Animal Names for Boys

Hoke is a surname name with a Southern feel, thanks to Morgan Freeman's character in the Oscar-winning movie Driving Miss Daisy. Parents may have passed this name by because of the similarity to hokey and hokum, slang for exaggerated or contrived. But there's at least one distinguished bearer: Chicago journalist Hoke Norris, famous for his coverage of the Civil Rights movement.

This biblical name, pronounced ahr yeh, is a not uncommon boys' name in Israel. It can also be spelled Aryeh , the most popular form by far, or Arieh. The feminine equivalent is Levi'a. Possible down side: Its similarity to the hot girl name Arya or Aria.

Björn is a pervasive Swedish name that can be found on popularity charts throughout Northern Europe and now in the US as well. There are too many renowned Björns (and Bjørns and Bjorns) to list them all here, but an early bearer is Björn Ironside, Viking chief and king of Sweden. Modern associations include tennis great Björn Borg, who helped popularize his name in the 1970s, and Björn Ulvaeus, one-quarter of the Swedish band ABBA.

Short form of Dumisani

More dramatic, worldly, and energetic spin on Gregory.

This Arabic name is rare in English-speaking countries, but with its accessible pronunciation and majestic bird meaning, it's worth consideration.

This spelling just barely made it into the Top 1000 for 2013, but nonetheless was an on-the-rise name for the year.

This Scottish town name sounds strong and modern on both boys and girls.

Russian, Belarusian, Romanian and Bulgarian form of Andrew

Icelandic word that means "bay." Not a sanctioned Icelandic name.

Israh which is also spelled Isra is a gender-neutral Muslim name.

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".

Twin brother of Cassandra in Greek mythology who also was a celebrated seer. A Trojan prince, he was the son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba.

Waspy, but preferable to Nanny Diaries satiric name Grayer. Grayton Greydon, Greyton.

Carlisle is more popular than Carlyle for both genders, and in both spellings more widely used for boys than for girls. It's a name we see on the rise in either spelling.

More often spelled ALBAN, Alben is an ancient and highly unusual name. Alben Barkley was Harry Truman's vice president.

Ezana of Aksum was the ruler of an ancient kingdom that is now in Eritrea and Ethiopia. He was the first monarch of Aksum to convert to Christianity and is a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.