930+ English Names for Boys

Hartley, in these days of Harleys and Hammers, feels unnecessarily buttoned-up. We'd recommend the simpler and warmer Hart.

Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility.

One of the many El- names for boys that boomed in the 1910s and 1920s, but has long been out of fashion. This surname/place name has an aristocratic flavor, and a creative namesake in the artist Ellsworth Kelly. Polar explorer Lincoln Ellsworth also gives it an adventurous connection.

Brisk, preppy York is an underused classic with the potential to really shine in the 21st century. It's most familiar as a place name — York is a city in England — and surname. New York City and State were named after the Duke of York.

Chet is an old-fashioned short form that, ala Ned and Joe, is starting to sound cool again.

Dignified first name of poet W. H. Auden, less exposed than his currently stylish surname.

Like Marvin and Melvin, Sheldon has been perceived as about as far out as you can get, though there are very pretty towns in Devon and Derbyshire that inspired it. Sheldon Lee Cooper is the lead nerd character on the TV hit The Big Bang Theory, giving the name a brainy image. Nickname Shel (as in Shel Silverstein, author of Where the Sidewalk Ends) could, in the modern world of nature name love, be seen as beach evoking.

Destry rides again, this time as a Western flavored baby name. Derived from the French surname Destrier, from an Anglo-Norman word meaning "warhorse", this rugged name was popularized by the 1930 novel Destry Rides Again by Max Brand, subsequently adapted for the big screen.

Name long associated with eloquent Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver and jazz great Roy Eldridge.

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorne? The E ending gives it a surnamey spin à la Hawthorne.

Reese Witherspoon's Deacon has opened this churchy direction for occupational names. It reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015.

The field of nature names is constantly expanding to include all species of flowers and trees and animals and birds and even fish. In addition to its appeal for anglers, Pike recalls Zebulon Pike, the explorer who discovered and gave his name to Pike's Peak.

The Christian name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice— it was his mother's maiden name— is just one of several Fitz names, including Fitzroy, Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, that could be used to honor a dad named William, Roy, Gerald or Patrick.

An update of Tyson for parents who prefer the Ky nickname to Ty. It was the middle name of a character on Heroes.

Branson is a fairly recent addition to the Top 1000, first breaking in at Number 988 in 1995. While it may not be a common sighting yet, it fits the trend of more popular cousins Mason, Grayson, Hudson, and Carson.

Though Genesis is a Top 100 girls' name in the US, it's by all rights a unisex choice.

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

Full name that sounds more like a short form; more likely to be spelled Kip.

Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also occasionally used for girls.

Judson remained in the US Top 1000 every year until it dropped off in 1987. In 2014, the named rejoined the list. With Hudson gaining in popularity, Judson—a possible alternative to Justin—could follow its path.