Irish independence in 1916. Irish immigrants propelled it onto the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1925.
 
Because it was outlawed for so long, Brian may feel like a less classic and ancient name than it really is. Its massive popularity in the 1970s, when it ranked in the Top 10, makes it one of today's quintessential Dad Names.
 While Brian has been trending downward in the US for decades, it still ranks solidly in the Top 1000, where it will likely remain for decades to come. Bryan, Bryant, and Brianna are common variations.
 
Brian has some pretty diverse associations—to newscaster Williams, the movie Monty Python's Life of Brian and as Marilyn Manson's real name.

Brian

Brice, much more often spelled Bryce, is an old saint's name that now has a sleek and sophisticated image—it feels elegant and efficient. Of the two spellings, Bryce is much more popular for both sexes.
 Though the name is given much more frequently to boys than to girls, director Ron Howard did a bit of gender bending when he called his daughter Bryce Dallas—a name now featured on marquees. Painter Brice Marden represents the other spelling, while St. Brice was a fifth century Frenchman who was a disciple and successor to St. Martin as bishop of Tours.

Brice

Balthaser

Begue

Berengar

Boleslas

Boso

Boson

Budwine

Carson is one of the most long-running popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">androgynous baby names</a>, with a dash of the Wild West via the legendary Missouri frontiersman Kit Carson. Dating back to when it was the name of Nancy Drew's Dad, Carson is still steadily in the Top 100 <a href="https://nameberry.com">baby names</a>.
Current Carsons include TV personalities Carson Daly and Carson Kressley, and Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer. Carson Wells was the bounty hunter character played by Woody Harrelson in No Country for Old Men, and Carson is the name chosen by actress Kathryn Erbe for her son.
 Although its best known namesake is writer Carson McCullers, Carson has not caught on as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girl's name</a>.

Carson

Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering if you've got an adventurous streak — and bet your son will too. An alternative commonly cited meaning that modern parents might prefer is "proclaimer of peace". The traditional Polish spelling of the name is Kazimir.

Casimir

Charles derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning "man" or "freeman", and is a royal name in multiple European countries. A famous early bearer is Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards and then Roman Emperor in the 8th-9th centuries. 
 
The word for "king" in several languages, including Slavic, Russian, and Polish, came from Charles. And, of course, Charles III is the current king of Great Britain.
 
Charles is a longtime traditional favorite that was in the Top 10 until the 1960s. Though not as popular as it once was, it's still a widely used name. 
 
The most fashionable form of Charles today is Charlie, used almost equally for girls and boys. And of course, Charlie or Charley is still used as a short form for Charles, along with the old school Chuck and new school Chas/Chaz.
 
Lately, Charles has been resuscitated by many celeb parents, from Jodie Foster to Russell Crowe, honoring a distinguished history dating back to the emperor Charlemagne—the original Charles the Great. 
 
Charles has been so well used for so long that it is virtually faceless—it can conjure up anyone from Dickens to Chaplin to Bronson. It has been an elegant royal name—designating both Bonnie Prince Charlie, leader of a 1745 rebellion, and the present king, as well as previous kings of France, Spain, England, Portugal, and Hungary. 
 
Among the well used international versions of Charles: Carl, Carlo, Carlos, Karel, Xarles, Charlot, and Siarl.

Charles

The name Christian has fallen a bit from its 90's and 00's heights, but it's still quite popular. Once considered overly pious, Christian is now seen as making a bold statement of faith by some, while also having secular appeal for others, perhaps influenced by such celebrities as Christian Slater and Christian Bale, not to mention the fashion world's Dior, Lacroix, Louboutin and Audigier.
 In the Middle Ages, Christian was a female name, but turned male with the introduction of the hero of John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.
 Today, there's a whole new genre of <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/modern-christian-names-have-spirit">Christian names</a> that go far beyond Christian to telegraph faith and a religion-based style, with names such as Saint, Zion, and Shiloh prime examples.

Christian

The fierce image of the Barbarian made a complete turnaround thanks to amiable talk show host O'Brien, making Conan one of the newly desirable Irish choices, a perfect alternative to Conor/Connor.
 In Gaelic, Conan was the name of an illustrious seventh-century Irish saint, bishop of the Isle of Man. Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Scotland, of Irish stock.

Conan

Conrad has a somewhat intellectual masculine image, a solid name that has been consistently on the popularity lists, especially well used in the 1920s and 30s, and given a pop of rock energy by the Elvis-like character of Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye, Birdie--("We love you Conrad, oh yes we do!").
 Conrad has been both a saints' name and a German royal appellation. One of its most well-known bearers is hotelier Conrad Hilton, great-grandfather of the Paris generation. Conrad was the prototypical Byronic hero of his poem "The Corsair." There have been fictive Conrads on shows like Weeds and CSI.
 Corrado is the attractive Italian form.

Conrad

Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.

Craig

Canbert

Carolman

Causantin

Cenred

Charlemagne

Cinaed

Constantiuns

Crinan

Cynan

Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real downside: There are about 10,000 Daniels named each year, making it a less than distinctive choice. 
 
Daniel is derived from the Hebrew name Daniyyel, from the elements din, meaning "judge," and ’el, "God." The Book of Daniel in the Old Testament describes the Jewish prophet’s life of captivity in Babylon and visions of the last days of Earth. 
 Daniel was the name of one of the greatest biblical heroes, with the inspiring story of the prophet whose faith protected him when he was thrown into a den of lions. Yet Daniel does not seem as solemn and weighty a name as other Old Testament names like Abraham and Ezekiel. 

Popular since the days of Daniel Webster and Daniel Boone,
Daniel is a perennial favorite, in the Top 15 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">names for boys</a> every year since 1972. Daniel ranks first among all <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/d">baby names starting with D</a>. 

Daniel's appeal is international, from Ireland to Israel, Finland to Chile. And its nicknames—Danny and Dan—make it sound even friendlier, though, as with other classics, many modern parents are opting to use the name in full.

Daniel

David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day.
 David is derived from the Hebrew name Dawid, believed to come from the root dôwd, meaning “beloved”. The first famous David was the Old Testament second king of Israel: the shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath, and later a warrior, poet, and powerful leader, wise but humanly fallible. He is an important figure in Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and later inspired many works of art, including Michelangelo’s colossal sculpture.
 Since then, there have been countless Davids of note in history, literature, and popular culture, including the patron saint of Wales — a translation of the Welsh name Dewi — two kings of Scotland. Then there’s Copperfield, Crockett, Bowie, Beckham, Letterman, Grohl, and many more. Celebrities who have chosen it for their sons include Jennifer Hudson, Bar Refaeli, and J.K. Rowling.
 In its international forms, David is steadily popular around the world, and ranks in the Top 10 names in Brazil, Austria, Armenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Israel.
 In the USA, David has never been out of the Top 40 boy names, but was at peak popularity in the mid-twentieth century, ranking in the Top 10 from 1936-1992. This means that, although it’s still given to thousands of boys each year, it has an “older man” feel to it. It ranks highest in states with a large Jewish population, and is still a Top 10 name in New York.
 After Daniel, David is the second most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/d">boy name starting with D</a>. Although fading a little in popularity, it remains a serious-yet-friendly classic with deep roots.
 If you’re looking to update David, perhaps as an honor name, the freshest alternatives are surnames deriving from David, including Dawes, Dawson, and Davies. You could also try an international variation, like Welsh Dai or Finnish Taavi.

David

The energetic Diego is rising rapidly along with a lot of other authentically <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/161/spanish-names">Spanish baby names</a> that work perfectly well with surnames of any origin. 
 Possibly a derivative of Santiago, Diego is a Sevillian saint, and one notable cultural namesake is Mexican painter Diego Rivera.

Diego

Donald has been used for centuries in Scotland, where the Macdonald clan is one of the most ancient and where there have been six early Scottish kings by that name. Donald was a Top 20 name throughout most of the early twentieth century. But first there was the quacking Donald Duck, introduced in 1934, to affect its image, and then there was The Donald Trump, leaving it drained of much baby appeal. Trump's surprising run to the presidency didn't save Donald's decline on the baby name charts; it fell 47 spots between 2015 and 2016, from 441 to 488, and is now a less popular name than it's been since records have been kept.
 Aside from Donald Sutherland, most contemporary real and fictive Donalds go by nicknames--as in Donny Osmond, Donnie Wahlberg, Don Rickles and Don Draper. More promising and more authentically Celtic sounding is Donal, which is quite commonly used in Ireland, or surname cousins Donnelly or Donovan.

Donald

Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/453/royal-baby-names">royal name</a> that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity aside, Duncan is one of the most classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
 From a surname based on a clan name, Duncan was the name of a Scottish saint and two early Kings of the Scots. The beneficent Duncan I, who lived in the eleventh century, was immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth. 
 The brave and handsome Major Duncan Heyward is one of the main characters in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. Other cultural references include Duncan Idaho, the only character to appear in all of Frank Herbert's Dune novels; Duncan MacLeod, the immortal protagonist of Highlander; one of Garp's sons in The World According to Garp; and singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik.
 David Bowie's son Zowie changed his name first to Joey and then finally to Duncan.
 
Duncan peaked int he late 90s and has been a downfall since, even falling out of the Top 1000 in 2021 — but made a reappearance in 2022.

Duncan

Dairmait

Dalmas

Deitrich 

Domnall

Donnchad

Dreaux

Dunlang

Ebenezer is the name of a biblical place --the stone set up by Samuel to mark his victory over the Philistines--rather than a person. It was adopted by the British Puritans as a first name and then exported to America, where it had some early popularity, even entering the Top 1000 in the 1880s.
 After appearing in Walter Scott's novel Waverly and Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, it made its most lasting impression as Dickens's miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, pretty much annihilating the name, but since Scrooge did reform at the end of A Christmas Carol, maybe there's some slight hope for the old name yet. If you have a sense of humor, you might consider it one of the darker <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">Christmas baby names</a>.
 The good news: the appealing short form Eben--so if you find Ebenezer too loaded and quirky for your taste, you might skip straight to the nickname.

Ebenezer

Much more niche and obviously Germanic than its anglicised cousins Everard and Everett, but with the same strong meaning. Eberhard is hardly ever used in the US - it's only made the charts once so far, back in 1918.

Eberhard

Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland.
 Edgar has been a stalwart on the US <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> lists, not dipping below the Top 400 until 2022, and is especially popular (as is Edgardo) with Latino families.
 Edgar plays a key role in King Lear and has had several distinguished namesakes, including artist Degas, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, and author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. In terms of style, however, most would rate it a distant third to Edward and Edmund. 
 Trivia tidbit: Joan Rivers' daughter Melissa named her son Edgar after her father, but he is called by his middle name Cooper.

Edgar

The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name.
 Edmund has had an enviable history, as evidenced by these quotes: "There is nobleness in the name of Edmund," says a Jane Austen character, and the poet John Keats once bemoaned, "Had my name been Edmund, I would have been more fortunate."
 Famous bearers include the English astronomer Edmund Halley, after whom the comet was named, poet Edmund Spenser, great Shakespearean actor Edmund Kean, and New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary. Literary Edmunds appear in King Lear,, Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, and Dickens's Little Dorrit.
 Edmund reached its highest point of popularity in the U.S. in 1914, when it was Number 130; it hasn't appeared on the list since 1997--making it even more attractive as an uncommon alternative to Edward.
 Eamon is the cheery Irish version.

Edmund

Unlike perennials William, John and James, Edward is a classic that moves in and out of fashion. This royal Anglo-Saxon standard has benefited in recent years from the popularity of the hot hero of the vampire sensation Twilight — Edward Cullen — who has given his name a new infusion of cool.
 
Edward was the name of several Saxon and eight English kings, and is the name of the youngest son of the current queen. It was an early arrival in the New World — there were several Edwards in the Jamestown colony and six on the Mayflower.
 
The Edward name meaning most referenced is "wealthy guardian," as it is derived from elements meaning "rich" and "guard," however, the combined meaning may be a modern interpretation.
 
Youngish actors Edwards Norton, Burns and Furlong help keep the name's image fresh. Parents today are more likely to prefer nicknames Ted or Ned to the traditional Ed or Eddie — or, just as likely, to use the name in full.

Edward

Egbert still suffers somewhat from being used as a stereotypical name for nerds and aristocrats. It would be a surprising choice, but with its edgy meaning and dusty charm, possibly it's so beyond cool that it's...actually kind of cool?

Egbert

K can substitute for C at the end of a name too, as in this example of Erik as a spelling variation of Eric. Or is it the other way around?

In fact, Erik is the spelling of the name used in its native Scandinavia and throughout much of Central and Eastern Europe, where Erik ranks in the Top 100 throughout Scandinavia as well as in Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, and more.

The Erik and Erick forms are also popular in Spain and Latin America, and among Spanish speakers in the US. In fact, Erick outranks Erik in the US. And while Erik and brothers are off their peak, all three spellings of the name rank in the top half of the US Top 1000 boy names.

Erik

Eustace was originally popularized by St. Eustace, who was born a Norman nobleman and is said to have been converted to Christianity by seeing a crucifix between the antlers of the deer he was hunting. It was introduced to England by the Normans, and can be found in medieval legend. In literature the name appears in the person of Eustace Clarence Scrubb in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia.
<bre/> The image of Eustace today is as sedate and stuffy as the monocled Eustace Tilly character on The New Yorker magazine covers. Its diminutive Stacy became a unisex hit.

Eustace

Eustache

Eafa

Eahlmund

Ebles

Edzo

Eochaid

Eoppa

Erad

Eudes

Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks ranks with the standard Franks and Freds. Felix is also an international darling, ranking in the Top 100 in several European and English-speaking countries.

Felix was originally a Roman surname but was adopted as a nickname by the ancient Roman Sulla, who believed that he was especially blessed with luck by the gods. It is the name of four popes and sixty-seven saints; in the Bible, Felix is a Roman procurator of Judea.
 
Felix, energetic and upbeat with a felicitous meaning, has finally transcended its negative associations to Felix The Cat and the persnickety Felix Unger. 
 
The name appears in literature as the central character in George Eliot's novel Felix Holt, the protagonist of Thomas Mann's Confessions of Felix Krull, in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Henry James's The Europeans, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, and as a member of the Volturi Guard in the Twilight series. In movies Felix has popped up in everything from several James Bond films to Spy Kids and The Hangover.
 
Gillian Anderson and Elizabeth Banks are two modern celebrities who chose Felix for their baby boys. A notable namesake is Felix Frankfurter, a long-term Supreme Court Justice.
 
Popular in the Hispanic community, Felix is also celebrating a surge abroad. Felix has been on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">U.S. popularity list</a> for as long as records have been kept and is rapidly becoming a Nameberry fave.

Felix

In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage; Fergus is a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite.
 As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic tradition has it that Irish Prince Fergus Mac Eirc and his two brothers crossed the sea and founded the kingdom of Argyll in Scotland, thereby making this an excellent choice for parents of either ora combined heritage.
 Fergus has often popped up in children's literature, such as in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, and is the name of one of Shrek and Fiona's triplets. On a loftier level, there is the Yeats poem, Who Goes With Fergus?
 With the nickname Fergie having been appropriated by two high-profile females, we'd opt for using Gus instead.

Fergus

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.

Fernando

WhitneyQ's list "Male Historic Names:" of 318 great name ideas: Adelbert - Zachaeus!

Male Historic Names:

Male names from my genealogy. From the Fifth Century to Present day, direct lineage. 