Five Letter Boy Names

Paulo suffers in comparison to the richer and more authentic-sounding Paolo.

Bates is a fresh version of Bartholomew, and feels more wearable than Bart. Bates could be considered a patriotic choice for American parents - Katharine Lee Bates was an author and professor best known for penning the words to "America the Beautiful".

Also spelled Safeer or Saphir, this rare Arabic name connotes power and beauty.

Fenix is a spelling variation of the place name and mythological name Phoenix, possibly inspired by the Romani form, Fennix, or the Spanish Fénix. Derived from Greek and meaning "dark red", the phoenix is an immortal bird that, having lived for a number of centuries, would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes.

Surname of a noted modern Urdu poet.

An old Irish surname that was big in the 1960s, but would be an unexpected choice for a child now.

Merritt is an English surname but spelled Merit it becomes a word name. Both variations are on the rise.

This modern variation of Murdoch spruces up a Scottish surname that is indelibly linked with controversial media magnate Rupert Murdoch. Definitely one of the more unusual boy names starting with M...or any other letter, for that matter.

Commonly associated with the Japanese beverage company Asahi, which produces a beer by the same name.

Variation of Magni or Magnus, popular throughout modern Scandinavia. In mythology, Magni was a son of Thor.

A small number of parents are inspired to choose Frida Kahlo's surname for their sons and daughters each year. The Mexican artist had German ancestry from her father's side, and Kahlo is actually German in origin. It comes from kahl, meaning "bald."

If you want a nature name with surname style that speaks to your love of basketball, we suggest Laker.

In Hungarian mythology, brothers Hunor and Magor were the ancestors of the Hun and the Magyar ethnic groups. The name Hun is of uncertain etymology, although it is most likely Turkic in origin.

While Rowan is more popular for boys, Rowyn currently only ranks for girls. Either spelling of this name is a lovely gender-neutral choice with a sweet nature connection.

A common name in the Muslim community, where it may be a Persian name or a variation of Ayan, a name with a timely meaning.