One Syllable Names for Boys

Sæl is an Old Norse word used as a greeting in modern Icelandic. As an American baby name, Sael is more likely a spin on more popular choices like Gael.

The modern Tyge -- also found in other European countries as Tygo and Tyko -- is a spin on the ancient Greek Tycho or Tychon. A famous 16th century Danish astrologer was Tycho Brahe. Tyge may also be thought of as a short form of Tyger, a spelling variation of Tiger.

Snow is increasing in usage mostly as a girls' name, but hero Jon Snow of Game of Thrones just might nudge it into the boys' column. Currently, there are 12 times as many girls named Snow as boys, but its usage is much higher in middle place.

Great Irish middle name choice for Shakespeare lovers.

While Franklin and Frankie might feel familiar in the US, Fran may feel like an unlikely choice for a boy today, however, it is currently one of several cool one syllable names of the Slovene Top 100. Also borne by football great Fran Tarkenton, it could make an alternative to Finn or Dan, and fit in with softer or gender neutral leaning options like Rowan, Jay, Beau, and Ozzie.

Edo is a truly pan-European name with a rich history, having origins in German, Dutch, Italian, Georgian, Croatian, and Slovene.

The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said.

Bruin is the Old English term for bear, taken from the Dutch word meaning brown. Bruin might be a sports fan's choice or an animal name in hiding. As a kind of hybrid of Roone and Bruno, it's definitely got some cool.

Variations and elaborations of Ace have been popping up all over the place — Ayce recently broke the Top 2000.

Rust is one of the few color names for boys, sometimes short for Russell. As a diminutive for Russell, it's much more modern and cooler than Rusty. Whether you use it as a nickname or it stands on its own, the meaning refers to the color red.

Unisex variation of Jazz or Jasper that couldn't say it more plainly. Used for their daughter by tennis couple Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.

Dior was among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys in the US in the early 2020s, but was the fastest-falling name for boys in the 2023 statistics.

Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds. Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color barrier by hiring Jackie Robinson for the Dodgers. Like Leaf, Branch makes a nice, not-so-obvious, addition to the tree category.

A cool, nature-inspired surname for someone who lived near an oak tree or in an oak wood, also spelled Oakes.

Inspired by the rise of the African place name, Jaire is a recently new creation. The original form derives from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", and is currently a Top 500 choice in the US.

With its gentle sound but edgy vibe, Tru ticks the boxes for several modern trends: one syllable boy names (see Brooks), alternatively spelled word names (see Chozen), word names with spiritual undertones (see Shepherd), and nickname style choices (see Bo). Currently in the Top 1000 for girls and boys, it is joined in the rankings by Truett and True

A common family name in Scotland, occasionally used as a first.

Sebastian has many international nicknames, and Tian is the short form of choice in Slovenia. It is also spelled Tijan.

Giovanni is the Italian form of John, and Gio is its dashing nickname. A lot cooler than Johnny, no?