Animal Names for Boys

Used more for girls in Europe, but definitely sounds masculine enough for a boy here.

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

Dermot is an appealing, relatively undiscovered Irish mythological hero's name long popular in the Old Country, and imported into the American consciousness by actor Dermot Mulroney. We see it in the next Celtic wave following Connor and Liam.

The charming vintage nature and color name Hazel has become popular for girls, but more than 30 baby boys were named Hazel in the US last year. In the olden days, Hazel was much more common for boys. It could shorten to cool nickname Haze or Hayes. The hero of Richard Adams' Watership Down series is a buck rabbit named Hazel.

An original choice for a fisherman's child.

We hesitate to call Bandit an occupational name, any more than Rogue or Vandal are occupational names, yet its use by one of the bandmembers of My Chemical Romance (for his daughter: we're not even going to go there) undoubtedly owes a debt to occupational cousins from Pilot to Parker. Recommended for use by rock stars with full-time nannies only.

The African name Ayan was first seen on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2014. It's both simple and distinctive, a winning combination.

Famously the name of Izuku Midoriya, the protagonist of the popular anime series My Hero Academia. It is not a common name among Japanese boys.

Gaara is a character in the Naruto universe given a one-of-a-kind name. The first two elements in his name mean "I love," while the final kanji is related to the Buddhist asuras, or demigods. The meaning of Gaara can be read as "demigod who loves himself" and "demigod who I [Gaara's mother] love." Both interpretations align with the character.

Gentle and poetic and most often heard in Wales, Emlyn joins Emrys as soft, interesting alternatives to popular Em- names like Emmett and Emery.

The most common form of Damir is of Slavic origins, deriving from the elements da, meaning "give" or "take," and mir, "peace." It's also seen as a variation of the Turkish name Demir.

Anson has always been rare, though you might think of actor Anson Williams, best known for playing Potsie Weber on 1970s sitcom Happy Days. As a direct result of the show's popularity, Anson charted in the US Top 1000 from 1976 to 1981.

In the Bible, it's the name of an ancient prophet who was able to withstand Satan. It has gained modest attention in recent years, hitting the US Top 1000 in 2008.

Amael or Amaël is a variant of the popular Breton name Mael or Maël, which ranks in the Top 10 in France.

A lesser-known archangel, but the name is probably best known today on comedian Gadiel Del Orte. Thanks to him, and the trend for biblical-sounding names, Gadiel has been rising in recent years.

Isa is an Arabic variation of Jesus found throughout the world, popular among Muslim parents. Other spellings include Issa, Esa, Eissa.

Alfredo, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese variation of Alfred, is most familiar as the romantic lead in Verdi's evergreen opera La Traviata. On a less romantic note, Alfredo is also the name of a pasta sauce.

An up-and-comer for girls, but still under-the-radar for boys. Alba feels like a possible crossover candidate, on the heels of Nova and Alva, and with the potential for rising nickname Albie.