Animal Names for Boys

The name of the elder son of Elendil in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, who was briefly king of Gondor and Arnor.

Leathery, masculine image, complete with user-friendly short form.

Brixton, a formerly rough but now cool-and-gentrified area of London, is also gaining notice as a baby name, especially for boys. About 20 baby girls were given the name in the US in the most recent year, vs. about 300 baby boys. Its similarity to the trendy Braxton and the x in the middle place help make it appealing to contemporary parents.

Authentic Gaelic name with pronunciation problems in the US. In Scotland Eachann has been anglicized as Hector, not because of its sound, but because the Trojan hero Hector had the reputation as a mighty horseman.

Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.

Musical association with Igor Stravinsky, but also Dr. Frankenstein's right-hand man.

This is a great American name that deserves more attention from parents looking for a name that balances a soft sound with a more traditionally masculine cowboy image.

The name of a warrior and dragonrider in the Game of Thrones universe, played by Matt Smith in the HBO prequel House of the Dragon. The word daemon also features in the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman, as the physical manifestations of humans' souls in the form of an animal.

Not even for the child who wreaks havoc.

While it looks like a creative respelling of the ubiquitous Aidan, Aydin has Turkish roots and means "intelligent." While there will most certainly be issues with spelling, those attracted to the Turkish lineage can be assured of a smooth path to assimilation due to the current popularity of soundalike names. The name is spelled with an ı (dotless i) in Turkish.

The Spanish word for "devil" makes for a very daring baby name, but in the era of babies names Hades, Azrael, Loki and even Lucifer, it feels like a plausible possibility. Indeed, 5 baby boys were named Diablo in 1975 – the only year the name has made the US extended list for either sex.

Brixi was a Saxon lord thought to have erected a stone boundary of an ancient meeting place on the site that is now Brixton, a suburb in south London. Brixton is a newly fashionable boys' name and shortened form Brix was used for more than 40 baby boys in the US last year.

This highly unusual name has been kicked up a notch, thanks to cooking guru Emeril Lagasse.

Although this variation is less popular than ultra-trendy Aiden, this simplified spelling doesn't do anything for the name.

A play on the spelling of Isaac that's somehow been in the Top 1000 every year since 1880. (If only by a hair: In both 1926 and 1962, it came in at number 999.) It hit an all-time peak at Number 377 in 2007, and has slumped a fair bit in the ensuing decade.

Traditionally a feminine name in Scandinavian culture, where these days it's mostly considered a grandmother name. Americans may associate it with Eivor Varinsdottir, a character from Assassain's Creed. She is likely the inspiration for the parents who gave this name to twelve boys and eight girls in 2022.

Muhammad approved all ninety-nine attributes of Allah as worthy names, and this is one of the most popular. It was in the US Top 1000 for the first time since 1998 in 2016, when it was one of the 10 fastest-rising boys' names. Perhaps the most well known person in America with the name is former Houston Rockets center and Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon.

Popular among Hispanic parents, it explains the source of the nickname Gonzo.

Dieter is a classic German name that got lots of satiric exposure via Mike Myers on "Saturday Night Live" a few years back. If mispronounced, it could conceivably be read as someone on a diet.

This traditional Arabic name, found throughout several other Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures, is one of the 99 names of Allah. Colorful and energetic, it was brought into the realm of crossover possibility via the lively personality of Aziz Ansari, stand-up comic and star of "Master of None" as well as a featured actor on "Parks and Recreation," playing cocky Tom Haverford (born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani).