Animal Names for Boys

Variously spelled Covy and Covey, this is a surname derived from the first name Cobthach. Like cousins Coby and Cody, it has an energetic nickname feel.

An undiscovered gem with clunky, buttoned-up appeal and a literary feel thanks to poet Delmore Schwartz.

A relatively common surname, Dixon would be an inventive way to honor an ancestral Richard or Dick, the X form a lot livelier than the Dickson spelling, just as Dix is a more modern short form than Dick; it would be right at home alongside Dax and Jax.

The Greek form of the Hebrew Jair, Jairus appears in the Bible as the father of a girl resurrected by Jesus. Though it is the original, its Spanish variation Jairo is more popular.

Brenner is an occupational surname for both a charcoal burner and a distiller of spirits. One of the least used of occupational surnames, it has that 'er' ending that definitely adds to its stylishness; a possible successor to Brendan. 

The iconic Gone With the Wind star Clark's surname was brought into the first-name mix when Weeds' Kevin Nealon picked it for his son. Gable makes a strong and unusual possibility, a rhyming cousin to Abel and Mabel.

This variation of Idris brings Edward into the mix.

The original spelling Ayman is much more common around the world, and would likely be considered more fashionable in the US, with its Y.

Nature surname with an aristocratic edge. Spelling it DeForest distances it from deforestation.

An Anglicized derivative of the Gaelic name Beatha, meaning "life," best known as the surname of Irish playwright Brendan Behan.

A unisex Chinese and Vietnamese with an appealingly simple, vowel-rich spelling.

In German, the word eisen means "iron." It was adapted as a surname for Ashkenazi Jews — many of which were ornamental and had no ties to one's family history. Metals such as gold (Gold), silver (Zilver or Silver), copper (Kupfer or Copper), and iron (Eisen) were common elements in ornamental surnames. Eisen was also seen as a habitational surname for someone from Eisenstadt, Austria.

The name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus, considered so romantic as to be unfit for mere mortals. Yet now that Romeo and Venus herself are fair game for modern babies, why not Cupid?

Color us surprised — Kashton is over four times more popular than Cashton. While the on-trend K spelling ranks in the US Top 500, Cashton lingers just outside the charts and is given to around 170 boys each year.

Synthesized name in the Justin/Dustin mold, but has an unpleasant similarity to the diaper rash ointment called Desitin.

The surname Bennington denoted someone from one of three towns name Ben(n)ington in England, all meaning "town by the Beane river." The river name Beane was derived from Beonna, an Old English given name.

This Latinized form of a name that's well used in Italy and Spain is sometimes heard, oddly enough, in Ireland.

The name of the main protagonist of Avatar: The Last Airbender was coined for the movie from Chinese characters meaning "peaceful" and "rise; raise". Aang is also used as a given name in Indonesia, where it derives from akang — a word used to refer to one’s elder brother or one of his peers.

Spelled Géza in Hungarian, this is the modern form of Gyeücsa. It derives from a Hungarian noble title: gyeü, with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 10th-century leader of the Hungarians, father of the first king István.