1330+ Boy Names That End in Y

  1. Jay
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "jaybird"
    • Description:

      Though this feels like a modern invention, Jay has been in use for centuries. Early Jays often were named in honor of founding father John Jay, whose surname derived from the jaybird. A popular mid-century choice, Jay was in the Top 100 from 1956 to 1970. In the last couple of decades he was replaced by such more elaborate forms as Jayden, Jaylen, and Jayce. But Jay could make a comeback in tandem with cousins May, Kay, Fay, and Ray.
  2. Timothy
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "honoring God"
    • Description:

      A second-tier classic, the New Testament Timothy moves in and out of fashion more than John and James. But though it peaked in the 1960s, many modern parents still appreciate its familiarity and lively rhythm. And the short form Tim feels eternally boyish.
  3. Sky
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls, played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we appreciate for its clear, wide-open feel, less hippyish than others like Rainbow and Starlight, and makes an appealing middle name possibility.
  4. Ozzy
    • Origin:

      Pet form of Oswald, Osborn, Osmond or Oscar, English
    • Meaning:

      "divine; deer"
    • Description:

      Cute but cool, fresh but familiar, Ozzy was one of the fastest-rising boy names of 2021 and has continued to rise in the US and the UK ever since. While hard-core rocker Ozzy Osbourne might not be everyone's idea of a role model, his nickname name, along with others like it (think Iggy, Ziggy and Izzy) are forging their own way up the charts.
  5. Roy
    • Origin:

      French or Celtic
    • Meaning:

      "king or red-haired"
    • Description:

      We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same?
  6. Darcy
    • Origin:

      English from French, d'Arcy
    • Meaning:

      " from Arcy"
    • Description:

      Though Darcy is the ultimate Jane Austen hero name, it is rarely used for boys today though it's on the upswing for girls. A shame as it's a handsome, roguish kind of appellation that combines elements of French flair, aristocratic savoir faire, and a soft Irish brogue. And in terms of image, it's one of the quintessential English names for boys.
  7. Romy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Roman et al
    • Meaning:

      "citizen of Rome"
    • Description:

      Best known as a feminine diminutive, Romy is used now for boys too; has a lot of energy and bounce. Can be a short form of Roman or Romeo or a name in its own right. Remy is another related choice, or you might want to go all the way to Romulus.
  8. Cy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Cyrus, Persian
    • Meaning:

      "sun"
    • Description:

      This evocative short name is suddenly chic — it was recently chosen by Jennifer Lawrence for her baby boy. JLaw's son's name honors Cy Twombly, the influential mid-century American artist. Born Edwin Parker Twombly Jr., both Cy Twombly and his father shared a nickname after baseball player Cy Young (himself born Denton True Young).
  9. Brady
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "broad meadow or large-chested"
    • Description:

      The Irish name given to Miranda Hobbes's son on the dearly departed Sex and the City is a friendly and energetic choice. You well might want to make your son part of the Brady bunch.
  10. Perry
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dweller near a pear tree"
    • Description:

      It's a long time now since this casual but suave name was linked to velvet-throated, cardigan-sweatered singer Perry (born Pierino, son of Pietro) Como's day... and this could be the moment for a reassessment. Other Perry associations are designer Ellis and the fictional Perry Mason and Perry White. There is also the option of taking the long way round to Perry via the more substantial Peregrine or Percival.
  11. Stanley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "near the stony clearing"
    • Description:

      Although Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire personified brute force, most Stanleys have been portrayed as meek milquetoasts. It could be a Sydney-like girls' choice.-Bette Davis once played a character named Stanley, and it was the name of President Obama's mother (named for her father)--or possibly could be revived down the line a la Walter and Arthur.
  12. Rocky
    • Origin:

      English, Italian
    • Meaning:

      "rock or rest"
    • Description:

      How many decades will it take for Rocky to triumph over its association with Sylvester Stallone's battered but not beaten boxer? The moment may have come, now that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. have named their son Rocky. It helps, too, that Madonna's son Rocco helped make the name child-appropriate again.
  13. Cassidy
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "curly-headed"
    • Description:

      A lean and lanky Irish cowboy name with great nickname potential to boot (Cass or Sid are both options). This is one of the great under-rated American names!
  14. Malachy
    • Origin:

      Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "second"
    • Description:

      This spelling, which came to the attention of readers of the best-selling Angela's Ashes as the name of author Frank McCourt's father and brother, the latter of whom wrote a bestseller of his own, lends the biblical name a more expansive, almost boisterous image. Malachy is one of the Irish baby names that manages to strike the golden mean between familiarity and distinctiveness.

  15. Sunny
    • Origin:

      Nickname name
    • Description:

      Upbeat nickname-name that can't help but make you smile, along with its soundalike Sonny.
  16. Jeremy
    • Origin:

      English form of Jeremiah
    • Meaning:

      "appointed by God"
    • Description:

      This one-time trendy form of Jeremiah hovered just outside the Top 25 throughout the 1970s and 80s.
  17. Finlay
    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"
    • Description:

      Finlay is a Scottish royal name: it belonged to Macbeth's father, Finlay MacRory--or Findlaech mac Ruaidri--that has a bit of a split personality. It has two acceptable spellings--Finlay and Finley, the first more popular in its native Scotland, where it ranks in the Top 10, the second in the US. It is also becoming more and more unisex in the States, with the Finley spelling now split between girls and boys.
  18. Aubrey
    • Origin:

      English from French
    • Meaning:

      "elf ruler"
    • Description:

      Once a popular choice in for boys in the Middle Ages and again during the 19th century, Aubrey has mostly been used for girls in the US since the 1970's. With its arty, surname-y, and sophisticated feel, however, it is rising up the UK charts for both boys and girls.
  19. Jeffrey
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Geoffrey
    • Meaning:

      "pledge of peace"
    • Description:

      The mostly Americanized version of Geoffrey was a trendy mid-century hit, with nickname Jeff the epitome of cool. Jeffrey entered the pop list in 1934 and was a Top 20 name from the mid-fifties to 1978.
  20. Emory
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Emery, English from German
    • Meaning:

      "industrious"
    • Description:

      Less popular than Emery, this name also attributes to Emory University. Both spellings of the name lean more heavily to the girls' side, but this one is not quite as unbalanced.