1900+ Four Letter Boy Names

Vale is part place name, part nature name -- a poetic term for a type of valley. Today Show coanchor Savannah Guthrie put Vale on the baby name map when she chose it for her daughter, but there's no reason the name can't work equally well for a boy. Vale might also be a short form for Valentine or a spelling variation of the city name Vail.

This striking name has a lot going for it: it's a self-confident Spanish surname, it identifies one of the most brilliant stars in the sky, and it has a musical reference to singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega.

Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.

A fen is an English marshland, and Fenn came into use as a habitational surname for a person who dwelt near one. Now, it's a rarely used first name too, a handsome alternative to Finn.

Singular, strong, and rare outside East Africa.

A rising vintage sweetheart for girls and a fresh new possibility for boys, following the likes of Nova. The name first became fashionable in England following the Battle of Alma – named for the Russian river – during the Crimean War. It derives from anima, the Latin for "soul", and has the same meaning in modern Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

One of the fastest-rising Indian boy names of the past few years, Veer is a straightforward choice with visual appeal and a striking V initial.

Subtract the last two letters of Arnold, and you're left with a much more modern-sounding name. Arno is also the name of the main river in Florence, upon which sits the famed Ponte Vecchio. The Italian river name means "flowing water".

Aram is a popular Armenian name with a pleasing sound that became known in this country through the works of William Saroyan, namely the 1940 book of short stories, My Name in Aram, centering on Aram Garoghlanian, a boy of Armenian descent growing up in Fresno, California. Saroyan also named his son Aram.

The quintessential midcentury nickname, famously found in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman."

Gabe ranked in the Top 1000 from 1880 until 1905, when it fell into obscurity. There are fewer than 100 boys named Gabe, just plain Gabe, each year in the US, compared with over 10,000 named Gabriel. Our advice: Go with the crowd and choose the angelic long form, and then call him Gabe if you want to.

Baby girl Danas outnumber baby boys with the name nearly ten to one. But Dana is an attractive, sleek name that can certain work for babies of either gender.

In Norse mythology, the son of the giant who ruled the wind and air; in modern America, recalls a 1970s girl's nickname name, à la Carrie and Keri.

A Punjabi boy's name, as well as an Indian pop band.

Evocative modern unisex choice brought into the spotlight by actress Lake Bell.

In the Quran, Eyad (and names with similar roots like Iyad and Ayad) refers to a person/entity that strengthens another. Eyad is one of the modern Arabic names for boys.

Former cool-boy name now in middle-aged limbo, but with a nice naturey meaning to endear it to modern parents.

Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers.

A versatile name with many roots. Aran can simply be an alternative spelling of Aaron. The Aran Islands lie off Ireland's west coast, while the Aran Valley is a region of Catalonia bordering the Pyrenees mountains.