Names That Mean Men

Sanders is one of the S-ending surnames gaining traction as a first name for boys in the US. It jumped nearly 2000 points in popularity this year.

Cool, gender-neutral short form of Alexandra and company.

Shura is a unisex Russian nickname for Aleksandr or Aleksandra, themselves forms of Alexander. Less known in the English=speaking world than Sasha, it's also more assertive -- probably because of that "sure" sound.

A surname name, most popularly associated with actor Heston, has a blue-blooded ring to it. Charlton is also a more unusual pathway to evergreen nickname Charlie.

This unusual form of Alexandra might be seen and pronounced as a combination of Alex and Anne.

Sander would be an unconventional short form of Alexandra, variation of Sandra, or surname-name for girls. It was given to 41 baby boys in the US last year but no girls, but it certainly can be a gender-neutral choice.

One of many variants of the classic Alexander — this particular one is used in South Slavic countries.

Variation of Alexander.

Carleton has a great meaning behind it, and should really have more popularity than it has found to date. You can shorten it to Carl or keep it upscale and formal in the longer form. Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk lends the name some sporty credentials, while American artist Carleton Wiggins confirms this name's Victorian earnestness.

Yiddish form of Alexander.

Lyosha is a common nickname for Aleksei, the Russian form of Alexios.

Also an English surname, Sender derives from Alexander and has an attractive modern sound. Though given to only a handful of baby boys per year, it nevertheless is in step with the brotherhood of er-ending choices fashionable today.

This spin on the "Alex" prefix was the 88th most popular girl name in Scotland in 1900.

Urdu and Pashto form of Alexander

Aleksej is the Slovene form of Alexios, making it a cognate of Alexis.

This extravagant name of a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher could make for a bold alternative to Alexander.

An alternative to Sasha, another common Russian nickname for Aleksandra.

Common as an independent name in Slovenia.