Modern Baby Boy Names
- Mckinley
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"son of the fair hero"Description:
New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.
- Bard
Origin:
Irish variation of Baird, ScottishMeaning:
"minstrel, poet"Description:
Great Irish middle name choice for Shakespeare lovers.
- Brewer
Origin:
English, occupational surnameDescription:
Brewer is a surname turned first name that comes from the occupational name for someone who brews beer. Definitely a cool guy name.
- Kylan
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
A new-style name based on Kyle and a cousin of Dylan, in spelling if not sound or image.
- Kalel
Origin:
Spelling variation of KhalilDescription:
Kalel first entered the US Top 1000 as a one-off appearance in 2009, then reentered in 2013. It's possible that some parents see it as a spelling variant of the classic Arabic name Khalil, meaning friend. Or maybe some—Nicolas Cage, we're looking at you—were inspired by the birth name of Clark Kent, AKA Superman, Kal-El. Cage was long associated with attempts to remake a big screen story about the Man of Steel. He and wife Alice Kim gave the name to their son in 2005.
- Jayceon
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
This variation of Jason and Jayce was the fastest-rising name of 2013 for boys -- leaping 845 spots in a single year to break into the Top 1000 for the first time ever. Its trendy sound, y spelling, and connection to rapper Jayceon "The Game" Taylor can be credited for this spike.
- Blessing
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"God's favor and protection"Description:
This spiritual word name is rising for girls and boys.
- Denim
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"sturdy cotton"Description:
With Levi in vogue and country names on trend, Denim could fit in among the Waylons, Walkers, Coltons, and Rhetts. As a boys name, it brings to mind the qualities of the fabric: hardworking, cool and versatile. Singer Toni Braxton chose this name for her son in 2001, and parents have been using it for boys and girls ever since.
- Nairobi
Origin:
African place nameDescription:
The capital of Kenya makes a melodic and worldly name.
- Loyal
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"faithful, loyal"Description:
Loyal is one of the few virtue names suitable for boys, an honorable and principled Boy Scout-esque appellation with a surprisingly long and distinguished history.
- Jrue
Origin:
Modern invented, variation of DrewDescription:
This phonetic spelling of Drew feels particularly distanced from the original classic Andrew. Jrue, along with other phonetic "Jr" names such as Jream, is on the rise in the US — even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.
- Harmony
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"harmony"Description:
Hippie name with a sweet meaning. While theoretically gender-neutral, Harmony was given to nearly 1400 baby girls last year....and zero boys.
- Kross
Origin:
English word name, German surnameMeaning:
"crucifix; by the crossroads; maker of mugs, jugs and pitchers"Description:
Kross is one of the new generation of Christian word names with a twist, and joins the ranks of Chozen, Kruz, Zyon, Kannon, and Tru as options for boys. Given to around 20 babies in 2018, by 2019, it was received by more than 100. Now, it is given to nearly 200 babies each year and is more popular than the traditional Cross spelling.
- Sincere
Origin:
English, Word nameMeaning:
"honest, genuine, and heartfelt"Description:
Reminiscent of Puritan and Pilgrim name choices, Sincere is a relatively modern virtue name that has been in the US Top 1000 since the 2000s.
- Bronx
Origin:
Place nameDescription:
Rockers Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz put a new baby name on the map when they chose this downscale New York borough name for their son. The Bronx, the place, was named for early Dutch settler Jonas Bronck. Might Bronx become the next Brooklyn? We'd be surprised if it did.
- Harlem
Origin:
Place-nameMeaning:
"home on a forested dune"Description:
With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem is one to watch out for. It has lingered down the lower end of the US Top 1000 since 2018 but has been trending upwards. It's already been picked by one celebrity, and it certainly has a stronger historical and cultural identity -- and it could work as an alternative to Harvey or Harley.
- Damari
Origin:
Variation of AmariDescription:
Damari is thought to be a variation of the popular trans-cultural name Amari with the Da- prefix. Amari means "eternal" in Hebrew and may mean "strength" in Yoruba, though other sources list the African meaning as unknown.
- Artist
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
About 40 baby boys were named Artist -- not Picasso, not Art -- in the US in one recent year. But not so odd, when you consider all the occupational names, from Sawyer to Sergeant, stylish today. The name Artist is also starting to register on the girls' side of the ledger, making Artist a name as gender-neutral as the occupation.
- Kolson
Origin:
Variation of Colson, EnglishMeaning:
"son of Nicholas"Description:
Colson was made familiar by author Colson Whitehead, who helped popularize the K variation as well. Both Colson and Kolson rapidly ascended the charts in 2017, the year following the release of Whitehead's celebrated book The Underground Railroad.
- Marquis
Origin:
English rank of nobleman between duke and countDescription:
There are ordinary folk named Prince, Earl, and Duke, so why not this rank of nobility as well? Many spellings compete, the most common being Marquis, Marquise, and Marquez. Rapper 50 Cent chose the Marquise version for his son; David Caruso chose Marquez.