Animal Names for Boys

Diago is sure to be confused with the more common Diego, the Spanish form of James.

A literary name coined by the French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for the central character in his plays The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother. It is thought that he based the name on his own nickname. In modern French, the word has come to mean "barber", due to the famous character's profession.

Appealing, upbeat name used mainly in Spanish-speaking countries.

A unisex cultural crossover that has seen a little use from the 1990s onwards. In Japanese mythology, Inari is an androgynous deity associated with rice, tea and foxes. In Finland, it is the name of a region, lake and village which is a center of Sami culture.

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.

Arch can be used as a nickname for Archibald or a stand-alone word name — perhaps for the child of an architect.

A handsome Portuguese name derived from the old Germanic saint's name Audamar or Otmar. Especially common in Brazil.

The addax is a white antelope that resides in the Sahara Desert. A cool and usable addition to the pool of animal baby names.

This rare spiritual word name could see a boost now that Josh Brolin used it for his daughter, born in December of 2020. Like many of the new additions to this category, Chapel is appropriate for a baby of either sex.

The Dutch answer to Gus.

A friendly sounding surname name reminiscent of the increasingly popular Marlow and Harlow. British musician Gary Barlow is a notable namesake.

Gives a good boy name a bad boy feel.

Arvo is a simple name virtually unknown in the US and UK that might get discovered thanks to the surprise popularity of Arlo.

This Italian form of Benedict sidesteps the Benedict Arnold association that still clouds the English version.

On the staff of a manor house.

In the currently popular solid, serious, two-syllable mold.

Some music-minded parents might consider this especially as a middle name, to honor the great Austrian composer.

Widely used in the Latino community, the name gained renown in the nineties for its association with rapper Gerardo Mejía of 'Rico Suave' fame.

Alakai is an Anglicization of Alaka’i, a Hawaiian name meaning "leader" and the name of a swamp and wilderness preserve on the island of Kauaʻi. Its traditional pronunciation would beah-lah-kah-ee, however, some parents as using it as an invented name inspired by Malakai, with the sounds of the much loved Kai at the end.