Animal Names for Boys

A bit stiff and formal for American use.

Has a harmonic feel.

An appealing Hawaiian name which belongs to a town, river and bay on Kauaʻi island in Hawaii. The two possible meanings of the name, "crescent bay" or "garland (lei) valley" both describe the beauty of the place.

You don't need to choose the longer form of this unusual name to arrive at Cabe, brother of Gabe and Abe. This earthy, unusual, friendly nickname-name was given to a handful of boys last year and can make an intriguing choice. But be warned: It will forever be mistaken, at least at first hearing, for the more familiar Gabe.

A unisex Igbo name with a glorious meaning, perfect for a long-awaited baby.

Old Norse name that lives on more appealingly in modern times as Jalmari, short form Jari.

Arch can be used as a nickname for Archibald or a stand-alone word name — perhaps for the child of an architect.

A noble surname from northern England that has occasionally been used as a first name.

A Greek classic.

Gives Carlo a place-name/surname spin.

For 007 fans, a great middle name choice -- or even a first.

This old-school short form is showing signs of life thanks to the FX series The Bear, featuring Jeremy Allen White as Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto. The Carmi spelling updates it for a 21st-century baby.

Dariel is an update to Darren, influenced by names like Gabriel.

This Frisian name is most famously borne by Eise Eisinga, an amateur astronomer who built a planetarium in his house. It still exists and is the oldest functioning planetarium in the world.

While Corrigan is a widely-used Irish surname, a Corrigan or Korrigan is a fairy or sprite-like creature in Breton folklore. The Cornish word korrik means gnome. These creatures can be good or evil, male or female, but the important thing in Nameberry terms is that we love their name!

Baran is barely known in the US -- unless it's mistaken for royal moniker and Trump son name Baron -- but it might make a perfect choice for a boy born under the sign of Aries.

Color us surprised — Kashton is over four times more popular than Cashton. While the on-trend K spelling ranks in the US Top 500, Cashton lingers just outside the charts and is given to around 170 boys each year.

A Roman family name, the origin of Emil.