One Syllable Names for Boys

Surname with strong ties to singer Taylor Swift and writer Jonathan Swift. It could make a fun and quirky middle name.

Diehard World War II buffs may be interested in this name as a reference to American combat medic Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the metal of honor. But it carries a host of negative connotations in the U.K., especially in Scotland, related to laziness and the shirking of work.

Wonderful nickname name most often associated in this country with Dutch modernist painter Mondrian. Pronounced PEET.

New is a middle name name with meaning: Your baby, after all, is new to the world and you may hope will continue to approach life and experience as if everything is new and exciting.

Most closely associated with Australia's iconic progressive Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, this name is a great choice for politicos or parents wanting to honor their Welsh heritage in naming a red-haried son.

The Biblical Simon has been rediscovered and this appealing short form, an alternative to Sam, might be a way to make your Simon even more special.

See KEIR.

A close relative of Dax that's on the rise: It was one of the fastest-growing boys' names of 2017.

Most names with the Ab beginning, including the more familiar Abigail and Abner, mean father, as does this streamlined Arabic choice. American children might recognize Abu as the name of Aladdin's pet monkey in the Disney film.

Parents with a penchant for inventing names seem especially enamored of the letter Z, maybe for its counterculture feel and its extra zip.

Form of the Welsh name Owain, used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his Arthurian tales.

In demonology, Raum is a Great Earl of Hell, depicted as a crow, who rules over thirty legions of demons.

Best known as a hotel company, but shares some of the cool sounds of Wyatt.

Were boys really named Wm at the turn of the last century, or was the old-timey abbreviation of William simply what was noted on the official records? We're guessing the latter, but as the Social Security Administration counts each spelling of a name in its tally and doesn't presume to change Wm into William (or Bryleigh into Briley, or is it Brylee?), this name stands as is through the ages.

Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan carries an image of grace, though perhaps also a bit of languor. It's a lovely and original name, right for our times.

Old-school nicknames for boys are back, and Lenn is a great candidate for revival. Single-N Len may not be as cool as this Dutch version, originally a nickname for Lennart.