Boy Names : 175 Boy Names to Choose From

What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would still smell just as sweet, right? Shakespeare may have had a valid argument for the sake of the heart’s desire, but a name is incredibly significant, as it is the first personal identity we are given in the world, and many believe one’s name has a significant influence on who a person is and grows up to be.

Boy names that are popular today include Noah, Elijah, Oliver, William, James, and Liam. Throughout history, boy names have been given as a unique identifier of or association with family, point of birth, physical description, occupations, and even divine destiny.

We’ve got the top boy names in America today and throughout history, as well as some of the most popular names and their meanings. We even took a look at some popular boy names from around the globe. There are multiple ways to go about finding the right name for your boy, and this article has some ideas to get you moving on the right path. Keep on reading…

What To Think About When Selecting Boy Names

The names we give our children will be with them all their lives, and choosing a boy’s name comes with a lot of responsibility. After all, do you want your baby boy to grow up and be just any ol’ Tom, Dick, John, or Harry? Or should he go by Thomas, Richard, Jonathan, or Harold? And with so many boy names to choose from, where should one even begin?

There is a lot to consider, but with a little research and some time to “let it be” and “just think about it,” you” find the right name soon enough. Here are some things to think about when selecting boy names.

Look at Your Family Tree

If you lack inspiration for a name to select for your son, consider looking through your family tree. This can be a fun and educational thing to do regardless, especially if you don’t have a lot of knowledge about your family history.

Go through an online service like Ancestry, or contact parents, grandparents, and other relatives and have them share any family records. Take a look through your bloodline to see if any names sound good or catch your eye.

If you do come across a good option, take the extra step to see what you can find about the person whose name you’re considering. It’s great to find a name you enjoy, but when that name also holds significance for your family and is connected to you, there is something extraordinary about that. What’s more, is that this name becomes a meaningful gift that you give to your son.

Consider Nicknames

Whether you choose a name for its popularity or meaning, or because it was your grandfather’s name, it is the foundation for every moniker, alias, and sobriquet to come. Longer names will inevitably be shortened by some, be it a term of endearment, intended ridicule, or otherwise.

Take the time to think of various nicknames–both good and bad–that could be made from the names you consider. While you may wish to avoid names that can be heavily subjected to mockery and bullying, creating fun, loving nicknames can help combat these issues, especially when a child is younger and developing a sense of identity.

But positive nicknames rooted in love and affection can also be a special thing between you and your son, a special name only used by the family that can be used and thought of fondly.

The Trend Will Pass

There have certainly been some interesting fads in baby naming throughout the years (though boys’ names in the U.S. stayed fairly rooted in tradition and significance longer than girls’ names). As we’ve progressed through the twenty-first century, boys’ names have seen more alternate spellings and modern adaptations of conventional names. And more recently, some boys’ names have been…well, different, let’s say.

It may be tempting to jump aboard the name-trend-train, but ask yourself: will the name sound silly in a few years? In ten years? In twenty? Is there a likely chance your child will be asked to explain or spell their name for each person they meet every day of his life? Are you considering the name of a current celebrity (who may tarnish their reputation with you in the future and cause you to have disdain for the name)?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, then you may wish to reconsider choosing that name.

Give Value to Middle Names

It’s common to choose middle names simply because they sound nice between first and last names. But you can consider some different things with a middle name that you wouldn’t or shouldn’t necessarily consider with a first name.

For example, it may be important to you (or your mother-in-law, as it were) to name your son after someone in your family. Many families pass down certain names through generations as a tradition or in honor of someone special. A middle name can be a great way to accomplish this (particularly if you aren’t very fond of the name you’re being asked to pass on).

A middle name could also be where you put some of your “creative” energy. If you feel like you need a name that’s trendy, of a pop-culture reference, or that has a non-traditional spelling, consider “hiding” such choices in the middle name.

Think About Initials

It’s easy to get distracted by finding the perfect sounding name and overlook what a child’s initials will be. Anthony Sebastian may sound nice, but Mr. Anthony Sebastian Smith is forever branded a donkey and will be at the butt end of a lot of jokes…

You could go the other way and deliberately try to create something fun or meaningful with initials.

For example, if you’re a lover of the ocean and all things nautical, you could choose names to create initials like S.E.A. or W.T.R. This then gives a fun story to tell when someone notices. However, that can be considered too “cutesy” for some. To each their own, but keep in mind that these initials will affect your son directly at various times in his life, and there is a chance for this to cause embarrassment or harassment over it.

There Is Meaning in Meanings

In the bible, we see many boys’ names being given with literal associations to the child’s emergence in the world or that held significance in the child’s divine destiny. For example, Sarah, wife of Abraham, laughed when God told her she was going to have a child though she was well past child-bearing years. Abraham named this son Isaac, meaning “he laughs.”

When Issac’s wife had twins, the second-born came out with his hand grasping his brother’s heel.

Even going back to Adam, which means “man” or “mankind,” and his wife Eve “brought forth a man,” their son, Cain, which sounds like the Hebrew for “brought forth” or “acquired.”

It is believed by many that names can ultimately shape a person. The first label bestowed upon us holds significance to either how we were received into the world or how we are pushed out into it. Name meanings and origins can offer insight into personality, character, inner nature, etc., and once a child gets older, a name’s meaning can become a point of pride (or shame).

As time has passed, it has become less and less common to name a child so literally; rather, we have simply adopted these words as a label, and we choose “William” over “Strong warrior,” as it were. And many names these days are chosen because we “like the way they sound,” often without even knowing the meaning behind them or where they came from.

But failing to look into a name’s meaning could cause some anguish for your son later on down the road or even some regret on your side. Once you find a name you enjoy, consider looking into its meaning to make sure you’re still comfortable with it.

Spelling Should Be Intentional but Not Nonsensical

People often want a traditional name, but they make it unique by choosing an alternate spelling that isn’t as commonly used. But this can–and has–gone awry for some, as a name can go from alternate spelling to grossly misspelled easily and quickly.

A good example of this is Jackson. As a given name, it has several possible derivatives, including versions of John and Jacob, and, in its evolution, it gained the alternate spellings of Jacson, Jacksen, Jaxon, and Jaxson.

These days, none of these spellings seem too weird, nor are they offensive to the reading eye. Indeed, there are even etymological explanations behind these alternate spellings.

But if a name is spelled too differently, to the point that it goes beyond socially-accepted phonetics, that’s when things get messy. We found alternate spellings for Jackson, such as Jaxxon, Jaxun, Jaxsen, Jaxsyn, Jaxin, Jaxn, Jaxxen, Jaqson, Jaxzen, Jaxzyn, and Jakxsen.

However, it is important to note that there is a distinction between different name spellings rooted in one’s culture and the nonsensical, invented epithets shown above. Michael is a good example of a name with alternate spellings that are culturally accepted and appropriate. Variations include Mikael (Sweedish, Finnish, Norwegian), Mikkel (Danish), Maikel (Dutch), Mikhail (Bulgarian, Russian), and Miguel (Spanish).

Don’t Stress Out Too Much

While there is a lot of pressure to find the name that is “just right,” it’s important that you don’t stress yourself out about it. (It’s not healthy for you or the baby.) You can rest easy knowing that even if you “make a mistake” and choose a name you later regret choosing, you have some options available.

For starters, if an overload of hormones and “pregnancy brain” were the driving forces in selecting a name, nothing is set in stone until you sign the papers. Once you’ve given birth and you’ve had some time to rest, there’s still plenty of time to make sure you still feel good about the moniker you’ve chosen.

But if a few months or even years go by and you find yourself disgusted with what you’ve done, you could always decide to use a nickname instead. Simply call him Jimmy instead of Jirumhya, for example, and forget his real name even exists. Another easy solution is to call him by his initials, like J.J., R.J, or what have you.

Of course, if needed, you could always go through the system and have your child’s name changed legally. There are fees and paperwork required, like anything involving government, but it is feasible.

Boy Names To Avoid

While the names one ought to avoid can be considered somewhat subjective, there is general agreement about a few things. For example, just because it’s a noun doesn’t mean it should be a name. This means names like Apple, Spirit, or Sky are off the list.

Also, there is much remorse in the parenting world for names inspired by pop-culture. Meaning no matter how enamored you are with a character in your latest streaming-binge, many are out there to remind you that all fads eventually fade, and it’s best not to give in to the temptation.

Lastly, colors, directions, or other adjectives and “general description” words are growing increasingly unpopular as time goes by. And apologies to all those out there named Blue, North, and Lucky.

We scoured the internet to find some boy names that people thought should be avoided. Here are some of the more unpopular, recurring offenders:

Adolf
Apple
Apollo

Aspen
Axe
Braxton

Bentley
Brody
Creed

Colton
Duke
Eleven

Fox
Guy
Harvey

Hector
Hunter
Jaxxon

Kareem
Kygo
Lake

London
Lucky
Manolo

North
Oaklee
Reign

Remington
Royal
Saint

Sir
Spartacus
True

Zayne

Popular Boy Names and Their Meaning

Here is a list of popular baby names and their meanings. Origin has been included to assist you in further research. The list includes the names currently listed as the most popular given names for boys in the U.S.

Noah: Relaxation, Restful, Harmony, Calm

Noah is a biblical name that comes from the Hebrew Noach, referring to a rest or repose. It also carries the meaning of “comfort.” In the bible, it says, “[His father] named him Noah and said, ‘He will comfort us…‘” (Genesis 5:29)

Oliver: Descendant of the Ancestor, Elf Warrior, Emblem of Peace

Oliver is from the Norman French name Olivier, believed to be derived from the Germanic name Alfer or the Old Norse name Áleifr. The altered spelling is associated with oliva, Latin for “olive tree,” which was the base for Shakespear’s character Olivia from Twelfth Night and how the olive tree became a reference for the name.

The Germanic and Old Norse names have elements of the word for “elf,” “army,” “warrior,” “ancestor,” and “descendant.” Scandinavian and French meanings are related to “olive tree,” “olive branch,” and “symbol of peace.”

Associations with the name Oliver and meanings of “friend,” “hero,” or “network” are believed to have come from the Old French epic poem La Chanson De Roland, in which the friend and advisor to the hero, Roland, was named Oliver.

William: Will or Desire to Protect, Gilded Helmet

William is from the Germanic “Willahelm,” which has the literal translation to “will helmet” from the elements wil, meaning “will” or “desire,” and helm, meaning “helmet” or “protection.” This has evolved into various meanings relating to strength, protection, and defense to create meanings such as “strong warrior” and “desire to protect.”

Liam: A Warrior of Strong Will

Liam is considered the Irish short-form version of the Germanic name William, with word elements meaning “will,” desire,” and “helmet” that came together for the meaning “strong warrior.” The Irish origin gives it the meaning of “protector” or “knight.”

Elijah: My God Is Yahweh, or The Lord Is My God

Elijah is from the Hebrew’ Eliyahu, which means “my God is Yahweh.” It is derived from elements’ el and yah, both of which refer to the Hebrew God. In the Book of Kings in the Old Testament, Elijah was a prophet and miracle worker during the 9the century BC who was carried in a chariot of fire into heaven at the end of his life.

James: One Who Undermines, Supplanter, May God Protect

James is actually a derivative of Jacob. The English form is based on the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant from the Biblical Latic Iacobus, coming from the Hebrew name for Jacob, Ya’aqov, which means “he grasps the heel,” a Hebrew idiom for “he deceives.”

This biblical name is another instance where a description of how one enters the world was used to name the baby. The second-born of twins, Jacob, came out of the womb grasping his brother’s heel. Variants of the name have elements that translate to “supplant” or “supplanter,” which refers to someone who usurps or takes the place of another through wrongdoings. (Which Jacob later did to his brother.)

Boy Names Throughout History

John held the number one spot in the top ten boy names given for many decades in American history, with William and James sitting firmly in the number two and three spots, respectively. The names on the rest of the top ten shifted around, but very little variety was seen until the first decades of the twentieth century.

Robert crept up the list for a while before finally soaring to popularity, going from third-most popular in 1920 to the number one spot by 1924, overtaking John as the most given name for boys in America long before we even started keeping tally.

Once Robert broke through, the list of top boy names continued to change and vary widely as the years went on. A population boom along with various baby-naming trends and alternate spellings exponentially saturated the statistics with unique data, changing the list’s trajectory forevermore.

John, James, and William were eventually booted from the top ten by the twenty-first century. However, according to the most recent data, William has recently seen a resurgence and was the fourth most-given name, with James not far behind. John has yet to make a comeback and is claiming fame as a top 30 name.

Here are some of the top ten boy names given to boys in America, starting with the earliest available data from 1880, then every score thereafter up to today.

1880 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	John	8.15%
2	William	8.05%
3	James	5.00%
4	Charles	4.52%
5	George	4.33%
6	Frank	2.74%
7	Joseph	2.22%
8	Thomas	2.14%
9	Henry	2.06%
10	Robert	2.04%

1900 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	John	6.06%
2	William	5.29%
3	James	4.47%
4	George	3.33%
5	Charles	2.53%
6	Robert	2.36%
7	Joseph	2.29%
8	Frank	2.14%
9	Edward	1.68%
10	Henry	1.61%

1920 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	John	5.17%
2	William	4.55%
3	Robert	4.42%
4	James	4.35%
5	Charles	2.57%
6	George	2.44%
7	Joseph	2.32%
8	Edward	1.83%
9	Frank	1.49%
10	Richard	1.36%

1940 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	James	5.27%
2	Robert	5.15%
3	John	4.61%
4	William	3.77%
5	Richard	3.15%
6	Charles	2.67%
7	David	2.33%
8	Thomas	2.02%
9	Donald	1.95%
10	Ronald	1.75%

1960 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	David	3.97%
2	Michael	3.89%
3	James	3.54%
4	John	3.51%
5	Robert	3.34%
6	Mark	2.71%
7	William	2.28%
8	Richard	2.01%
9	Thomas	1.81%
10	Steven	1.56%

1980 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	Michael	3.70%
2	Christopher	2.65%
3	Jason	2.60%
4	David	2.26%
5	James	2.12%
6	Matthew	2.04%
7	Joshua	1.94%
8	John	1.90%
9	Robert	1.85%
10	Joseph	1.63%

2000 Top 10 Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	Jacob	1.65%
2	Michael	1.53%
3	Matthew	1.37%
4	Joshua	1.32%
5	Christopher	1.19%
6	Nicolas	1.18%
7	Andrew	1.13%
8	Joseph	1.09%
9	Daniel	1.07%
10	Tyler	1.03%

2019 Top Boys Names

Rank	Name	% of total males
1	Liam	1.07%
2	Noah	0.99%
3	Oliver	0.73%
4	William	0.71%
5	Elijah	0.70%
6	James	0.69%
7	Benjamin	0.68%
8	Lucas	0.65%
9	Mason	0.60%
10	Ethan	0.59%

Top 100 Boy Names in the U.S. 2020

This is the list of the top 100 boy names in the U.S., according to the official Social Security website. (Note: These names and their rankings are from 2020 data.)

Liam
Noah
Oliver

Elijah
William
James

Benjamin
Lucas
Henry

Alexander
Mason
Michael

Ethan
Daniel
Jacob

Logan
Jackson
Levi

Sebastian
Mateo
Jack

Owen
Theodore
Aiden

Samuel
Joseph
John

David
Wyatt
Matthew

Luke
Asher
Carter

Julian
Grayson
Leo

Jayden
Gabriel
Isaac

Lincoln
Anthony
Hudson

Dylan
Ezra
Thomas

Charles
Christopher
Jaxon

Maverick
Josiah
Isaiah

Andrew
Elias
Joshua

Nathan
Caleb
Ryan

Adrian
Miles
Eli
Nolan
Christian
Aaron
Cameron
Ezekiel
Colton
Luca
Landon
Hunter
Jonathan
Santiago
Axel
Easton
Cooper
Jeremiah
Angel
Roman
Connor
Jameson
Robert
Greyson
Jordan
Ian
Carson
Jaxson
Leonardo
Nicholas
Dominic
Austin
Everett
Brooks
Xavier
Kai
Jose
Parker
Adam
Jace
Wesley
Kayden
Silas

Top 10 Boy Names in the World

Here are ten of the most popular boy names given around the world:

Mohamed – Popular throughout most African and Asian countries
Santiago – A derivative of Jacob via St. James the Great. Found predominantly in Spanish speaking countries through the Americas and Europe.
Oliver – The top name in Oceania, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, and scattered throughout the Americas and Europe.
Lucas – Found throughout Dutch, English, French, Greek, Persian, and Spanish speaking countries in Europe and the Americas.
William – A top name in Canada and seen in several countries throughout Europe
Gabriel – The most popular name in places like France, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Jamaica, and has been a top name in Venezuela and other countries.
George – Found more so in European countries and popular in the Americas, this name is also a top name in Israel (for Christian boys) and used in Lebanon.
Daniel – Of Hebrew origin, Daniel is popular throughout all religions in Israel and can be found often in Europe and throughout the Americas.
Sebastián – This name is often given in South American countries and has gained popularity in North America and around Europe.
Nathanial – Popular in many variations in several European and American countries as well as in the Philippines.

Conclusion

With so many boy names to choose from and so much to consider, choosing a name for a boy can seem like a daunting task. But taking the time to determine what’s important to you and then researching names you are considering will help you find the one that is just right.