Five Letter Boy Names

An on-trend, but very unusual, international option for lovers of the similar Arthur. Artan is an Irish name meaning "little bear", an Albanian name meaning "golden", and a Faroese name deriving from Attila "little father".

The original Zooey, hero of J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey, was male, but nowadays the name is more closely associated with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. With Zoe at number 31 for girls and Zoey in the Top 50, the related Zooey feels more female than ever. But it's distinctively quirky for either sex.

A rare, gender-neutral take on Darren. As a feminine name, Derin has Turkish roots.

A name with a lot of historical cred — Bayan was the name of two Mongol generals during the Yuan Dynasty and a number of other military rulers.

A name that took on a pronounced country twang via Nashville megastar Garth (born Troyal) Brooks.

Zakai bears a lot of resemblance to the ancient Hebrew name Zaccai, but many modern parents are using it as an elaboration of the popular name Kai, blending it with Zack.

This name can have many different meanings depending the kanji used to write it. The Naruto character Asuma Sarutobi writes his name with kanji meaning "tomorrow truth."

Irish form of Jamie

This Basque form of the sturdy classic brings a fresh, cool edge to Andrew. It fits in with other -er ending names while also giving the name an international feel.

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.

Bruin is the Old English term for bear, taken from the Dutch word meaning brown. Bruin might be a sports fan's choice or an animal name in hiding. As a kind of hybrid of Roone and Bruno, it's definitely got some cool.

British last name that, though rather gentle, feels like a sharper, sleeker Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.

This extra-L variation of Alan isn't quite as popular in the US as the original. Both spellings remain popular in Ireland and England.

Variation of Hosea.

A last name as a first name that also has the feel of nicknames like Sully and Cole, Cully could derive from an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Colla. Meaning "descendent of Colla", Colla being a form of Connla, meaning "wolf or hound warrior", Cully's meaning may well appeal to those who want a softer sounding name but with a strong meaning.

In Israel, Mount Arbel is a mountain in the lower Galilee. Jewish parents have adopted it as a name for their sons and daughters for the mountain's historic and religious significance.

The Old Norse and modern Norwegian word name Fjord, which refers to a passage in the sea, could work for children of both genders. It conjures vivid blue, ice laden landscapes.

Riker gets relatively little use as a variation of Ryker, likely because of the connection to Riker's Island, the New York City prison. It was named after NYC magistrate Richard Riker, whose ancestor Abraham Rycken first purchased the island.

Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.

A cool modern spelling of this name, reminiscent of Nameberry favorite Soren.