Five Letter Boy Names

This bold choice soared in popularity from 2008 to 2013, and now seems to have plateaued. But watch out—the character Major Major Major Major in the classic absurdist novel Catch-22 had a terrible time.

Derived from the Latin lilium, Lírio is a unisex floral name which was used for a witch character in the cult 1996 horror film The Craft.

A great uncommon English-Arabic crossover choice, easily pronounceable internationally.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

Viraj is a Hindu mythological name for a figure associated with creation. Viraj is becoming more popular in the US, still mostly among parents of Indian descent.

Alain gives the midcentury Alan a bit of gallic dash.

Gives middle-aged Neil a new lease on life.

Moshe is the original Hebrew form of Moses, also spelled Mosheh. In the past it was changed to names like Morris, Moe and Maurice.

Primo is number one among the Latin birth-order names--Octavius et al--and the one most likely to be used in these days of smaller families. It has that jaunty 'o' ending and Italian flavor that many modern parents like so much. And what little boy wouldn't appreciate being prime?

As a masculine name, Kenna originates in the Oromo language of Ethiopia, in which it means "to offer" or "to present." It is unrelated to the feminine name Kenna, which is a variation of Kenneth.

There once was a moralizing fabulist who tried to make it as a baby name...and failed.

This bold and straightforward name is a common variant of Tariq in Turkey and Bosnia and is used as an alternate spelling in Arabic-speaking countries.

Especially if you have Welsh roots, this prominent saint's name could be an interesting and more masculine alternative to Taylor.

A name that could set an Indian boy on a path to leadership.

A unisex name for which pronunciation differs by gender — the masculine variation is often homophonous with Case, while the feminine is a variation of Casey. Kayce was among the fastest-rising names of 2022, jumping 490 spots, thanks to the cool-cowboy association from character Kayce Dutton on the hit TV Western Yellowstone. This Kayce's name is pronounced like "Casey", leading to the rise of Casey as well for both boys and girls.

As a masculine name, Gauri is Finnish in origin and derives from Gabriel.

Iraia is one of those rare names that exists as a male form in one culture -- in this case, Maori -- and in a female form with a totally different meaning and derivation. New Zealand actor Jemaine Clement, who is a descendant of the progressive Wairarapa chief Iraia Te Whaiti, named his son Sophocles Iraia.