During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.
 While there are still plenty of babies named Andrew -- more than 5000 in the US last year -- it now feels more like a Dad Name than baby name. And the shamed Prince Andrew has not helped the name's image much.
 
Andrew is a variant of the Greek name Andreas, ultimately derived from the element aner, meaning "man." In the New Testament, Andrew was one of the twelve apostles and the first disciple to be called by Jesus. 
 
Although the origins of the name are Greek, Andrew is the patron saint of both Scotland and Russia, as well as Greece. It has associations with two of America's most famous artists, Wyeth and Warhol.
 
One advantage of Andrew is its host of nicknames: Andy makes it friendlier, while Drew adds to its sophistication.
 
Andrew also has several appealing foreign manifestations that are sometimes used in the U.S., including Andre (French), Andrei (Russian), Andres (Spanish), Andrea (Italian), Andreas (German, Dutch and Greek) and Anders (Norwegian and Swedish).

Andrew

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy name</a> on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. 
 
Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a century-long hiatus from the Top 1000, from the 1890s until it reappeared in the 1990s. Asher has been in the US Top 100 for more than a decade now.
 
In the Bible, Asher was one of Jacob's twelve sons who gave their names to the tribes of Israel. Asher is derived from the Hebrew word osher, which means "happiness." Rabbinical scholars claim that the Asherites lived up to this meaning, as they had the most oil, wisdom, and male children compared to the other tribes.
 
The novel My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok, often taught in schools, is the story of a New York Hasidic Jewish boy with artistic aspirations.
 
Oh—and another plus for Asher: the handsome diminutive Ash.

Asher

Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade.
 A handsome name with an attractively brisk sound, and rich in literary associations via major Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, it is especially hot among celebs. Melissa Etheridge jump-started the trend in 1998, followed by Conan O'Brien, Stella McCartney, Malcolm McDowell, Nicole Sullivan and Natalie Maines.
 Another worthy namesake is the martyred saint Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, whose story was the basis of the Anouilh play "Becket," which became a film starring Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole.
 In 2005, the authors of Freakonomics predicted that Beckett would be one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> of 2015. Although they were a little off the mark -- Beckett hasn't even cracked the Top 100 -- we predict that it will continue to climb the US rankings.

Beckett

Caleb is an attractive Old Testament name that has been in the US Top 100 for nearly three decades now. Consistently popular but never too popular, Caleb feels more like a classic than a momentary trend.
 Caleb has two potential derivations, the first being from the Hebrew kelev, meaning "dog," and the second from the Hebrew components kal and lev, together meaning "whole heart." 
 
In the Old Testament Caleb is one of only two ancient Israelites (Joshua was the other) who set out from Egypt to finally enter the promised land. 
 
Caleb Garth is a character in George Eliot's Middlemarch. Caleb was the full name of James Dean's character Cal in East of Eden, and the name has also been heard on Desperate Housewives and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Julianne Moore chose Caleb for her son, as did Bo Bice. The shortform Cale is also rising in popularity, and the current Kaleb spelling picks up on the K-to-C initial trend.

Caleb

Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry Callahan.

Callahan

Calloway is one of those irresistibly jaunty, animated three-syllable surnames, like Sullivan and Finnegan — but this one has the added attraction of jazzy ties to the immortal "Dean of American Jive," Cab Calloway.
 There was a 1951 comedy spoof called "Calloway Went Thataway."

Calloway

The genial yet upscale and preppy Cooper was one of the first occupational last names to catch on -- and Cooper remains a pleasing option.
 Cooper began his rapid climb in 1982 and is a popular choice for baby boys. It is wildly popular in Australia, where in some areas Cooper is the top name.
 Two surnamed Coopers currently shining a spotlight on the name: Anderson and Bradley. Parents of Coopers include Melissa Rivers and Dylan Lauren.
 One caveat: Cooper is an extremely popular dog name.

Cooper

Declan is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Deaglán. St. Declan was one of the first missionaries to bring Christianity to Ireland, preceding St. Patrick. Originally from Wales, he founded the monastery of Ardmore in Ireland.
 
Declan, the amiable and appealing name of an Irish saint (and the real first name of singer Elvis Costello), is very popular in the Emerald Isle and beginning its certain climb to popularity here, after debuting on the American list in 1998. Like Aidan and Liam, Declan is shaping up to be an American hit.
 
Declan Porter is a current character on Revenge. 
 Cyndi Lauper spelled her son's name Declyn.

Declan

The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire, a story sure to inspire any young Elijah.
 Like many biblical patriarch names, Elijah was on a long downward slide from the 19th century until the late 1960s, when it reversed course and headed uphill. Elijah was rejuvenated when Cher and Greg Allman bestowed it on their son Elijah Blue in 1976, and got another shot of youth serum via young actor Elijah Wood.
 Among other celebrities who have chosen Elijah for their boys are Donnie Wahlberg, James Spader, Tracy Nelson, Wynonna Judd and Bono (who followed it with <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a> Bob Patricus Guggi G.).
 Elijah figures in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions. There are numerous songs containing the name, and Elijah is also a character in many films and books—including Charles Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit.
 Elias is the related, Greek variation of Elijah, also quite popular. Eli is a separate, unrelated name, though sometimes used as a short form of both Elijah and Elias.

Elijah

Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her daughter, it is definitely still a viable <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys name</a>.

Emerson

Emmett, honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, is on the rise as a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, not to mention being a character in the popular Twilight series.
 Emmett originated in England as a masculine diminutive of the German Emma; the Hebrew characters pronounced eh-MEHT mean truth, so that might be considered another definition. Emmet is another, less popular spelling.
The death of young Emmett Till helped spark the civil rights movement.

Emmett

Gavin, a name with Scottish roots, has stepped into the spotlight, replacing the dated Kevin, thanks in part to pop-rock sensation Gavin DeGraw and Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale. 
 Gavin also has made literary appearances in J.M. Barrie's The Little Minister and in William Faulkner's Snopes family trilogy. In the form Gawain, he was one of the Knights of King Arthur's Round Table.
 Gavin entered the ranks in the 1950's and climbed as high as Number 30, in 2008, before dropping a bit on the charts.

Gavin

Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
 The Hudson River was named for 17th century British explorer Henry Hudson, who also gave him name to Canada's Hudson Bay. Hudson has long been a prominent surname. Along with Henry, there was also heartthrob Rock, director Hugh, the musical Hudson brothers, and Kate Hudson today. 
 As a first name, Hudson has been given to several celebrity children, including the sons of Robert Herjavec, Marcia Gay Harden, Gena Lee Nolan, and Drew Lachey.
 Hudson literally means 'son of Hudd', which was a nickname for both Hugh and Richard in the Middle Ages. Streamlined spelling Hud was the name of the macho title character of an iconic Paul Newman film; John Mellencamp has a son named Hud.
 James Barbour pulled a gender switch when he named his daughter Hudson in 2008.
 Along with its popularity in the US, Hudson also ranks in the Top 100 in other English-speaking countries. Its popularity has not, however, extended to other European countries, many of which have laws against using surnames as first names.

Hudson

Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. There were nearly 17,000 baby boys named Jackson -- along Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, and Jaxsyn -- which counted together makes it the Number 3 boys' name.
 
Jackson in this spelling is now slightly more popular than father name John, from which it's derived, though slightly less popular than Jack, which it's often shortened to.
 
With its gentleman cowboy feel, Jackson is now popular throughout the English-speaking world, though it fails to achieve the true international popularity of other top boys' names such as Lucas, Leo, and even Liam. 
 
It's been chosen over the years by several celebrities for their sons, including Spike Lee, Poppy Montgomery, Carson Daly, Maria Bello, Natalie Maines, Scott Wolf, Maya Rudolph, Katey Sagal, and Charlize Theron, though its heyday as a celebrity baby name was at least a decade ago.
 One of the most common surnames in America, it's got a presidential ring via Andrew Jackson and an artistic one through Abstract Expressionist painter Jackson Pollock.

Jackson

James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
 James, which reentered the Top 5 in 2016, is a current favorite among fashionable parents looking for a baby name that has both style and substance. Like Henry and Theodore, it manages to combine these two stellar qualities.
 
An English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob, James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), and presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives -- six -- than any other name). The name James is also shared by countless great writers and entertainers.
 
There are fewer Jimmys, Jimbos or even Jamies these days; the most fashionable form of the name is James itself. Several stylish celebrities have chosen it in recent years for their sons, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liz Phair, Colin Farrell and Isaac Hanson. Brendan Fehr thought out of the box and named his daughter James, which has now become a fashionable middle names for baby girls..
 James has some interesting foreign variations: Diego and Jaime (Spanish), Jacques (French), Giacomo (Italian), Hamish (Scottish), Jaako (Finnish), Seamus (Irish), Jaap (Dutch) and Jago (Cornish).
 Along with being one of the most popular first names in the US, James is also one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/top-last-names-in-the-us">most common American last names </a>.

James

This is a strong new James varietal, sometimes shared by girls. An original way to honor Grandpa Jim, Jameson is swiftly moving up the charts, entering the Top 100 for the first time ever in 2017. Jameson is one of the hottest <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a>, still the most popular first initial for boys' names. One small caveat: Jameson is also a brand of whiskey.

Jameson

Lane is a recent hit name, that could be used for either gender, but is much more popular for boys. It's a surname that projects the pleasant picture of narrow, tree-lined country roads.
 Holding steady between Number 200 and 300 in the US Top 1000 for more than a quarter century, Lane might be considered a modern classic for boys.
 Metallica's Lars Ulrich used the Layne spelling for his son.

Lane

A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit used it for their son in 1999, and singer-musician Adam Pascal followed their lead in two years later. Thanks in part to female singer and actress Lennon Stella, it's now more popular for girls than for boys.
 Lennon made it onto the popularity list in 2008. 
 In addition to its obvious Beatles connection, Lennon has a nice lemony feel.

Lennon

Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number 1 spot for the past seven years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world.
 Liam originated as a short form of Uilliam, the Irish variation of William. William is an English name from Germanic roots that was brought to Ireland when the British fled England following the Norman Conquest. The Irish began using English names, including William, which led to the development of Uilliam and its short form, Liam.
 Internationally, Liam is enjoying great popularity not only in the U.S. and its native Ireland, but in countries as diverse as Italy and Israel, Chile and Croatia. If you're looking for a boys' name that will easily translate across many languages and cultures, you can't do better than Liam.
 Irish-born actor Liam Neeson was instrumental in driving Liam up the charts, as was former Oasis member Liam (born William) Gallagher, and, more recently, One Direction member Liam Payne. Celebrities who have chosen Liam for their sons include Tori Spelling, Calista Flockhart, Rod Stewart, Kevin Costner and Craig Ferguson.
 Jaunty and richly textured, Liam holds solidly to the title of most popular boys' name starting with the letter L.

Liam

Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even more popular than they are.
 
The Latin derivation of the Greek Loukas, the name's meaning references Lucania, an ancient territory in Southern Italy. Along with Luke, Lucas is also related to international name star Luca, while the similar Lucius and Lucian derive from a different root and have a different meaning.
 Lucas is enjoying tremendous international success, popular throughout the English-speaking world as well as in a diverse range of countries throughout Europe and Latin America, including Scandinavia, France, Germany, Spain, and Brazil. This makes Lucas the perfect choice for a cross-cultural family.
 Lucas has long been a favorite of TV scriptwriters, from the early black-and-white days of The Rifleman (Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain) to the schoolteacher series Lucas Tanner to the more contemporary One Tree Hill. On the literary side, the name appears as Lucas Beauchamp in William Faulkner's Intruder in the Dust and Light in August.
 Lucas Cranach was an important German Renaissance painter and printmaker; Lucas Samaras is an eccentric Greek-born American contemporary artist. Some will associate the name with director George Lucas.

Lucas

A happy medium between the weighty Maximilian and the laid-back Max, Maxwell is one of the most classic and attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/428/scottish-baby-names">Scottish names</a>. Early influences on the name's revival include Maxwell Smart of the television show, and then movie, Get Smart, and the Beatles song about Maxwell's Silver Hammer.
 Lance Armstrong chose it for his son, but there was a sharp and unexpected gender switch when both Jessica Simpson and Lindsay Sloane both chose it for their daughters. Still, in the US baby boy Maxwells outnumber baby girls 50 to 1.

Maxwell

Nathaniel was derived from the Hebrew name Netan’el, meaning "gift of God," composed of the elements natan, meaning "to give," and ’el, in reference to God. The name is featured several times in the Old and New Testaments, typically spelled Nathanael. In the New Testament, Nathanael is also known by his other name, Bartholomew.
 
Although Nathan is more popular, the more dignified Nathaniel dropped out of the Top 100 for the first time since 1977 in 2016. Despite the profusion of Nat names around, Nathaniel remains singularly appealing and distinctive, with several attractive nicknames — Nat, Natty and Nate.
 A boy named Nathaniel would have any number of real life and literary namesakes to inspire him. These include Revolutionary General Nathanael Greene, enslaved rebel Nat Turner, writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Nathanael (born Nathan) West, lithographer Nathaniel Currier, partner of Ives, and singer/pianist Nat "King" Cole.
 An early literary character with the name is Sir Nathaniel in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost. And then there was Natty Bumpo in James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, Nathaniel Winkle in Dickens's The Pickwick Papers, and later Dr. Nathaniel Branden in Atlas Shrugged.
 In the realm of pop culture, we find such Nathaniels as Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under, and others in The Wire, Gossip Girl and Enchanted, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean character Nathaniel Hawk.

Nathaniel

Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts in the US and throughout the English-speaking world, along with a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland.
 
Long a popular choice in England, Australia and New Zealand, Oliver entered the list of Top 100 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a> in the U.S. for the first time in 2009, but has already jumped to the top of the charts. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness. 
 
Oliver derives from Olivier, the Norman French variation of the Ancient Germanic name Alfihar ("elf army") or the Old Norse Áleifr ("ancestor's relic"), from which comes Olaf. Olivier emerged as the dominant spelling for its associations with the Latin word oliva, meaning "olive tree."

Oliver was used as a given name in medieval England after the spread of the French epic poem ‘La Chanson de Roland,’ which features a character named Olivier. It lost favor after the seventeenth century rule of Oliver Cromwell, then was revived in the nineteenth century. 

Oliver's biggest boost in this country came from the hit book and movie Love Story, which also catapulted the name Jennifer to stardom. Notable namesakes range from Oliver Wendell Holmes to Oliver Hardy to Oliver Stone. In fiction, there is Oliver Twist, and Oliver is also a Harry Potter name.
 Oliver works particularly well with single-syllable surnames, as in Oliver Stone, North and Puck (son of Wolfgang). Other celebrities who have chosen Oliver include Bridget Fonda, Fred Savage, Stephen Stills, and Taylor Hawkes. 
 International forms include the French Olivier, the Spanish Olivero, and the Italian Oliviero.
 Parents considering Oliver for their sons might consider that with Olivia at the top of the charts for girls, there will be an awful lot of children with names starting with Oliv-.

Oliver

This is the second most common boys' version of this attractive name, after the Welsh original Rhys. Reese takes the lead on the girls' side. thanks to the famous Ms. Witherspoon.

Reece

Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">top unisex names</a>. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford. 
 Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg were among the first to discover Sawyer when they used it for their son in 1992, the year it leaped up 356 places. 
 Sawyer is a relatively common surname--think Tom and Diane. It originated as an occupational name for a woodcutter, otherwise known as someone who worked with a saw.

Sawyer

Sebastian is an ancient martyr's name turned literary, and Little Mermaid hero—think Sebastian the Crab—that's more popular than ever, as a classic-yet-unconventional compatriot for fellow British favorites T Theodore and Oliver.
 Sebastian is derived from the Greek Sebastianos, meaning "from Sebastia." Sebastia was a city in Asia Minor—modern day Sivas, Turkey. Sebastian is a name with a substantial history, first as the third-century martyr whose sufferings were a favorite subject of medieval artists, then as the name of memorable characters in such varied works as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and The Tempest and Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.
 Sebastian is high on the lists in countries as widespread as Austria, Denmark, Romania, Australia and Chile. Some more down-to-earth nicknames for the relatively elaborate Sebastian not often heard in this country are Seb, Baz and Bas. 
Several celebs have chosen the sophisticated Sebastian for their sons, including James Spader, Kim Fields, Malin Akerman and Tommy Hilfiger.

Sebastian

Stephen, also spelled Steven, is a strong and likable classic, with the he's-a-great-guy short form Steve. Though not as well-used or fashionable as it was in its heyday -- it was a Top 25 name from 1946 to 1957 -- it's still a widely used name. It remains an even more popular in Ireland.
 Already common in ancient Greece, Stephen was the name of the first Christian martyr, one of the seven men chosen to help the apostles spread the gospel of Christianity. It also was the name of several popes and a British king.
 There have been innumerable pop-culture role models among its bearers, including Foster, Hawking, Sondheim, Colbert and King. Steves and Stevens, meanwhile, count Spielberg, Martin and the late Jobs among them. In literature, the name has been used by Dickens (in Hard Times), George Eliot (in The Mill on the Floss) and James Joyce (in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man).
 Among the attractive international versions are Stefan, Stefano and Stephano, Esteban and Etienne.

Stephen

A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates.
 Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton named her second son Tate Lee.
 Tate also has a cultural vibe via the Tate and Tate Modern museums in London, named for philanthropist Henry Tate. Actor Tate Donovan is a prominent current bearer.

Tate

Wren may not be as time-honored a bird name choice as Robin or even Lark, but it's more fashionable and fresh, with a gentle and earthy vibe. 
Given to just a handful of children a decade ago, in 2023 there were over 1500 girls and more than 200 boys given this fun and friendly name 
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. In the early fable The Election of the 'King of Birds', the Wren is bestowed the crown after it hides in the plumage of the Eagle, meaning it manages to fly further and higher than all other birds! Able to sing loud and complex songs, Wren makes a cool, nature, inspired choice.

 In 2023, Wren entered the Top 1000 names for boys in the US, where it fits right in with the gentle vibes of popular choices like Rowan, Ezra and August. Reminiscent of Lawrence, Lorenzo, and Warren, Wren feels at once unexpected and fun, but totally wearable too.

 While currently more popular for girls, it is on the rise as a unisex name - and the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral, gives it strength, substance and style.

Wren

Wyatt has been hot, which is to say cool, for several years now. With its easy Wyatt Earpish cowboy charm, it's relaxed but still highly respectable. 
 Wyatt is a lot more classic a name than you might guess. It's one of those names that just misses ranking in the Top 1000 for its entire 140+ year history.
 
Wyatt was derived from the Medieval English name Wyot, itself a form of the given name Wigheard, with wig meaning "war" and heard, "brave." Wyot, along with variations Wiot and Gyot, were also used by the Normans as nicknames for names such as William. Wyatt became a patronymic surname later in the Middle Ages.
 
Wyatt got one of it first modern pushes when Peter Fonda played a Wyatt in the seminal film "Easy Rider. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were among the first celebs to use Wyatt for their son born in 1986; more recently, singer Sheryl Crow chose it for her baby boy. Wyatt is also the name of the alter ego of a central character on the HBO show Westworld.
 
And even more recently, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher used the name for their baby daughter, perhaps pushing the name across the gender line, though it has a long way to go before it's considered unisex; it's still much more popular for boys than it is for girls. Does the baby name world have Wyette in its future?
 
Wyatt is also enjoying a wave of current popularity in Canada.

Wyatt

kline45's list "Favorite Boy Names + Middle Names" of 30 great name ideas: Andrew - Wyatt!

Favorite Boy Names + Middle Names

Random assortment of my fav baby boy names & middle names