Names That Mean Son

Stronger and fresher than the original, though it may provoke the question, "Got a light?"

With parents looking for fresh -son names, this Irish option — best-known on actor Liam Neeson — may appeal.

Appealing way, à la Dawson, to honor an ancestral Lawrence, given to a couple dozen baby girls per year in the US. Lawson is also an English pop rock band.

An English surname derived from the French place name Beauvais, which in turn comes from the name of an ancient Gaulish tribe, the Bellovaci.

A really unusual choice that could be used to honor Grandpa Will.

Although appearing as a patronym (nope, it doesn't mean "son of Elizabeth"), Macbeth originated as a given name. It is derived from the Gaelic MacBeatha, describing a religious man.

This Romani name may derive from the Yiddish name Zindel, which is itself a name derived from Alexander.

Cosmopolitan European form of the Greek name Aristides, as worn by an ancient statesman and an early saint.

Zeldin originated as a surname, designating the son of a Zelde, and feels like a fresh Jewish baby name for the 21st century.

You may be more familiar with Jimena, the feminization of this name. Jimeno is just as upbeat and attractive — we'd love to see more parents embrace this rarity. It was given to fewer than five baby boys in the last year on record.

One of the lesser-heard (but possibly most usable) members of the quirky, dintinguished "Fitz" names.

A case in which the son is now more attractive than the father. There have been Colonial settlers surnamed Dennison on this side of the Atlantic since 1623.

The son at the end of many Scandinavian names makes them more consistent with modern American name tastes. While Nilsson may be the proper Scandinavian form of the name, many English speakers will try to spell it Nilson or Nelson.

The surname of filmmaker J.J. Abrams, used as a first name. It first appeared on the US charts in 2020. The M1 Abrams is a model of army tank.

White-haired hero of the manga and anime series Bleach.

An invented name that has its roots in DeAndre or D'Andre, which springs from "the son of Andrew." Feels like half Don or Dion, half Andre or Andrew, but not enough of something unto itself.

This would make an interesting name for a boy, if it weren't for the fact that the two most well known Fergies are female.

Paterson is a surname-name to continue a line of Peters and also the name of a city in New Jersey, hometown of poets William Carlos Williams and Allen Ginsberg.

Benjamin for purists. See BENJAMIN.