Animal Names for Boys

An unusual Irish name which belongs to several historic Irish kings and heroes. Easy to spell and pronounce, this bouncy nature name has potential beyond Ireland's shores.

Pronounced zheel, it's a dashing conquistador; as gill, it's the nice and slightly boring guy down the street.

This appealing Hebrew name is heard in Israel, and would fit in well with all the popular El-starting names for boys, such as Elliot and Ellery. It was given to just five American boys in 2015. Also worth considering is the pretty female version, Eliora.

Chet is an old-fashioned short form that, ala Ned and Joe, is starting to sound cool again.

For some, a name that will evoke the beauty of the national park in the Colorado Rockies.

There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon.

In the Old Testament, Jair is a son of Manasseh as well as a judge of the Israelites. Jair is off its 2003 peak but is still hanging on in the Top 1000 and as a simple yet distinctive name with serious history, is worthy of consideration.

A popular American name in previous centuries in honor of famed Harvard President, Charles Chauncy. This name is burdened by an incredibly pompous sound and best left in the past.

Because the legendary Faust sold his soul to the devil, few parents would choose this for a child, although Fausto is commonly heard in Italy and Spain.

A classic virtue name for girls stretching back to the Pilgrim times, in more recent years, Honor has become one of the unisex baby names with a near-even gender split. Rarely used on boys before the 2010s, it has nearly doubled in use over the last decade.

This name directly translates to the way most parents feel about their sons. It's rising quickly in popularity, along with many other names from the Indian subcontinent.

Simple, usable surname choice.

Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. There were 20 boys and 55 girls given the name in 2014.

Claudius is one of the most user-friendly of the ancient Roman names – even though it's associated with the villainous character in Shakespeare's Hamlet. But as with feminine form Claudia, the "lame" meaning may stymie the rise of Claudius. Some etymologists theorize that the name may relate to the word for enclosure or clause, an alternate meaning that may appeal to a child with a form of this otherwise-appealing name.

A powerful name with diverse origins, Eldar is currently popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina (#45 in 2017). It's also a rare Nordic name meaning "fire warrior", a unisex Hebrew name meaning "God resides", and the name of one of the Elven races in Tolkien's legendarium.

Aneirin is the original form of the more common Aneurin (which was a mistaken spelling used after the 17th Century). Aneirin was one of the first great Welsh poets who flourished in the 6th Century. He was said to be the Prince of Bards.

Augie is an adorable and, at this point, fresher sounding short form than Gus of the rising August and all its variations, from Augustine to Augustus. The Adventures of Augie March is a 1953 novel by Nobel winner Saul Bellow.

Dagger is one of the new badass baby names, a sharp and scary choice that some parents may feel arm their child for battle in a cruel modern world.

A once trendy name for girls but that's now in decline, this musical option has actually been slowly and quietly on the rise as a masculine option. Given to 115 boys in 2023, compared to 75 in 2017, it could be an alternative to Caleb or Caiden with a hint of creative flair about it.

Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word beġ meaning "berry"