Trending Boy Names

A mostly undiscovered alternative to the ultra-popular Colton; just 80 baby boys were named Coleson in 2016. It's also a surname name in its own right.

Raylan, one of an uncountable number of two syllable, surname-like boys’ names end in n that are in style these days, is inspired by Raylan Givens, the cowboy hat-wearing U.S. Marshall created by writer Elmore Leonard and starring in the television series Justified. The Ray part of the name is of course a traditional choice -- it's usually said to mean "wise" -- but the lan takes it out of Old School Raymond territory. Other variations include Raylen, Raylon, Rayden and so on. The name is also sometimes given to girls, but not nearly as often as it is for boys.

Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel deliberately chose the Axl spelling to honor her rock hero.

A less common, Biblical alternative to Liam, Elliott, Elias, and Eli. Eliam joined the Top 1000 for the first time in 2021 and was given to around 430 babies in a recent year. In Puerto Rico, it's a Top 50 choice.

Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas? Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.

One of the boastful, ultra-modern word names soaring in popularity right now. Though it's a bit more popular for girls than boys -- the "cy" ending reads a little feminine -- it's solidly unisex, with over 100 baby boys being named Legacy in 2017. This is one of the many uplifting words that make unique unisex names.

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.

Knowledge is a word name that's on an upward trend for boys, in 2021 hovering just below the Top 1000 in the US. And if Maverick, Legend, and Justice can be popular baby names, why not Knowledge? It's an important quality for any child to possess, via their name as well as their brain.

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.

Ryatt — which may be a combination of names like Ryan and Wyatt — gives you the sound of Riot without the violent connotations. Naturally, it's almost twice as popular among baby boys than Riot, even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.

Dior was among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys in the US in the early 2020s, but was the fastest-falling name for boys in the 2023 statistics.

Its most famous bearer was Prince Osman the First, founder of the Ottoman Empire.

This name, which is the Spanish version of the Hebrew name of one of the archangels, Yehudiel, appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2008 and has been on and off the charts since. Angel-esque boy names ending in L are especially stylish right now, meaning we may see Yadiel continue to climb.

Gatlin has risen into the Top 1000 in recent years on the strength of its association with the Olympic champion sprinter Justin Galtin as well as the Gatlin Brothers of Nashville fame. The name has the same root as gadabout, thus the meaning related to wandering.

A popular name in the Middle East and one of the most evocative choices of its genre. One of the 99 names of Allah. The feminine form is Zahira.

Gian sounds (almost) like John, so there's some potential for confusion, but the spelling makes it unmistakeably Italian. It could be a solution if longer names like Gianni and Gianluca aren't your style.

Marty is one of those Old Man nicknames that's just starting to sound cute again.

Names of classy places -- Aspen, Paris, and yes, Hampton -- are in favor with aspiring parents, though they don't always have the intended effect.

The name Jiraiya was created in 1806 for yomi-hon — a type of book from the Edo Period — called Jiraiya Monogatari. The character was revived later in the century for a folk tale series Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari, in which Jiraiya, a ninja, shapeshifts into a giant toad.

Jakai is a cool modern invention, inspired by other -kai names such as Makai and Zakai. Add to this the popular prefix "ja", and it also feels connected to classic nickname Jack, the international Jacques, and modern favorites, Jackson and Jax.