Animal Names for Boys
- Donahue
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark fighter"Description:
This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald.
- Autry
Origin:
French surnameMeaning:
"noble strength"Description:
Loose, lean, and lanky cowboy-sounding names have become a recent trend, but how about the name of a real one--the Singing Cowboy Gene. Autry might be thought of as a masculine spin on the fashionable Audrey or a fresher version of Austin or Auden.Some other cowboy surnames from the Golden Age of movie and TV westerns: Boone, Boyd, Cody, Corrigan, Gibson, Hart, Holt, Houston, McCoy and Renaldo.
- Hampton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"home settlement"Description:
Names of classy places -- Aspen, Paris, and yes, Hampton -- are in favor with aspiring parents, though they don't always have the intended effect.
- Cale
Origin:
Diminutive of Caleb or surnameDescription:
This up-and-coming single-syllable name has a few famous bearers, including baseballer Cale Iorg and Canadian hip-hop musician Cale Sampson. Sounding like Kale, this name also has a crunchy, hipster vibe.
- Ajani
Origin:
Nigerian, YorubanMeaning:
"the victor"Description:
An easily assimilated African name, a novel twist on Johnny.
- Caro
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"dear"Description:
The meaning is endearing, but it also feels uncomfortably like a short form for Caroline. Its artistic reference is British sculptor Anthony Caro.
- Harker
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"deer marshland"Description:
Harker sounds like an occupational name, but this surname actually derives from several English places, meaning either "male deer", "hare" or "gray" + "marshland". It can also be a nickname for an eavesdropper or busybody... or, to put a positive spin on it, someone who is a good listener or has keen hearing. Whichever origin you prefer, it's a cool-sounding and underused name with similar sounds to Harper, but without the mostly-feminine usage.
- Anastasios
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"resurrection"Description:
A Greek name more familiar in English speaking countries in its feminine form, Anastasia, this masculine version bears further consideration. The traditional nickname is Sakis, as used by notable bearer, Anastasios "Sakis" Rouvas, a Greek film and television artist and former pole vaulter.
- Aviv
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"springtime, freshness, youth"Description:
Strongly associated with the city of Tel Aviv. For girls, may be lengthened to Aviva; for boys, might be better abbreviated to Avi.
- Ganymede
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"glad thought"Description:
In Greek mythology, Ganymede was Trojan youth who was so beautiful that he was carried off to be Zeus' cup-bearer, and made immortal. His name may derive from Greek ganymai "to be glad" plus medomai "to think, to plan".
- Fenton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"marsh town"Description:
Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but in step with the times. And Fen as a nickname is undeniably cute -- a Ben of the future.
- Arven
Origin:
Variation of Arvin, GermanMeaning:
"friend of the people"Description:
As a male name, Arven is a variation of the friendly German Arvin. The feminine Arven is the Hungarian form of Arwen, the Tolkien princess in Lord of the Rings.
- Banner
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"flag bearer"Description:
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".
- Comet
Origin:
word nameDescription:
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.
- Ayman
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"righteous, right-handed, blessed, lucky"Description:
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.
- Daven
- Carey
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark, black"Description:
Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders - Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy.
- Britton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from Britain"Description:
One case where a spelling variation improves the name, Britton is used about four times as often as Britain for both genders. Currently, the count of baby Brittons is running at about 4 to 3 in favor of the boys.
- Ethian
- Baden
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"son of Bade"Description:
If Braden and Caden, why not Baden?