Animal Names for Boys

An easily assimilated African name, a novel twist on Johnny.

A familiar and usable last name turned first. Or you could look at it as a homophone of the verb howl, which gives it a wilder feel.

Depending on your cultural references, you may think of Phantom of the Opera author Gaston Leroux, or the macho villain of Beauty and the Beast. While he's hardly a role model (unless you too use antlers in all of your decorating), his name was likely chosen because it's a classic in France. It's been used there since the middle ages, partly in honor of the Frankish bishop St Gaston. It went out of style in France mid-century, but now it's having a revival, entering the Top 300 in 2017.

This geographical name, which belongs to an English Premier League football club, is popular in soccer-mad Brazil.

Cameron is still more popular as a boy's name than a girls and this simple, snappy short form works well for either sex.

Halen is a cool surname name that will be especially appealing to fans of Van Halen.

If Viola is a credible girl's name, why not the mellow Cello for a boy.

Cross-cultural name with a great nautical meaning. It boomed in the 1930s and has potential for revival now.

A variation of the popular Caden, Kayden, Kaden, and so on, Caiden is in the US Top 500 and the UK Top 1000. When you combine all the spelling variations however, Caiden begins to feel and sound like a Top 20 choice in the States.

An undiscovered option among occupational names, Banner has never been used for more than 100 baby boys in a single year. But Banner has undeniable charm, much due to its associations with fêtes and phrases like "a banner year".

Handsome Arabic name that is well-used internationally. Ayman is a Top 500 name in the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, and a Top 100 name in Spain. It could very easily be borne by an American child.

This cosmological name has a zippy feel that might work well for the galactic parent looking for the perfect name for their own little star.

The name of the great French novelist, author of the timeless The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, would make a surprising middle name choice.

If you want a truly unusual name with authentic roots, this one certainly fits on both counts. Pronunciation may prove a stumbling block, however.

Abiel is a biblical name (he was the grandfather of Saul) that was used by Puritans, particularly in Massachusetts, so it has a long pedigree. Parents are increasingly looking for underused traditional names, and this name, with the great nickname option of Abe, is ripe for more use!

A hyperkinetic name, might be more kid-friendly without the second a.

Hallow is a word meaning sacred or holy. As the root word for Halloween (orginally All Hallows' Eve), this name might be an evocative choice for a baby born on or near October 31st. It could work well for either a boy or a girl and offers the nicknames Hal and Halley.

Variation of Pharamond.

Mythological shepherd in love with Chloe, whose name, though the s is pronounced, is related to the feminine name Daphne - making it a lovely choice for honoring a relative of that name.