One Syllable Names for Boys

This unusual English word name and surname was the middle name of American sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, after his mother's maiden name. Its striking sound and appealing meaning make it a promising virtue name possibility for either gender.

Short but substantial, Russ does not need the full-form Russell to go on the birth certificate. Russ strikes a nice balance between familiar, friendly, and underused.

Teun, pronounced like something between ton and tune in English, is one of the most popular boys' names in The Netherlands, consistent with that country's preference for short, simple names. The equivalent of the English Tony, it doesn't travel quite as well as Dutch favorites Sem and Bas do.

Airy word name on the rise for both sexes. Breeze makes an especially lovely middle name.

French form of Fiachra

This name, also a term of affection, is popular in Turkey but has a spelling that may confuse English speakers.

A cross between Ian and a group of atomic particles.

Gender-neutral choice with the covetable X initial. Xue's snowy meaning makes it especially well suited to a winter-born child.

Along with Shem and Japheth, a son of Noah with a name that's almost never used -- for more obvious reasons than those of his brothers.

A sleek nickname name more attractive than its longer form, there have been a couple of prominent baseball player Cletes as well as the broadcast journalist Clete Roberts.

An English surname originally given to someone quick-witted.

Pryor is for those in search of an unusual occupational name...or in memory of comedian Richard.

This very popular Armenian name represents a grandson of Noah, considered the father of the Armenian nation.

McKay is the Anglicized form of Mac Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" in Gaelic. Aodh is the origin of names such as Aidan and Hugh, making McKay a subtle way to honor people with those names.

A name commonly heard on New York's Lower East Side at the turn of the last century.

Interestingly, Locke is a gender-neutral name used only for boys, while word name Lock is so rare it was given to fewer than five children of either gender in the US last year.

Dashing unisex saint's name sometimes associated with the Cajun cadences of New Orleans.