International Baby Boy Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

Depending on your cultural references, you may think of Phantom of the Opera author Gaston Leroux, or the macho villain of Beauty and the Beast. While he's hardly a role model (unless you too use antlers in all of your decorating), his name was likely chosen because it's a classic in France. It's been used there since the middle ages, partly in honor of the Frankish bishop St Gaston. It went out of style in France mid-century, but now it's having a revival, entering the Top 300 in 2017.

Johari is derived from the Arabic word jawhar, which evolved from the Persian word gouhar, both referring to gemstones.

Confident Middle Eastern choice. Children will relate to the Rafiki form via the wise guru in Disney's "The Lion King."

This variation of Theodore is familiar here mostly via the great Russian novelist Dostoyevsky. It was also the name of three early tsars of Russia.

One of the few rainbow names that is masculine, Walken is a Noongar Aboriginal word.

The double Ts are pronounced with a slight pause between them like in "nighttime."

Attractive, approachable, and more striking Nick alternative.

Commonly heard in Hungary and some Slavic countries, Tibor has a large measure of continental dash. The name derives from the Roman town of Tibur, now called Tivoli. It is a Top 100 pick for baby boys in its native Hungary.

Not an alternate spelling of Warren, Warrin is a Pitjantjatjara name meaning the cold months. A good name for a winter baby.

The name of the sweet human baby in the film Ice Age, Roshan is a handsome Persian name that is the origin of the female name Roxanne, via its feminine form Roshanak.

Davi is a Portuguese variant of David, meaning 'beloved'. It is especially popular in Brazil, where it ranks in the Top 10 names for boys. A rising star in the UK in 2023, Davi was also given to around 140 boys in the US in the same year. While some parents outside of Portuguese speaking communities might be using the name as a streamlined and modern twist on David, the original Portuguese pronunciation is slightly different to the English DAY-vee, and is said da-VEE.

his engaging French saint's name, pronounced like tangy, with a hard 'g,' also has a creative connection to French surrealist painter Yves Tanguy.

Pronounced YAH-nosh, has a serious, violin-playing air. Perhaps that's why it has so many nicknames: JANCKZI, JANCSI, JANI, JANKIA, JANKO.

Baran is barely known in the US -- unless it's mistaken for royal moniker and Trump son name Baron -- but it might make a perfect choice for a boy born under the sign of Aries.

Ikenna's meaning makes it a subtle way to honor a father or grandfather. Ikenna is the name of a popular YouTube star.

Soundalike cousin of Sammy, cute but slight on its own.

Name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad, with a particularly positive meaning.

Romantic Italian choice.

Has good vibes via the stork's intimations of longevity.