Animal Names for Boys

Surname that is occasionally used as a given name in tribute to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Abiah is a gentle, rarely used Old Testament name belonging to Samuel's second son. This makes a good choice for the parent who wants a traditional biblical name that is not overly familiar.

Like Bethany and Shiloh, a meaningful biblical place-name.

Feels as strong and international as Roman, with none of the popularity. Arman might be a form of the German Herman or of the Persian/Kazakh/Armenian Armen or Arman, meaning wish or hope.

An Irish surname name with a combination of boldness and élan. Some might connect it to the founder of the group T. Rex -- Marc Bolan.

Common Arabic version of Elijah. The Ilyes spelling is a Top 100 name in France.

Ammon is connected to two religions in the US and is used exclusively between the two of them. Prior to the 1960s, Ammon was considered a solely Amish name. In the Amish community, Ammon is bestowed in honor of Jacob Amman, whom the Amish sect is named after.

Probably best associated with the rapper XXXTentacion, Jahseh is a modern invented name which combines the Hebrew word for God, Yah (as seen in Elijah), with the Jamaican Patois word "seh", meaning 'say', to create a name which means "God Speaks".

Davi is a Portuguese variant of David, meaning 'beloved'. It is especially popular in Brazil, where it ranks in the top 10 names for boys. In the U.S., Davi is also used for over 100 baby boys each year, offering a streamlined and modern twist on the classic David.

A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.

A more distinctive alternative to Angelo.

This variation of Aryan has a slightly less racist connotation, making it a bit more acceptable. Arian debuted on the Top 1000 in 2011, but didn't have a sustained rise on the charts. This is likely due to the Aryan connection and the popularity of all things Aria among girls.

Mama's boy.

This surname-name oozes Southern charm; nevertheless, its most famous bearer was a New Englander, Rhode Island senator Claiborne de Borda Pell, who sponsored education legislation leading to the much beloved Pell scholarship programme. That connection alone instills this name with intellect as well as style.

You can't get more Italian than this name of the daddy of legendary twins Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome. A noted bearer is acclaimed Italian journalist and novel and short story writer Italo Calvino, author of Invisible Cities and . Trivia tidbit: Calvino was actually one of his middle names.

Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.

Russian form of Eli mainly used today by families with Russian Jewish heritage.

One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild, meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares sounds with fashionable Avery.

This simple name has an animal meaning, like many Native American names, and can be used for either sex.

The surname of influential French fashion designer Marc Bohan could make a modern-sounding two-syllable boy's name, though it might be confused with Bowen.