8 Letter Boy Names

A rare French name from the Roman cognomen (nickname or family name) Saturninus, derived from the god Saturn. It was born by a 3rd century saint of Toulouse. The English word saturnine means "gloomy, brooding".

The Brits say BARK-lee, but we pronounce it the same as the name of the California college: either way it's quite pretentious and of another era.

This ancient saint's name was borne by the infamous midcentury playboy, Porfirio Rubirosa.

Hesperos or Hesperus is the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology; in Roman myth, that role is held by Venus. There's a Longfellow poem called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" about a tragic ship voyage.

This modern name boasts a strong sound and a cool-guy image, thanks to its most famous bearer, American musician Pharrell Williams.

A modern word and virtue name which first appeared on the US baby name charts in 2013, when it was given to 6 boys. By 2018, that had doubled to 12 (plus 8 girls), no doubt thanks to the enigmatic Credence Barebone from the Fantastic Beasts film franchise.

An upper-crusty-sounding name with humble origins.

Ludwig may be out, but Ludovico is very very in, at least in Italy. Undiscovered in the US and other English-speaking countries, Ludovico comes with the short form Ludo. The female form Ludovica is also popular.

This French feminine version of Germain is a unisex choice in the U.S., also spelled Jermaine, Jemaine, and Germain. Rooted in the ancient Latin Germanus, which may mean sprout or brother, it's no longer a fashionable choice in any version.

The surname Reynolds derived from the given name Reynold, which was common during the Middle Ages.

Viridius was a pagan god of ancient Roman Britain. An alternative spelling is Viridios.

This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy, is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still makes an interesting literary choice.

This is the original form of the ancient name also spelled Llewelyn. In ancient Wales, it was borne by two princes who for a time united their countrymen in North Wales and led opposition to the power of the Norman barons in the south. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth was the greatest of the Welsh rulers of the Middle Ages. This is a popular patriotic name, with nicknames Llelo and Llew, which is also Welsh for 'lion.'

A distinctively Welsh name that's feeling more and more usable these days.

The name of five men and one woman in the Bible, this name has so far escaped much notice but its similarity to popular choices such as Michael and Michaela/Mikayla, along with the long-running penchant for Old Testament names, may propel it to prominence. Also spelled Micaiah.

Derived from a Scottish surname, Mckenzie is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich, Coinnich being one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth. As a given name, it took off for girls in the US in the 70s, thanks to actress Mackenzie Phillips, and it has always been less popular for boys. While Mackenzie was chosen for 86 boys in the US last year, the Mckenzie spelling was used for just 7.

Shakespeare seems to have coined this name for the Prince of Bohemia in his late tragicomedy The Winter's Tale. It's rarely been used as a name for a real person, but we think it has potential. The flowery flor sound will appeal to parents looking for less conventionally masculine boys names, but the "Z" gives it an edge and cool factor lacking in, say, Florian. Plus, the Shakespeare connection obviously gives it a lot of literary cred.