New Boy Names

  1. Sir
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      We've got Saint, we've got King, we've got Prince Duke Bishop Deacon and Messiah. So why not Sir? The name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's newborn son, Sir is an honorific and a word name that fits right in with current trends. And it does guarantee your son will be addressed with respect, at least nominally.
  2. Jabari
    • Origin:

      Swahili
    • Meaning:

      "comforter, bringer of consolation"
    • Description:

      Coolly attractive African name, with distinguished representatives in sports and literature. Jabari has been on the rise recently, returning to the US Top 1000 in 2023.
  3. Jairo
    • Origin:

      Spanish, variation of Jairus
    • Description:

      While Jairus is rare, this Spanish variation is heard in the US, having ranked in the Top 1000 for the last three decades.
  4. Princeton
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "princely town"
    • Description:

      This uppity name has been a fast climber in recent years, but we still think it's a bit much. Even abroad, where the connection to the prestigious university will be weaker, any name beginning with "Prince" will sound pretentious.
  5. Knowledge
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "information, understanding, and awareness gained through experience or education"
    • Description:

      Knowledge is a word name that's on an upward trend for boys, in 2021 hovering just below the Top 1000 in the US. And if Maverick, Legend, and Justice can be popular baby names, why not Knowledge? It's an important quality for any child to possess, via their name as well as their brain.
  6. Davion
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      Davion has only ranked in the US Top 1000 since the early 1990s, and its alternate spelling Davian is a more recent entry, first entering the charts in 2004. Their apparent connection to more common names Dave and Damian presumably provided the avenue for their success; however, both names are trending downward with no expected resurgence in the coming years.
  7. Cortez
    • Origin:

      Spanish surname
    • Meaning:

      "courteous"
    • Description:

      The craze for surname names is now moving beyond the English and Irish to include worldly Spanish names for boys like this historic one currently in the Top 1000.
  8. Jamison
    • Description:

      A variation of Jameson. Both names have climbed in popularity in recent years, though Jameson remains the preferred spelling.
  9. Semaj
    • Origin:

      Variation of James, English from Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Popular enough in the Indian community to have made it onto the US Top 1000 every year from 2001 to 2014 and now again in 2023, possibly inspired by Jamaican activist Leachim Semaj (born Michael James).
  10. Jaxton
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Meaning:

      "Jack's town"
    • Description:

      We've had Jackson, Jaxcon and Jaxon, and now we have Jaxton.
  11. Tristian
    • Origin:

      Variation of Tristan
    • Description:

      Combination of Tristan and Christian that is beginning to catch on.
  12. Prince
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "chief, prince"
    • Description:

      Prince rose to its highest ranking in a century in 2015, and the tragic death of its most famous bearer in April 2016 propelled it even higher. The Purple Rain legend isn't its only tie to pop royalty: Michael Jackson chose it for not one but two of his sons. Royal names such as King and Prince, once thought of as canine, have begun to be used by human non-royals for their sons.
  13. Kashton
    • Origin:

      American invented name
    • Meaning:

      "town of the box maker; money town"
    • Description:

      This newly invented name takes a cool short form—Kash/Cash—and adds the trendy -ton suffix, a la Ashton, Colton, and Weston. It made its first appearance on the US Top 1000 list in 2015 and has risen up into the Top 500 since then.

      From its Latin root, Kash/Cash is an occupational name for someone who makes boxes, however, it is of course also related to the word "cash", as in money. The meaning of this newly coined name could then be "town of the box maker" or "money town".
  14. Daylen
    • Dakari
      • Origin:

        African
      • Meaning:

        "rejoice"
      • Description:

        This name from the Shona language is a new entrant to the Top 1000 in the US.
    • Juelz
      • Origin:

        Modern invented name
      • Description:

        This attempt to masculinize Jules has made its way into the Top 1000. We recommend using the more traditional spelling, as this one will likely appear dated in a few years' time.
    • Cartier
      • Origin:

        French variation of Carter, English
      • Meaning:

        "transporter of goods by cart"
      • Description:

        Luxury baby name associated with Jacques Cartier's eponymous jewelry company.
    • Laken
      • Origin:

        Variation of Lake, English
      • Description:

        Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.
    • Jesiah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "Jehovah exists"
      • Description:

        There is much disagreement about the origin, meaning, or even existence of this name. Some sources cite Jesiah as the name of several minor Biblical figures, others say it's a variation of Josiah, still others call it a modern conflation of Josiah and Jesse.
    • Mekhi
      • Origin:

        Derivation and meaning unknown
      • Description:

        Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.