Crazy Nicknames for Boys

  1. Happy
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "joyful"
    • Description:

      Many emotional, virtuous word names are coming back into style, but Happy feels unlikely to be revived. This could be because it doesn't have a solid history of being popularly used (in comparison to Joy) and because it's such a familiarly used word in day to day life (unlike Valor).
  2. Corky
    • Description:

      A bouncy midcentury TV nickname name.
  3. Gig
    • Origin:

      English slang word
    • Description:

      In addition to being the term for a job performing music, Gig has been used as a name, as in onetime actor Gig Young--who was born Byron but took his stage name from a character he played.
  4. Chico
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "boy"
    • Description:

      Friendly but flimsy.
  5. Buff
    • Origin:

      Modern nickname, also color name
    • Description:

      Has too many slangy connotations to be considered.
  6. Rod
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Roderick and Rodney
    • Description:

      Macho-er than thou.
  7. Sly
    • Origin:

      English word name, diminutive of Sylvester
    • Description:

      A bit too cunning.
  8. Sax
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Saxon
    • Description:

      Rhythmic and sensual -- maybe too sensual, in terms of playground teasing. Sax Rohmer was the nom de plume of the prolific English novelist who created Dr.Fu Manchu.
  9. Ving
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Irving
    • Description:

      Actor Rhames's imaginative shortening of the prosaic Irving, giving it new life and energy.
  10. Boss
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      If you like the idea of King and Prince but find them too sophisticated, this might be the name for you.
  11. Doll
    • Origin:

      German or English surname
    • Meaning:

      "foolish, mad, strong, ditch"
    • Description:

      Briefly used as a male name in the early 20th century. Doll is a surname with a variety of origins and meanings, some more desirable than others.
  12. Rad
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "advisor"
    • Description:

      What child wouldn't like a name that was a synonym for cool?
  13. Jip
    • Origin:

      Frisian diminutive of Gijsbert, Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "shining pledge"
  14. Japhy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Japheth
    • Meaning:

      "he expands"
    • Description:

      Japhy Ryder was a hero of Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums. Compared with Moses and Noah, Japhy sounds downright adorable and eminently baby-worthy.
  15. Barn
    • Origin:

      Word name or short form of Barnaby or Barnabus
    • Meaning:

      "son of comfort"
    • Description:

      Once you get past thinking of it as a red-painted building where they keep cows and hay, has a nice plainspoken country-like feel and may make a cooler diminutive than the still-purple Barney.
  16. Dob
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Robert, English
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Along with Dobbin, Dob was medieval nickname for Robert.
  17. Jocko
    • Dame
      • Origin:

        English diminutive of Damian, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "to tame, subdue"
      • Description:

        NBA player Damian "Dame" Lillard is the influencer behind this unusual nickname. Dame made the charts for the first time in 2021, following Lillard's gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
    • Dooley
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "dark hero"
      • Description:

        A common Irish surname that's seldom heard as a first name, but has an appealing meaning.
    • Pal