the ultimate list of boy names

A classic Top 10 name in Iceland, where it is the predominant form of John.

This Top 5 boys' name in Iceland has a nature meaning that makes a lot of sense in that icy country.

Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.

Manly almost to the point of macho.

Lovers of the name Carter and the Kardashians method of baby naming have popularized this choice, one of many boys' names starting with K that began life as boys' names starting with C. Karter has been in the charts since 2005, riding on the success of the original Carter. Since 2014, Karter has been just inside the Top 200.

This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown- and black-skinned people in the style of European Old Masters, was born in Los Angeles of an African-American mother and a Yoruba father and was also a twin, thus his name. An attractive and creative choice for either gender.

Kenzo is a common Japanese name with several creative bearers: the single-named fashion designer, prizewinning architect Kenzo Takada, and painter Kenzo Okada, which makes it internationally recognizable.

Kija was a legendary king who brought Chinese civilization -- including rice and writing -- to the Korean people, probably in the 2nd century BC. Kija is also the name of a group of Aboriginal people in Australia. Though the original Kija was male, this name would work better for girls in the modern Western world.

Kingsley is a sophisticated Harry Potter name that entered the US Top 1000 in 2013.

Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son.

Kiwa, one of the most popular Maori names for boys in New Zealand, is the name of several ocean guardians in Maori mythology. It's part of a poetic name for the Pacific ocean.

An Asian name that would be easily understood in this country.

A name with Old Norse roots that at one time existed alongside the name Kárr, although Kári is the dominant form today. In recent years, it's been common in Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

A unisex Chinese name with a range of meanings, depending on the characters used. As a Chinese male name, "mountain mist" is one of the main reasons. In Vietnamese, it means "orchid".
>
In Slovenia, Lan is a short form of the Slavic name Milan, and currently one of the most popular baby boy names,

Landon is a popular surname name; it's been dropping slightly in recent years but has surpassed its once more popular rhyming cousin Brandon. For some it may bring back nostalgic memories of Little House on the Prairie 's understanding Pa, played by Michael Landon.

Lavi is a rare member of the trendy leonine group of names in the US, but in Israel it's among the Top 10 boy names. It makes a good alternative to Levi.

Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for thirteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.

Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart.

For centuries this name was associated primarily with the towering figure of Italian Renaissance painter-scientist-inventor Leonardo da Vinci, and was scarcely used outside the Latin culture.

An extremely popular choice in its native Hungary (at #3 for the past decade), Levente is an ancient Hungarian royal name, in use since at least the 10th century. This name sounds the same but has a different derivation to the Turkish name Levent.