Animal Names for Boys

This cute-as-a-button name conjures playful lion and bear cubs rolling around in long grass. If cute baby names are what you're after, Cub should be on your list.

Unusual alternative to Roman, chosen for his son by Matthew Modine.

This simple, solid Welsh name enjoyed moderate popularity in England and Wales in the '80s and '90s, after the success of choirboy Aled Jones.

A sweet French pet name from the name of a popular cartoon character.

One of the most modern-sounding Old Testament names, Imri is short and sweet enough to travel easily around the world. It is the name of two minor biblical figures, and also used by modern Hebrew speakers.

Brand new surname option that's equally appealing on girls and boys.

Ever- names are currently red-hot, but surname-style Everston is still waiting to be discovered.

Elvio is a barely-ever-used name that might just be a hidden gem. From the Latin family name Elvius, international bearers of the name include several footballers and the Paraguayan poet Elvio Romero. Parents today might see it as an alternative to more better-known Italianate names like Enzo and Elio.

One of Noah's biblical grandsons, making it a natural to honor a relative with the name of the ark builder.

Cutter was an old-fashioned term for a tailor or barber that was eventually adopted as a surname. That gives it more legitimacy than many of the other aggressive boy names — Striker, Shooter, Breaker, et al. — but Cutter remains equally threatening.

Hugh plus.

An unusual yet accessible Scandinavian choice, though it might be confused with Harvard.

Basie is a fabulous jazz name to honor the Count, whose birth name was William, the influential pianist, organist, bandleader and composer who led his band for almost fifty years.

A more romantic form of old school Clement, which ranks in the Top 100 boy names in Chile. Clemente, like Clement, derives from the Late Latin name Clemens, the name of 14 popes and several saints.

When used in English-speaking countries--it's heard occasionally in the UK--it's more often spelled ALARIC. Unusual, but usable.

A less common, Biblical alternative to Liam, Elliott, Elias, and Eli. Eliam joined the Top 1000 for the first time in 2021 and was given to around 430 babies in a recent year. In Puerto Rico, it's a Top 50 choice.

The infamous name Dracula technically means "son of Dracul" but since Dracul means devil in modern Romanian, we thought we'd cut right to the chase.

Surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options.