No longer tied to the hapless Ace Ventura, this jaunty, high-flying nickname name is starting to take flight among celebrity and other parents, with its countless positive references to doing well in tests and poker games, on the tennis court and golf course, and in the air.
 Natalie Appleton, Tom Dumont, Jennie Finch, and Jessica Simpson all have little Aces. The best known grownup with the name is Ace Frehley, born Paul, one-time KISS guitarist.

This nature name hasn't escaped the hippie dippy air of others like River or Sky. 

Refers, in literal terms, to a curved line -- as in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famed "arc of justice." Could also be used as a reference to Joan of Arc -- Arc being, there, derived from her father's name, rather than a place -- or, conceivably, to Noah's Ark.

Arch can be used as a nickname for Archibald or a stand-alone word name — perhaps for the child of an architect.

Arch

Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur., coming from an ancient word for ""a bear,"" and used in the sense of ""outstanding warrior"" or ""champion."" A pagan High King of Ireland, Art’s rule was so honest that two angels hovered over him in battle.

Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or any other "Ash" name.

Axe, spelled like this, is used for a handful of baby boys in the US each year. You can see it as one of the new weapon names, along with Dagger and Beretta, or as an abbreviation of the very popular Axel.

Bale

Banks as a girls' name was brought into the lexicon by actress Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma, who chose it for their daughter, Banks Violet. As both a surname and a word name, Banks refers to financial establishments as well as river banks.

Banks

Great Irish middle name choice for Shakespeare lovers. 

Bard

Once you get past thinking of it as a red-painted building where they keep cows and hay, has a nice plainspoken country-like feel and may make a cooler diminutive than the still-purple Barney.

Barn

Bartholomew is one vintage name with Biblical antecedents that hasn't risen again in the modern world, perhaps because short form Bart, as in Simpson, would be too difficult for a contemporary boy to bear.  But antique nickname Bat might work better.  Might.

Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. 

With the tide coming in on a new wave of word names, this one just might catch on, especially for parents who relish sun, sand, and surf. Forest lovers can spell it Beech, like the tree. 

Beach

Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape.  Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his boy Buddy, and more recently Alicia Silverstone called her son Bear Blu., followed by Kate Winslet's Bear Blaize. It's part of a current trend normalizing once aggressive animal names like Wolf and Fox. Bear is now Number 218 on Nameberry and in the Top 900 in England.

Bear

Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
 Beau also has something of a dapper image, thanks to the fashionable Beau Brummell (born George), which led to the stylish New York mayor Jimmy Walker being called Beau James. Other notable Beaus had more formal names at birth—Beaus Bridges and Biden were both the third sons in their families to carry their fathers' names: Lloyd Vernet Bridges III and Joseph Robinette Biden III.
 P.C. Wren's novel Beau Geste was a major bestseller in its day and was also a popular movie—in that case Michael was the character's birth name. Many will remember that the child of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes in Gone With the Wind was called Beau, and there was also a Beau on the old TV western Maverick.
 And if you want a more substantial name on the birth certificate, try Beauregard.
 Art Garfunkel, Emma Bunton, Wendy Wilson, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and now Tori Spelling all have sons named Beau.

Beau

The popular single-named alternative singer (born Bek) has given this cool nature-meets-surname name a new lease of life. Another notable bearer is Beck Weathers, a Texan pathologist who survived the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, which was covered in the book and film Into Thin Air.

 Outdoorsy yet refined, Beck still sits below the radar but could follow brother Beckett up the charts.

Beck

We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha Bee, not to mention Aunt Bee on the old The Andy Griffith Show TV show. Bee can theoretically be short for any <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girl names starting with B</a>.

If you prefer the woods to the ocean, you'll want to name your son (or daughter) Beech instead of Beach.

Beech

Beige

These days, it's more likely you'd call your daughter the popular Belle or Bella.

Bell

Bets

The quintessential midcentury nickname, famously found in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman." 

Biff is late 19th century slang meaning to "hit", so Biff may have originated as a nickname for a tough guy. We'd object to it as a name, but it's hard to imagine anyone using it today outside of a symbolic name in a play.

Biff

Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names. 

Bill

A name that's unusual in that changing the i to a y -- as in Byrd -- makes it more masculine.

Bird

Unlike Rose and Blue, this color name is Not Ready for Prime Time. 

Black

One of the new crop of boys' names that manage to be unconventional and macho at the same time — though Blade verges on the threatening. 

Blade

Originally a form of the saint's name Blaise, though now more likely to be a hot word name used for both sexes, though heavily weighted toward the boys. It has been in the boys' Top 1000 since the year 2000.
 br>On the pop culture side of things, Blaze Bayley is a singer and musician who has been connected to the bands Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden.

Blaze

If you use this for a boy, it had better be a family name, hidden away in the middle. 

Bliss

Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name. 

Blue

While Ivy Blue has made the color a popular choice for girls, Blues — as in the musical style — feels more masculine. We think it has potential as a laid-back name that oozes cool for those wanting to avoid more obvious choices like Indigo or Hendrix.

Blues

For 007 fans, a great middle name choice -- or even a first. 

Bond

Boo as a first name first achieved notoriety as the name of the child-man in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Arthur "Boo" Radley was meant to be frightening, but only in a simple, non-threatening way. More recently, Boo has been used as the middle name of one of chef Jamie Oliver's children and the nickname in the middle of television's Honey Boo Boo. Boo is also the name of the world's cutest dog and of the adorable little girl in Monsters Inc. In a more basic way, Boo is a term of endearment.

Boon

Short but not particularly sweet surname. 

Booth

Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds.  Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color barrier by hiring Jackie Robinson for the Dodgers.
Like Leaf, Branch makes a nice, not-so-obvious, addition to the tree category.

Branch

Rugged and straightforward brand-new name, though you might not like the idea of branding your son. 

Brand

Most will see this as a refreshing middle name possibility, but Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston used it as a first name for his new daughter, Breeze Beretta. 

Breeze

This is an Anglicized form of various names; the Irish Gaelic O Bruic; German, Bruck or Breck, meaning "swamp" or "wood"; Yiddish, Brik, "bridge"; and Slovenian, Bric, "dweller from a hilly place." Gosh, and we thought it was just a macho word name invented by Tennessee Williams for the hero of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Brick

A new name with the potential for spanning across a far-reaching future. Bridges and Bridger are other possiblities.

Bridge

Rare word name that works for either gender.

Bright

Brisk

Now that the popularity of Brooke is waning, and surname style variant Brooks is on the rise, Brook seems live a newly fresh nature-inspired option.

Brook

A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image. 
Used occasionally as a given name throughout the 20th century, Brooks gained serious attention during the 2010’s. Following fast on the heels of stylish Kai and classic Jack, Brooks is now in the US Top 100. 
Derived from the English surname Brook, meaning “one who lives near the steam”, Brooks could appeal to anyone who wants an outdoorsy <a href=“https://nameberry.com/list/756/best-nature-names-for-boys”> name connected to nature</a> and to those enjoy the sleek, smart trend of <a href=“https://nameberry.com/list/358/surname-baby-names”>surnames as first names.</a> 
While it might feel very contemporary, Brooks has made its mark on history. Brooks Calbert Robinson played for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977 and is considered one of the greatest third basemen ever. Other notable namesakes include: Brooks Atkinson an influential theatre critic; Brooks Betts, the guitarist of rock band “Mayday Parade”;E. B White, the author of Charlotte’s Web, who was born Elwyn Brooks; and Brooks Harris, a physicist. 
With a more masculine slant than Brooke or Brooklyn, Brooks is given to over 4000 boys each year. It could be set to rise higher in the charts over the coming years, so if you enjoy the cool, surname-y style, you could also consider Boone, Wilder, Mack, Adair, Boyd, and Briggs as less popular alternatives.

Brooks

Comedian Roseanne Barr chose this macho nature name for her son. In the 18th century it was used to describe a dashing, fashionable dressed man. Buck fits in well alongside names like Beck, Jack and Huck. 

 The traditional name of the full moon in July, Buck Moon, relates to the fact that the antlers of male deer reach their peak growth around this time of year.

Buck

This is a name you get stuck with, not (we hope) one your parents choose for you. 

Has too many slangy connotations to be considered. 

Buff

Burn

Brother for Biff and Bud.   McFly rocker Tom Fletcher transformed this from midcentury short form to modern cool name when he used it for his newborn son.

Buzz

Base

Bash

Bass

Bead

Beam

Becks 

Bless

Blink

Blithe

Blive

Bloom

Bolt

Boom

Boots

Brace

Brave

Brim 

Brink

Bronze

Even for lovers of Cab (born, yes, Cabell) Calloway's music, the connection to 'Taxi!' is too strong.

Cache

A modern virtue name, particularly desirable in this pressure-cooker world. 

Calm

Cane

The lead character of the Captain America movies, played by Chris Evans, is occasionally called Cap, short for "captain," but even he has a real name. (Steve Rogers, ICYC)

Card

A brisk and unconventional name that could be a style stand-in for confederates Casey, Chase, Cale, and Cade. 

Case

May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge.  Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.

Though it sounds like a modern invention, Champ actually has a long history as a first name. It hit the Top 1000 several times just before and after the turn of the 20th Century. Champ Bailey was an NFL cornerback for 15 seasons before retiring in 2014. His given name, though, is Roland.

Champ

Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the name's popularity.

Chance

Chase, with its sleek and ultraprosperous aura, is redolent of the worlds of high finance and international banking. Chase has been well used during the last few decades, seen as a character on 24 and on several young-audience shows. 
 There are a disproportionate number of football stars name Chase.

Chase

Chess

Chick

Only if you're madly nostalgic for sixties TV. 

Chip

So far out it's almost ready to be let back in. 

Chuck

Clay is a rich, earthy one-syllable name with a southern-inflected handsome-rogue image, featured on soap operas and reality TV. Its longer forms are Clayton and Clayborne. 
 There have been TV characters called Clay on The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, and 13 Reasons Why, and the name's most prominent recent bearers are American Idol Clay (born Clayton) Aiken and Green Bay Packer linebacker Clay (born William Clay) Matthews.

Clay

Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.

Cliff

Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. 

Cloud

Clove is one of a whole tantalizing genre of spice names that might work for a boy.  Clovis could be considered a long form.

Clove

This recently coined respelling of Cole darkens its image. 

Coal

Colt is the kind of unconventionally macho name that is so trendy right now, because of or in spite of its association with horses and guns. 
 Samuel Colt was the inventor and industrialist credited with popularizing the revolver.
 Colt is a perfect jock name, associated both with Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy and an entire football team, the Indianapolis Colts.

Colt

This is the kind of strong one-syllable boy's name many parents are seeking these days. The more musical Chord was introduced by hot young actor Chord Overstreet.


Cord

Cork

Nobility names like Duke and Count seem to be forming a minitrend: actor Danny Bonaduce named his son Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino. Beat that. Or wait: don't. 

Count

Lennie's list "One Syllable Word Names Part 1" of 264 great name ideas: Ace - Zoom!

One Syllable Word Names Part 1

Most word names are unisex, feel free to ignore the colours.