One Syllable Names for Boys

Unisex Lane is a hit for boys in the last few decades, remaining around the 200s in popularity. Laine may lean a bit more feminine, but still has that unisex feel.

Kim is forever feminized, despite memories of the Rudyard Kipling character.

A two-initial nickname occasionally used on birth certificates.

Acre feels at home with other modern, fresh word names like Rumor, Snow and Ace. But with the feeling of wide open spaces and nature, Acre also offers a softer, earthier tone that will appeal to those seeking a unique name with a distinctly Americana feel.

A two-initial nickname occasionally used on birth certificates.

Now that the Irish Ciaran and Ciara -- aka Kieran and Kiera -- are becoming more popular beyond their native shores, the short and strong Ciar might find some favor. As of now, more than 160 baby girls were named Ciara in the US last year, with half that many boys named Ciaran, but so far no baby boys named Ciar, though 17 were called Keir.

Trippy variation on Hayes, popular enough to have been given to 135 baby boys in the US last year.

Has that blunt masculine feel -- à la Cole and Kyle -- that many modern parents are drawn to.

This is an Anglicized form of various names; the Irish Gaelic O Bruic; German, Bruck or Breck, meaning "swamp" or "wood"; Yiddish, Brik, "bridge"; and Slovenian, Bric, "dweller from a hilly place." Gosh, and we thought it was just a macho word name invented by Tennessee Williams for the hero of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

If you focus on the patience of the biblical Job, rather than his trials, the name becomes more usable. He was, after all, the Old Testament hero of the Book of Job, whose faith was severely tested by God but remained faithful. The name was was used by Puritans and Christian fundamentalists and can be found in the novels of Dickens, George Eliot and Robert Louis Stevenson..

More commonly seen as a girl name, where it has roots in both Arabic and Dutch. The masculine variation of Noor is Arabic and used in Islamic communities.

The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.

Blane is the attractive surname name of an important seventh-century Scottish saint, but is in danger of sounding slightly feminine and soap opera-ish.

Most often associated with Rolling Stone Jagger, Mick is also used as a generic, and derogatory, term for an Irishman.

As flinty and steely as Mr. Eastwood.

Luc is the sleeker Gallic cousin of Luke, and if you want to know the difference between their pronunciations, just watch Kevin Kline's hilarious description in the film French Kiss. Peter Gabriel and Sean Patrick Thomas picked this version for their sons.

If you want people to appreciate this choice, you're going to have to explain how it's not Neil.

Brice, much more often spelled Bryce, is an old saint's name that now has a sleek and sophisticated image—it feels elegant and efficient. Of the two spellings, Bryce is much more popular for both sexes.

Nowadays, Clare tends to be viewed as a feminine name, but this is a short and sweet Irish-flavored name that could work just as well on a boy. Noted male bearers of the name Clare include Canadian ice hockey legend Clare Drake, US cartoonist Clare Briggs, and Grammy winning musician Clare Fischer.