One Syllable Names for Boys

A grandfather name in Norway, where it was a Top 5 name through the 1940s and '50s.

Pol, pronounced as "pole," though a popular Breton name, would be an unusual form of a simple classic elsewhere. The Breton Saint Pol Aurelian was known as a slayer of dragons and a founder of monasteries.

Wave made, well, waves when it was revealed to be the name of Cardi B and Offset's son. Evocative of crashing waves at the beach, large surfing barrels, and tumultuous and stormy seas, Wave is a name with a lot of personalities.

Short form of Alfred that had fallen out of favor, but could come back alongside Alfie and other clunky old-style nicknames like Gus and Ike.

Influencer Nara Smith called out Dusk as one of the names she likes but won't be using, which is probably the reason you're here. Dusk is a totally unique baby name, given to fewer than five children last year.

Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger. We'd recommend something more pulled-together as a proper name with Flash as a nickname or middle name.

Short form of the Biblical name Abiah or Abijah, meaning "my father is God".

An intriguing but challenging choice, because of possible confusion with all the Terry-type names.

A forgotten nickname for Columbus, which itself is becoming ever rarer. Radio comedy program Lum and Abner, which ran for over two decades beginning in 1931, featured a character named Columbus "Lum" Edwards.

Björn is a pervasive Swedish name that can be found on popularity charts throughout Northern Europe and now in the US as well. There are too many renowned Björns (and Bjørns and Bjorns) to list them all here, but an early bearer is Björn Ironside, Viking chief and king of Sweden. Modern associations include tennis great Björn Borg, who helped popularize his name in the 1970s, and Björn Ulvaeus, one-quarter of the Swedish band ABBA.

Stark is an ancient surname derived from the Old English word stearc, meaning firm and unyielding. In modern parlance, stark means severe or plain. But Stark's use as a first name -- 15 boys were named Stark in the US in 2017 -- stems from its prominence in Game of Thrones, which has inspired so many new baby names. House Stark is a ruling family on GoT; its motto is fittingly "Winter is coming," so Stark and other names from the show might make creative names for winter babies.

We can get behind Divine, Saint, and even Messiah. But God? It's too loaded for us to recommend in good faith.

Creed already feels cool, but Kreed gives it a trendier edge. Deriving from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe", it refers to any set of beliefs and principles that someone follows, or to a formal declaration of Christian beliefs.

Udo is the Igbo word for peace, and, in Nigeria, is a name usually reserved for men. Related names include Akudo, Udoka and Udo-Amaka.

This Frisian name is most famously borne by Eise Eisinga, an amateur astronomer who built a planetarium in his house. It still exists and is the oldest functioning planetarium in the world.

Aspen's sibling.

All varieties of Hob are antiquated nicknames for Robert, though this one is saddled with the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon association.

Also a synonym for the Hebrew month of Iyar, which usuually falls in May, would work and play well with others like Zev and Lev.