Animal Names for Boys

Iggy is the quintessential pop star name, though it's the nickname Cate Blanchett uses for son Ignatius. Iggy does bring any grander-sounding name down to earth.

Gentle meaning and bona fide Hebrew history, but feels old-mannish, like Herman and Menashe.

Strong, straight, and leafy, one of the new tree names used mostly as middles.

This name of four ancient saints is recommended neither for its sound nor its meaning.

Aire is a bygone spelling of "air", now reserved for poetic uses and in Kylie Jenner's case, baby names. Jenner originally announced her son's name to be Wolf, but quickly changed her mind and left the public in the dark. Weeks before his first birthday, she revealed her son's new name to be Aire.

Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Maple, Pine, Oak, and Willow.

An adorable name with an adorable meaning.

In the Bible, Elim is an oasis where the Israelites stopped during their Exodus from Egypt. It is a place of plenty representing the natural blessings of God, with twelve springs of fresh water and seventy date palm trees to provide food and shade.

One of several blunt B names just this side of the gender divide. While its short and to-the-point sound may feel modern, it has been declining steadily since the 1980s.

Azure is a colorful choice for a blue-eyed child, recently chosen by Elon Musk for his daughter. Currently, Azure is used for American baby girls and boys in equal numbers. Among other blue-toned color name possibilities: Indigo, Cerulean, and Blue itself.

A light variation of any of the weightier names beginning with Cas, such as Casper, Cassius etc- this is a beautifully mellow and soft name that bears greater consideration.

Beau is now in now in the Top 200 boys' names, and this is a more elaborate way to get there. Comic power couple Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti named their first son Beaumont Gino in July 2017. Monty is another possible nickname. As French baby names go, this one might provide the perfect balance of effete and approachable.

Akiro is well used in Japan, the first name of famed director Kurosawa.

Most common among the Jewish community and Spanish-speakers, Areli might be a great choice for parents looking for a name with Biblical roots that still sounds trendy and wears well across cultures.

This Welsh name, also used in France, is the name of a 6th century saint who went to Brittany and established abbeys. Armel has a pleasant and familiar sound, making it easily used outside of Wales and France.

Ara is a unique boys' name that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a rival queen went to war in order to make him her own. The name Ara is also known in the Arabic and Hebrew cultures.

Diogo is the much-less-known brother of Diego, both forms of James, which is itself a form of the Biblical Jacob. And Diego itself probably started life as a short form of Santiago, aka Saint Jago, aka Saint James.

A brisk and unconventional name that could be a style stand-in for confederates Casey, Chase, Cale, and Cade.

This Dutch favorite was the name of five Counts of Holland and many notable Renaissance artists, including still life painter Floris van Dijck. It is a variation of Florence, which was historically a unisex name.