European Boy Names

Elegant and worldly.

Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"

The Basque form of Julian is pared down and may appeal to parents looking for a less-syllabic option. It’s not typically used outside of Spain, but it would make an easy import.

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.

Herby and aristocratic Basil remains a tough sell, but we’d like to introduce you to Basile, the delightful French version. It retains all of Basil’s charm, but sheds some of the pesto linkage.

Leandre, the French form of the name of a Greek mythological figure, the doomed lover of Hero, is gaining modern notice in France. Leandre is one of many leonine names, including Leopold, Leo, Leonie, and Leon, that are fashionable now.

We like Matti in theory, but in practice it’s likely to get confused for the girlish Maddie.

You’re most likely to find this Theodore cognate in Eastern Europe, where it ranks among the top names for boys in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, and Romania. The nickname Teo is a real winner.

Old-school Italian names that shortens a wide range of longer names, making it feel much more popular than it is on its own.

Albin is a modern form of the ancient Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning white or bright. There was a Saint Albinus who was also known as Aubin. In the contemporary world, Albin is popular in Sweden and ripe for export as a simple, unusual name with deep history.

Zalán is a very trendy name for boys in Hungary, although its origins are unclear. Zalán's use as a name may be inspired by the Zala River or Zala region, both in Hungary.

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. In the U.S., Davi is also used for over 100 baby boys each year, offering a streamlined and modern twist on the classic David.

See THOMAS.

The many variations of Brynn are far more popular for girls than boys in the US, but if you’d like to use it on a son, Brin is the most masculine of all the spelling options.

In Slavic cultures, Saint Vitus is called Sveti Vid, making this a saintly appellation.

Mauro, a Top 100 name in Spain and Puerto Rico, is etymologically unrelated to the girls' name Maura, but that won't stop many English speakers from drawing the comparison.

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

Incredibly handsome and super smooth, Duarte sounds like it came straight out of a romance novel. You almost wouldn’t believe it’s derived from Edward.

Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form Ludwig ranks among the Top 100 boy names in Germany and Ludovico is cool in Italty.

Schoolchildren will recognize this name via Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.