930+ English Names for Boys
- Author
Origin:
Word and occupational nameDescription:
An occupation name that sounds odd to the modern ear but enjoyed some use a century ago. May make a comeback as a more genteel brother to the new union of boys (and girls) with worker names such as Mason, Carter, and Bailey.
- Verle
- Barnes
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"someone who lives or works near the barn"Description:
This is a solid surname choice for people looking for a change from Cooper, Parker and Carson. Australian parents will probably instantly associate this name with famous rock legend Jimmy Barnes, but this has an even older pedigree as a namesake - Barnes Wallis was a UK aviator and inventor, most remembered for designing the Dambuster bomb (a bomb that bounces across water to reach its target) and working on supersonic flight in the 1940s and 50s.
- Upton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"upper town"Description:
Uppity name associated with muckraking novelist Upton Sinclair.
- Robertson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Robert"Description:
A better modern solution than Robert Jr. ; known to fiction readers via Canadian novelist Robertson Davies.
- Faxon
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hair"Description:
A rare place name and surname, with possible potential as an alternative to Jaxon. Famous wearers of the surname include biologist brothers Charles Edward and Walter Faxon, and composer Nancy Plummer Faxon.
- Marston
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"residence near a marshy place"Description:
Streamline it to Marsh, Mason, or Carson.
- Hilton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hill settlement"Description:
Do you really want to name your baby after a hotel? Or a famous-for-being-famous starlet?
- Taft
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"building site"Description:
A solid, brief but not brusque single-syllable surname with a presidential pedigree.
- Chaucer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"maker of breeches"Description:
One of the most distinguished names in literature could become a hero name in a family of poetry-lovers -- or be seen as a trendy new occupational name.
- Harpo
Origin:
English nicknameDescription:
The mute, horn-honking Marx Brother's real name was Adolph -- so Harpo represented a huge step up. Also, it's Oprah's production company (her name spelled backward).
- Fortitude
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Fortitude is the kind of virtue name the Puritans favored, but would not be easy for a modern boy to carry. Stick with something a little simpler than Fortitude, like Justice or True.
- Fairbanks
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bank along the pathway"Description:
Alaska's second most populous city makes a baby name with a preppy, even aristocratic, flavor.
- Simpson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Simon"Description:
Try Simon. Or Homer.
- Gore
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"wedge-shaped object"Description:
Surname from a landscape feature, associated with author Gore Vidal and Bill Clinton's Vice President Al Gore. Its alternative meaning - as in gory - may explain why it's never made it into the charts.
- Belden
Origin:
English from FrenchMeaning:
"pretty valley"Description:
Belden is a little-used surname-name that might work in this age of Belles.
- Spalding
Origin:
English and ScottishMeaning:
"divided field"Description:
Has diverse links to a Groucho Marx character, a bouncing ball, and late performance artist Spalding Gray.
- Massey
Origin:
English, Scottish, and French place-nameDescription:
Some definite downsides: Massive, Messy.
- Barker
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"tanner"Description:
Barker may be appealing to parents looking for a name with many layers - not only does it share a meaning with the more common Shepherd and Tanner, it also brings to mind the bark of a tree, making this a surreptitious choice for nature enthusiasts.
- Bradbury
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller near the wood fort"Description:
Possibility for fans of science fiction writer Ray.