930+ English Names for Boys

Rather formal word name that has been used occasionally over the years, most notably for the autism activist and animal expert Temple Grandin.

English surname that's very rarely found as a first name. The Colorado city was named after Horace Greeley, the nineteenth-century congressman and founder of the New-York Tribune.

Pelham, a place-name surname, could work well as a first, despite its slightly arrogant air. It's what the P in P.G. Wodehouse stands for.

Darnel, the plant from which this name derives, is an intoxicating plant, which used to be grown to make medicines and poisons.

Could be difficult to grasp: Hoss. The "Bonanza" cowboy.

Eaton's similarity to Eton gives it an upscale Old School feel, though in the U.S. a name that sound like eatin' could have teasin' potential. Eaton could also sound like the much-more-familiar Ethan with a tough-guy accent.

Adventurous word choice, but still quite a burden for a child to bear.

Obscure, though legitimate, name that could be used to honor a relative named Barton or Martin.

Rarely heard last-name-first choice with nice gardenlike feel.

We don't see that bright a future for this one either.

For fans of Warren G. All two of them.

Bulky surname honoring Grandpa Henry or Saul Bellow's Rain King.

One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild, meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares sounds with fashionable Avery.

This could be a new variation on the megapopular Braden-Caden-Haden bunch, or a nonmilitaristic form of Patton.

Waspy-sounding choice, well known in literature for Boswell's Life of Johnson.

Carleton has a great meaning behind it, and should really have more popularity than it has found to date. You can shorten it to Carl or keep it upscale and formal in the longer form. Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk lends the name some sporty credentials, while American artist Carleton Wiggins confirms this name's Victorian earnestness.

The y helps a bit, but still a painful image.

Solid Philip middle name alternative.

Pembroke's brother.

Of the names derived from titles, this is one of the least obvious (unless you are of German extraction). Chancellor also has the attraction of offering the exciting - and very on-trend - nickname Chance.