Animal Names for Boys

The Finnish form of Andrew is featured in mythology as Antero Vipunen, a giant in Finland's national legend the Kalevala

Irish spelling of Ivor

Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger. We'd recommend something more pulled-together as a proper name with Flash as a nickname or middle name.

Short form of the Biblical name Abiah or Abijah, meaning "my father is God".

Dapper-sounding choice with old American roots (Dabney Cosby was a 19th century Virginian architect who worked with Thomas Jefferson on some of that state's most iconic buildings). Dabney Montgomery was Martin Luther King Jr's bodyguard, giving this name yet more American history depth. Dab is a sweet nickname option for this name.

The original southern Good Ol' Boy.

Almost unknown in the western world, Gyan comes from a Sanskrit word for knowledge. It may appeal to parents looking for a name influenced by eastern philosophy, like Bodhi or Zen.

This spelling variation of Cason isn't quite as widely used as the original.

Aminta is now considered a feminine name, but it originated as a variation of Amyntas, a name connected to numerous ancient kings. In the 16th century, Torquato Tasso, an Italian poet, wrote a play titled Aminta about a lovestruck shepherd who falls for a beautiful nymph named Silvia.

Eastern European variation of Felix.

A busby is the English name for the fur military headdress originally worn by the Hungarian hussars. As a first name, Busby is also the unique name of iconic movie choreographer Busby Berkeley.

Derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white, fair". It's also a name in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Elvish language, in which it means "beautiful".

Cormoran first popped up as the name of a Cornish giant in the 18th century fairy tale Jack the Giant Killer, which drew on ancient British folklore. Today, though, it is more familiar as the name of the protagonist of J.K. Rowling's detective novel The Cuckoo's Calling, published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Its proximity to Cormorant, a family of seagoing birds, gives it extra appeal to nature lovers.

Problematic, even if not for Dilbert.

Meaning "golden flower", this name was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd century saint.

Variant of Eamonn, itself a form of Edmund

A rarely-used spin on a classic.

A patriotic spin on Armie, with roughly the same meaning whether you consider it a variation or a totally separate word name.

Short form of Dumisani