This name will tick a lot of boxes for many parents: unisex; trendy sound; pretty instinctive to pronounce; and some great namesakes including British chef Ainsley Harriott and American footballer Ainsley Battles. 

Ainsley

With many British names invading the Yankee name pool, the sophisticated Alistair could and should be part of the next wave. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. You have a triple choice with this name--the British spell it Alistair or Alastair, while the Scots prefer Alasdair--but they're all suave Gaelic versions of Alexander. Adopted by the lowland Scots by the seventeenth century, the name didn't become popular outside Scotland and Ireland until the twentieth century.
 Both Andrew Lloyd-Weber and Rod Stewart chose the Alastair spelling for their sons' names.

Alistair

Cultured and cultivated in an old-style, Old World way. Sometimes associated with the classic writer Anton Chekhov. Al Pacino has a son with this name.

Anton

With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option. 
 
But if Romeo and Venus are now deemed baby-appropriate, why not Apollo? Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno might inspire some parents. And now that it's been chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, it could take off as their first son's name—Kingston—has.
 Other cool associations include NASA's Apollo program, from 1961-72, that succeeded in putting the first humans on the moon when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their lunar module and walked on the moon's surface. There's also the historic Apollo Theatre in Harlem, on whose stage the careers of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Artetha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, the Jackson 5, and countless others were launched.

Apollo

This is a fresh new addition to the botanical list; comedian Gilbert Gottfried made it a real bouquet when he named his daughter Lily Aster. And the name of the little girl on television's Dexter sounds like Aster, but is actually spelled Astor, which brings it more high society name.
<->Aster relates to the Greek word for star.

In Ethiopia, Aster is pronounced "ah-STAIR", and is the Amharic variation of Biblical Esther.

Aster

Parents are beginning to look at imposing, somewhat fusty-sounding names like this one with fresh eyes: they definitely make a strong statement.
 Augustus originated as a title given by the Roman Senate to the first Roman Emperor, Octavian, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, in 27 B.C. and adopted by him as a name. In the U.S., Augustus reached a high of Number 175 in 1880, fell off the list in 1970, then made a return appearance in 1991, and is now on the rise once more. 
 Augustus Snodgrass is a character in Charles Dickens' novel The Pickwick Papers, and George Bernard Shaw wrote a play titled "Augustus Does His Bit." Augustus John was a famed British portrait painter, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens a well-known sculptor.
 No starbaby Augustuses as yet, but Dixie Chick Emily Robson used Augustus as a middle name for her son, and Dan Aykroyd did the same---for his daughter.
 The diminutive form, Augustine, is also an interesting option; variant Augustin was used by model Linda Evangelista; and then there is always über-popular August.

Augustus

Bodhi is a Sanskrit name translated as "enlightenment" or "awakening" which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego. The Bodhi tree is a large fig tree under which the founder of Buddhism received enlightenment. Spelling variations include Bodie and Bode.
 
Bodhi has recently been appearing as a baby name in the American celebrisphere, first heard via Bodhi Elfman, husband of Jenna. Since then it has been used by four celebrity couples as the first name for their sons, and celebrity chef Tom Colicchio as the middle name for his boy, Luka. Carly Simon and James Taylor have a grandson named Bodhi. And who remembers that it was the name of the Patrick Swayze character in the 1991 film "Point Break"?
 
As opposed to some other religious and <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/254/spiritual-baby-names">spiritual names</a>, Bodhi has an upbeat, friendly feel, similar to that of Brody and Cody.

Bodhi

This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen.  Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more widely used for boys than for girls.

Carlisle

Crispin, which was introduced into the mainstream by actor Crispin Glover and which means "curly-haired" in Latin, has an image very much like its first syllable: crisp, autumnal, and colorful.
 St. Crispin, the patron saint of shoemakers, died in the third century and, as rousingly referenced by Shakespeare, Henry V fought a great battle on St. Crispin's Day. Crispin Glover was actually named for the Shakespearean speech.
 In the Harry Potter books, Crispin Cronk is an egyptophile wizard who kept several sphinxes in his backyard.
 Crispian is an interesting, rarely used variation, as is Crispus, associated with African-American hero Crispus Atticus, the first colonist to die for independence in the Boston Massacre.

Crispin

Desmond is a sophisticated and debonair name, with noble ties to 1984 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Desmond Tutu, and with some great nicknames: Des/Dez, Desi/Dezi.
 Another notable Desmond is British zoologist and anthropologist Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape and other popular books.
 The character Desmond David Hume on Lost was named in tribute to philosopher David Hume, and the name also appears on Oz. Desmond Harrington plays Detective Joseph Quinn on Dexter. Desmond Miles is the protagonist in video game series Assassin's Creed.
 And we can't forget all the references to Desmond in the Beatles song "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"—possibly used in tribute to reggae singer Desmond Dekker.

Desmond

Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
 Ezra just misses being among the elite group of male names that's always been in the US Top 1000, having dipped below the cutoff in 1964 and '67. Ezra also makes the Top 100 for boys in other English-speaking countries along with the Netherlands.
 Ezra is an abbreviation for the Hebrew phrase Azaryahu, meaning "Yah helps". In the bible, Ezra led a group of fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. 
 
Other notable Ezras include poet Ezra Pound and New York Times political columnist Ezra Klein. Ezra Cornell was a founder of Western Union and co-founder of the university that bears his name and Ezra Jack Keats is a popular children's book author-illustrator. 
 Both Paul Reiser and Taylor Hanson are dads to boys named Ezra, and there are Ezras to be found in Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone and Daniel Deronda by George Eliot.
 And let's not forget the band—Better Than Ezra—along with rising actor Ezra Miller, Vampire Weekend musician Ezra Koenig or the character Ezra Fitz from Pretty Little Liars.
 As unlikely as it may seem, Ezra is also growing in popularity as a girls' name, making the girls' Top 1000 in 2018 ad still rising. About 450 baby girls were named Ezra last year, but about 8000 baby boys, which puts Ezra below our 10% minimum to be considered a unisex name.

Ezra

In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite.
 As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic tradition has it that Irish Prince Fergus Mac Eirc and his two brothers crossed the sea and founded the kingdom of Argyll in Scotland, thereby making this an excellent choice for parents of either country or those of combined heritage.
 Fergus has often popped up in children's literature, such as in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, and is the name of one of Shrek and Fiona's triplets. On a loftier level, there is the Yeats poem, Who Goes With Fergus? and Fergus MacIvor is a central character in Walter Scott's novel Waverley.
 With the nickname Fergie having been appropriated by two high-profile females, Gus might make a more approachable option these days.

Fergus

Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity. 
 Finn was chosen by cool couple Christy Turlington and Ed Burns for their son, and also by Jane Leeves and Autumn Reeser. Played by Cory Monteith prior to his death, Finn Hudson was a prominent character on Glee.
Other up-and-comers in the same family: Finlay and Finley, Finian and Finnian, Finnegan and Finnigan, and, from Germany, Fynn.

Finn

Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to Forester.
 One notable historical Fletcher is Fletcher Christian, the British seaman and mutineer portrayed on the screen at various times by Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Marlon Brando and Mel Gibson. A musical namesake is Fletcher Henderson, who was important in the development of big band jazz and swing music.

Fletcher

Gabriel has become a biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri’el, Gabriel is taken from the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, in reference to God.
 
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is the archangel who heralded the news of Jesus' birth, and appears in Christian, Jewish and Muslim texts. He presides over Paradise, serving as the angel of mercy, life, joy, judgment, truth and dreams. 
 In addition to all his other responsibilities, Gabriel is the patron saint of broadcasters and diplomats, and he governs Mondays and the month of January, making Gabriel one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/629/71-wonderful-names-for-january-babies">January baby names</a>. 
 
Gabriel has proven itself a friendly and appealing alternative to Michael, that other, long-reigning archangel. Gabriel enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 in countries as diverse as Israel and Iceland, Chile and Croatia. It is currently the Number 1 boys' name in France.
 Parents of Gabriels of varying ages include Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, Daniel Day-Lewis and Isabelle Adjani, Jason Alexander, Meredith Vieira, and Mia Farrow.

Gabriel

The name of a historic Irish leader, Gannon has a solid, yet spirited feel. It was one of the fastest-rising names of 2014, but that trend didn't continue. One pop culture influence was the name of Teen Mom 3 son Gannon Dewayne McKee.

Gannon

Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor. 

Hadrian

Just as Seamus/Seumus is Irish for James, Hamish is the Scottish form &mdash; one that's not often used here, but still redolent of Olde Scotland. If you're ready to go further than Duncan and Malcolm, out to Laird and Ewan territory, this may be worth consideration. It also sounds just like the Yiddish word for homey.
 In Scotland, where it became popular in the second half of the nineteenth century, Hamish is a nickname for a Highlander, and it's a high-ranking name in South Australia, where it's currently in the Top 50.
 Some people may have become familiar with Hamish via one of the grooms in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Hamish

Homer is a name that has traveled from the ancient Greek scribe of the great classical epics to Bart Simpson's doltish dad, and has also become the surprise hot celebrity pick of such parents as Richard Gere (his father's name), Bill Murray, and Anne Heche. Simpsons creator Matt Groening has both a father and a son named Homer.
 Because of the epic scope of The Odyssey and The Iliad, the term "homeric" implies work on an enormous scale, while "homeric laughter" references the unrestrained laughter of the Greek gods.
 With its quirky resume, Homer could make an interesting choice.

Homer

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
 
Jasper has a lot going for it—it's been rocketing up the ranks in the US, after long being considered a posh and charming name in England. Distinctly masculine, Jasper represents a variety of quartz—one of the few gem <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">names for boys</a>—and is the first name of the great modern artist Jasper Johns. Our only caveat: Jasper is a favorite of a lot of hip parents, and has gotten even more popular since its strong appearance in the Twilight books and movies.
 Jasper has considerable literary cred as well, appearing in works by Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper, Thackeray, and Thomas Hardy--as well as Stephenie Meyer. 
 Casper/Caspar is the German version.

Jasper

Lars is a perfect candidate for a cross-cultural passport: it has been heard often enough here to sound familiar and friendly, yet retains the charisma of a charming foreigner.
 In this country Lars has been particularly associated with two Danes--Metallica's Lars Ulrich and film director Lars von Trier. In the 2007 movie Lars and the Real Girl, protagonist Lars Lindstrom was played by Ryan Gosling.

Lars

The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents.
 
A name with a royal heritage in its native country in the Ladislaus form, it is still among the top Hungarian names for boys. In Hungary, Laszlo is pronounced with a soft S sound.
 
Laszlo is probably most familiar to Americans via the noble Paul Henreid character in Casablanca, who was Czech. There have been other fictional Laszlos in Real Genius and the Doctor Who series, and Laszlo is the name of the Ralph Fiennes character in The English Patient.
 
Real life namesakes include painter Moholy-Nagy and acclaimed cinematographer Kovacs. Two well-known actors who were born with the name Laszlo are Peter Lorre and Leslie Howard.
 
The spelling of the name is sometimes streamlined to Lazlo.

Laszlo

Leif is one of the most recognizable <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/173/scandinavian-names">Scandinavian names</a>, thanks to Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and is still one of the best, with a pleasant aural association with the word leaf. 
 Leif Erikson, son of explorer Eric the Red, was the first European to land in North America--some five hundred years before Columbus. Centuries later, the name became associated in the U.S. with 1970s teen idol Leif Garrett, the name peaking on the charts at Number 654 in 1970, dropping off completely in 1987. It climbed back onto the Top 1000 in 2014.
 Pronounced LAYF in its Scandinavian milieu, Leif and Lief are sometimes pronounced as Leaf in English-speaking countries. Joaquin Phoenix was for a time known as Leaf, in keeping with the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a> of his siblings.

Leif

The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.

That's an astonishing success story for a name that was virtually unknown a generation ago. Only 13 baby boys were named Luca in the US in 1980, and by 1990 it was still only 32. But by the turn of the century, Luca took off and has now surpassed his more familiar brother Luke in the US.

Boy names ending in vowel sounds may have felt too feminine to early generations who lived by more conventional gender rules. And that old school he-man America also may have rejected names like Luca for being too "foreign". But in this era of Noah and Mateo, Elijah and Ezra, Luca has finally found widespread acceptance.
Along with its popularity in the US, Luca ranks highly in a range of countries that speak English, Spanish, French, and German, among others. While Luca is technically related to Luke and Lucas and so takes their ancient Roman habitational meaning, you might also see it as a relative of Lucius or Lucian, meaning light.
 Colin Firth and his Italian wife chose Luca for one of their sons, as did Hilary Duff, Vincent d'Onofrio, Rebecca Minkoff, and Jacinda Barrett and Gabriel Macht.

Luca

Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary cred comes from one of the two star-struck young men in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as one of the twin sons (the other being Lorcan) of Luna Lovegood, whom we learn about in the Harry Potter epilogue.
 Previously confined to the nurseries of Mayfair and Belgravia, we think Lysander could easily emigrate to the playgrounds of Park Slope.

Lysander

Malcolm is a warm and welcoming Scottish appellation (originally Mael-Colium) that fits into that golden circle of names that are distinctive but not at all odd. A royal name in Scotland, Malcolm is also a hero name for many via radical civil rights activist Malcolm X. 
 Malcolm was the name of four Scottish kings — including the son of Duncan who succeeded to the throne after Macbeth murdered his father — and has been a standard in that country.
 Denzel Washington named one of his sons Malcolm, as did Harrison Ford.
 Actor Malcolm McDowell is one current bearer. Other namesakes are writer Lowry; bestselling author and trendspotter Gladwell; Sex Pistols musician McLaren; and actor Jamal Warner. There have also been several Malcolms on TV — e.g., in Malcolm in the Middle, Firefly and in the Outlander series. There were no fewer than three characters named Malcolm in the Harry Potter books.

Malcolm

Popular among Hispanic communities but also used internationally, Manuel is a name with a regal history. 
 
In use since the 13th century, Manuel was likely brought to Spain and Portugal from the Byzantine Empire thanks to connections between their royal families. Borne by two Byzantine emperors and two Portuguese kings, Manuel has been used fairly consistently throughout history and into the present.

In the US, Manuel has been a staple feature in the Top 1000 since the data began to be collected in the late 19th century. Until recently, this Spanish variant had always outranked its English counterpart, but since the mid 2000s, Manuel has been in decline while Emmanuel has been on the rise.

Still in the Top 500, but at its lowest ever rank, Manuel is currently given to around 1000 boys each year in the States.
 
Across the globe, Manuel has fared better. It remains well used in Spain, Portugal and Italy, across South America, and in The Netherlands and Germany too.

Manny and Manu are popular nickname options, with Manu gaining traction as a stand-alone choice in The Netherlands.

Manuel

Based on the ancient name Marcellus, drawn from Mars the god of war, Marcello -- it's pronounced mar-chell-o -- is one of the most lush and attractive Latin names.

Marcello

Simple and universal, Marco is a Latin classic that would make a much livelier namesake for an Uncle Mark. It was used for her son by actress Jill Hennessy and goes well with surnames of any nationality.
 Marco, related to the Roman god Mars, has long been associated with Marco Polo, the thirteenth century Venetian merchant-traveler who was instrumental in introducing Europeans to Asian culture. Eugene O'Neill wrote a play called Marco Millions, based on the life of Marco Polo.
 More recent noteworthy Marcos are Marco Andretti, Indy race car driver grandson of the legendary Mario, and Marco Rubio, Florida senator. The name can also be found in two early Dr. Seuss books.

Marco

This attractively energetic Italian version of the classic Matthew is primed to move further and further into mainstream American nomenclature. Mateo is technically the Spanish version, but many parents in the US use the two spellings interchangeably. 
 
In the US, about 12,000 baby boys were named Mateo, Matteo, or Teo in 2021, vaulting the name in all versions into the Top 10. Mateo alone, by far the most popular version, lies just outside the Top 10.
 Actor Colin Firth has a son called Matteo, as does Ricky Martin; the Benjamin Bratts and Tom Colicchios have boys named Mateo. We're sure that both these spellings will keep climbing in tandem, sharing the possibility of the lively nickname Teo.

Matteo

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

Mica is not the same name -- though it sounds the same -- as Micah, but the h makes it feel more masculine.

Mica

Monte, pronounced with two syllables as brother Monty, is an old-fashioned nickname-name that's reclaiming a certain amount of dash and charm. It was recently chosen by actor Guy Pearce--which may signal a comeback.
 
Alternatively, it comes from the Spanish and Italian word for mountain and therefore has a direct nature link. Popular in Armenia, it could work as an alternative for Dante.

Monte

Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own.  But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname name of the future.

Monty

Morgen

Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers. 
 Like most <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/160/german-names">German names</a>, Otto fell out of favor during and after the two World Wars – it had been a Top 100 name in the years preceding. Off the Top 1000 from the mid-1970s until 2011, Otto is now headed straight uphill.
 <br/
There were some distinguished Ottos before the imperial image of Prussian Otto von Bismarck colored the name. Otto the Great is generally considered the founder of the Holy Roman Empire and there were several German and Austrian royals with the name. 

 Otto Frank was the father of Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who wrote her famous diary during her family's years in hiding from the Nazis during World War II. She was killed in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945 and her father Otto typed and edited the diary himself to prepare it for publication. 

 Otto Hightower is a character in the Game of Thrones universe, played by Rhys Ifans in the HBO prequel House of the Dragon.

 Feminine forms of Otto include Ottoline, Ottilie, Odilia and Odette, all fashionable in the UK along with Otto itself.

Otto

One of the first generation of surname names, along with Porter and Morgan, Parker's still one of the most appealing and remains firmly in the Top 100 for boys. About three times as many boys as girls get this occupational name. The association with Charlie Parker gives Parker itself a jazzy edge, and it also has a nature-related meaning. Rosie O'Donnell has a son named Parker.

Parker

Phineas is the English variation of Phinehas, a Hebrew name likely derived from the Egyptian name Pa-nehasi. Pa-nehasi, meaning "the Nubian" can also be translated as "the bronze-colored one." The Egyptians distinguished themselves from their Nubian neighbors through differences in skin tone.
 
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake gave it star-cred when they used it for their son in 2020, but it was Julia Roberts who drew the biblical Phineas into the limelight back in 2004. She chose the even-more-antique spelling Phinnaeus for her twin son, now called Finn. Phineas had last been heard from via circus impresario Phineas T. Barnum, until it was brought somewhat up to date via the Disney Channel animated show Phineas and Ferb.
 
Anthony Trollope combined name and nickname for the young, handsome and charming Irish lawyer hero of his eponymous novel, Phineas Finn. Phineas is also the name of three biblical personages and was popular among the seventeenth century Puritans. Jazz pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr. is a contemporary namesake.
 
Trivia note: In early movies, characters named Phineas had nicknames like Prune, Whipsnake and Whoopee.
 
Bottom line: A quirky path to nickname Finn.

Phineas

A slim, elegant, silvery surname, Reed could be a banker or a sculptor, and therein lies the appeal of this simple yet distinctive name. The versatile Reed can be seen as a grass-like nature name and a musical name.
 There have been Reeds on Grey's Anatomy and Party of Five, as well as on the big screen in Boogie Nights. Reed Richards was the human name of the scientific genius who became Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four.
 The many notables who wore Reed as a surname include army surgeon Walter, basketball coach Willis, Brady Bunch dad Robert, critic Rex, director Sir Carol, actors Donna and Oliver, and singer-songwriter Lou.
The name can also be spelled Reid.

Reed

Rigby is a rather stiff British surname, which might call to mind the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" or, from the recent past, Cathy Rigby, the first American woman to win a medal in World Gymnastics competition.  The problem with Rigby may be its similarity to the word "rigid."

Rigby

This distinguished surname belonged to one of Ireland's great princely families. Its many variations include Rourke (as in actor Mickey), and O'Rourke. The family surname is thought to be one of the oldest in the world, originating in the tenth century, following the death of a young prince named Ruarc. It has literary cred via Howard Roark, the protagonist of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

Roark

Ronan is the compelling legendary name of twelve Irish and Scottish saints that is now drawing some deserved attention; this cousin of the ascending Roman and Rowan was chosen by actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his writer-director wife Rebecca Miller in 1998, and more recently by actress Catherine Bell.
 Ronan is a Harry Potter name—that of a centaur who lives in the Forbidden Forest. Ronan Keating is an Irish singer, Ronan Farrow is a TV personality and Hollywood scion, and its presence as a surname is represented by young actress Saoirse Ronan.

Ronan

Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of sight now, the quirky Roscoe deserves a place on every adventurous baby-namer's long list. It joins Rufus, Roman, Remy, Romulus, and Ray as one of the R names that sound fresh again after too many years of Robert, Richard, and Ronald.
Originally a place and surname, Roscoe had its glory days in the 1880s, when it reached as high as Number 138, then gradually declined, possibly damaged by the scandals surrounding silent star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, and then the hillbilly image it acquired thanks to Sheriff Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard. 
Roscoe has been out of the Top 1000 since 1978 but feels very much in step with the trending o-ending boy names popular now, such as Milo, Hugo, and Otto.
Trivia tidbit: The R in Edward R. Murrow stands for Roscoe; the distinguished newsman's first name was really Egbert.

Roscoe

Like Friends, Ross is off the air and into syndication as a baby name, having plummeted from its zenith in the late 80s to fall off the US Top 1000 in 2013. Today, Ross is more likely to be a dad name than a newborn name.
 Ross originated as one of the many <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/428/scottish-baby-names">Scottish names</a> taken from the surname of a famous clan, and is a place name in that country as well. It's a quiet, understated Celtic name that could come back in the current climate of single-syllable boy name popularity, though it will probably take a few years.
 Other notable Rosses besides the Ross Geller character include tycoon and maverick presidential candidate H. (for Henry) Ross Perot, mystery writer Ross (born Kenneth) Macdonald, and one of the twin sons of Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau.

Ross

A jaunty offshoot of Sullivan, Sully will be associated by kids with the beloved character in the Pixar animated film Monsters, Inc. Some notable real-life namesakes are French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme, the heroic pilot "Sully" Sullenberger, and Sully Erna, lead vocalist of Godsmack.

Sully

Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts. 
Its popularity may have peaked in the 1970s when it reached #66, but Wesley has never really gone out of style. It’s always remained inside the US Top 200, making it a modern classic, solid and familiar but not too overused. 
Now, Wesley is receiving renewed interest, joining Wyatt, Waylon, Maverick, Weston and Beau in the Top 100, as parents turn towards surnames-as-given-names and to names that feel both preppy and cowboyish. 
Derived from an English surname – which likely came from an English place name – Wesley means “western meadow” or “western clearing.” It was first used as a given name in the 1700’s, when parents chose it in honor of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. 
Wesley’s popularity has spread since then and it’s no longer tied to these religious associations. Instead, it has a number of other noteworthy bearers, including: the military general and politician, Wesley Clark; the actor, Wesley Snipes; the film directors, Wes Anderson and Wes Craven; the jazz guitarist, Wes Montgomery; and TV personality, Wes Nelson. 
The name might also be remembered by the fans of several TV classics, including “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and “Last of the Summer Wine,” all of which have featured a fictional Wesley. 
Despite these notable namesakes, Wesley is currently only popular in the US. Though it has seen some usage in England, Wales, and France in recent years, it has yet to move into the spotlight. 
Handsome and charming, Wesley is given to more than 4000 boys each year in the US, and following its recent trajectory, it could well move further up the charts. If you’re wanting to avoid a popular choice but love Wesley, the similar Westley ranks much lower. You could also consider Casey, Halston, Dempsey, or Layton.

Wesley

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

ammedico's list "Boy's First Names" of 47 great name ideas: Ainsley - Wyatt!

Boy's First Names

First names for boys to go with the Italian last name Medico. Italian, Mexican, and Irish roots from parents