Middle Names for Boys (with Meanings and Popularity)
- Arc
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
Refers, in literal terms, to a curved line -- as in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famed "arc of justice." Could also be used as a reference to Joan of Arc -- Arc being, there, derived from her father's name, rather than a place -- or, conceivably, to Noah's Ark.
- Indiana
Origin:
American place-nameMeaning:
"land of the Indians"Description:
This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) makes Indiana "Indy" forever cool for a boy.
- Tao
Origin:
Spiritual word nameDescription:
Tao is the Chinese word for the underlying harmony of the universe, combining both yin and yang. Extreme kayaker Tao Berman made this one of the spiritual names prime for adoption. Tao rhymes with cow.
- Nile
Origin:
River name, color name, or variation of Niall, IrishMeaning:
"champion"Description:
Water names are a cool category these days, and this one of the famous Egyptian river is no exception. It streamlines the fussier Niles and also may be thought of as a color name, meaning dark blue or indigo.
- Cru
Origin:
Spelling variation of Crew or short form of Cruz or CrusoeDescription:
The short, clipped Cru is one of those modern names that's starting to find favor -- it was given to about 100 boys last year, while Crew has vaulted onto the Top 1000. One inspiration is undoubtedly the Spanish name Cruz, which came to wider attention via the third son of Victoria and David Beckham. Cru has a handsome sound and a modern feel.
- Reef
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"ridge of rock or coral on sea floor"Description:
Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers.
- Harbor
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
If you like names that are not really names -- some say, the wave of the future -- Harbor has an attractive sound as well as an appealing meaning and image.
- Blues
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"slow, sad, songs of lamentation; a music genre of black American folk origin"Description:
While Ivy Blue has made the color a more popular choice for girls, Blues — as in the musical style — could feel more masculine. While some may find it a sad and gloomy choice, thanks to the phrase "having the blues", the musical connection gives it greater potential. It could make for a laid-back name that oozes cool and works as an alternative for those wanting to avoid more obvious choices like Indigo or Hendrix.
- Stellar
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"of the stars"Description:
This cosmological name is given to a handful of boys and girls each year in the USA. Likely to get confused with Stella or Stellan.
- Baron
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"a lord of the realm"Description:
If you're going to choose a noble word name, why not aim higher and pick Duke, Prince...or King. The Donald Trumps picked the Barron spelling for their little princeling.
- Lyric
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"Description:
Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it. Currently more popular for girls in the US, it was in the Top 1000 for boys between 2007 and 2020. Currently given to around 170 boys each year, for every baby boy called Lyric, there are three girls given the name.
- Genesis
Origin:
Word name, BiblicalMeaning:
"the origin and formation of something; The First Book in The Bible"Description:
Though Genesis is a Top 100 girls' name in the US, it's by all rights a unisex choice.
- Trip
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
This began as a nickname, usually for someone who was a "third," as in William III. But in an age where any noun goes, this could be thought of as representing a little voyager -- hopefully not into psychedelic realms.
- Bean
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"an immature bean pod used as a vegetable"Description:
The unisex word name Bean, distant cousin of the infamous Apple, was used for the name of a child of mysterious gender in Louise Penny's novel "A Rule Against Murder." While we can imagine Bean as a cute nickname for a yet-unnamed and unborn baby, we don't recommend it for real life.
- Story
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"an account of incidents or events"Description:
A new unisex word name with a lot of charm, especially appropriate for the child of writers. Soleil Moon Frye named her second baby boy Story and Jenna Elfman called her son Story Elias.
- Honor
Origin:
English word, virtue nameMeaning:
"honor"Description:
A classic virtue name for girls stretching back to the Pilgrim times, in more recent years, Honor has become one of the unisex baby names with a near-even gender split. Rarely used on boys before the 2010s, it has nearly doubled in use over the last decade.
- Solo
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"unaccompanied"Description:
Solo is a singular word name with special meaning for Star Wars fans. Equally appropriate for girls and boys, it works especially well in the middle.
- Dagger
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Dagger is one of the new badass baby names, a sharp and scary choice that some parents may feel arm their child for battle in a cruel modern world.
- Haze
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Trippy variation on Hayes.
- Yarrow
Origin:
Botanical name, EnglishMeaning:
"rough stream"Description:
Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achilles, who was said to carry yarrow into battle.