Animal Names for Boys

A presidential and place-name that's not a stand-out in either category.

Durant's meaning signifies staying power, a good quality to impart to your child. Notables with the surname Durant include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Will and Ariel Durant, most famous for their eleven-volume The Story of Civilization, and William Crappo Durant, co-founder of General Motors and Chevrolet.

Fast-food chain, no longer a baby.

There's a whole quarry of rocky names parents are now considering: Slate, Flint, etc. , but this one is particularly hard-edged and problematic.

Chozen was the second fastest-rising boys' name of 2023, adding a new spin to word name Chosen, also increasing in popularity.

A new, rising word name for boys that has the advantage of sharing sounds with more common names like Bryson and Braydon. And the disadvantage of getting confused with them.

Historically, this name derives from Aldric, the name of an early medieval saint. Today, parents are more likely to see it as a blend of elements from Aidan and Patrick, Frederick, etc.

Strong, solid surname name. For many this name will be inextricably linked with former Vice President Dick Cheney - a hinderance or a virtue, depending on your political leanings.

Appealing short form of the stuffy Cleveland, occasionally used on its own.

A combination of Cyrus and Tyler, or any similar names. It may also be a variation of the surname Seiler, which means "rope maker."

Grit became a buzzword in the 2010s, thanks to both the 2010 film True Grit and psychologist Angela Duckworth's 2016 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perserverance. The book, based on Duckworth's research, attributes success to grittiness. Clearly, the message stuck with parents, as Grit debuted as a name for boys in 2021.

This is another form of the name the angel Raphael assumes for himself when he becomes human. One of the few attractive Biblical names that has not yet been discovered by modern parents, Azarias is certainly ripe for the taking.

As wooden as its second syllable.

An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse.