New Boy Names

Jason with a K or Kase with an N or Karson without the R. Kason is one of many similar names that are extremely popular right now.

An update of Tyson for parents who prefer the Ky nickname to Ty. It was the middle name of a character on Heroes.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian added this new word name to the lexicon when they chose it for their second son and fourth child in 2019. It is now 7 times more popular than it was then, given to 120 boys and 40 girls in a recent year.

A minor prophet who has his own Book, Zephaniah is another Old Testament gem waiting to be rediscovered now that Noah and Abraham are becoming too trendy.

Sekani was the fastest-rising boy name of 2019, inspired by the character Sekani Carter in the 2018 movie The Hate U Give.

With the ubiquitous Max heard at every playground across the country, international versions have been gaining traction in an attempt to provide a fresh avenue to the highly sought nickname. This Spanish iteration has been in the US Top 1000 for most of the 21st century. This is one of many Spanish baby names with international power.

Bryant has a longer history as a first name in the US than its father name Brian, ranking among the Top 1000 since the list began in 1880 while Brian only jumped on in 1925.

The most popular spelling of the fast-climbing member of the Aiden-rhyming clan is used by parents who love the first initial Z. Zaiden is nearly as popular, and Zaden is a ways behind.

The field of nature names is constantly expanding to include all species of flowers and trees and animals and birds and even fish. In addition to its appeal for anglers, Pike recalls Zebulon Pike, the explorer who discovered and gave his name to Pike's Peak.

This weapon name, linked to arms manufacturer Smith and Wesson, entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik notably chose this name for their daughter in 2020, as a variation of Gigi's grandmother's name, Khairiah. In 2021, the name caught on for boys — Khai was a new debut on the Top 1000 and one of the fastest-rising names that year.

Canyon is a unique baby name evocative of natural splendor and the old Steve Canyon comic-strip heroism, making it an intriguing new word-name possibility.

A distinguished English and Irish surname, probably deriving from the Old Gaelic name Fearsithe, meaning "man of peace". It's also possible that the surname derives from a place name now lost to history, in which case the meaning would be "fairy meadow" or "fairy mound", from Gaelic fer "grass" or for "hill, mound" plus sithe "fairies".

Basketball's Jayson Tatum introduced this to the naming lexicon when he used it as a clever nickname for his son, Jayson Christoper Jr. It fits in with nicknames like Trey or Trip for boys who are the third in the family with their name; we've even heard Quatty and Quinto.

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, whose name was inspired by a Japanese steak house, brought this energetic and appealing name into -- and out of -- the mix. Bryant's tragic death in a helicopter crash in 2020 increased the popularity of his name, as fans and admirers named their children Kobe in honor of the star.

Has a lot of energy and charm, as does the Italian form, Taddeo.

A melodic name that's taking off in the African-American community, along with sound-alikes such as Amari, Jamari, and Damari.

Khaza got a big boost when rapper Kevin Gates chose it for his son in 2014, and an even bigger boost with the release of his 2022 album of the same name. Gates' influence led to Khaza being one of the fastest-rising names of 2022, jumping 391 spots.

Unusual name from Greek mythology gaining traction along with others in its class. Atreus was the father of the king Agamemnon.

True has become an accepted first and middle name; Truth makes an even stronger statement. And with nearly 150 baby boys named Truth in the US in the most recent year counted, as many as were named Ross, the word name is edging up on the Top 1000.