2014 NBA Slam Dunk Names for Boys

Francisco is one of the more popular Spanish names for boys in the US, which is unsurprising given its popularity back in Spain and Portugal as well as Latin America, coupled with its classic status. It also has a cool hipster vibe to it, given the reputation of the city of San Francisco.

Griffin is one of the newer and most appealing of the two-syllable Celtic surnames. In English, griffin is the name of a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. It re-entered the list in 1983 after an absence of 75+ years.

Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge wave of popularity in Europe, where it ranks highly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norway.

This punchy surname has some favor in the last couple of decades—potentially due to rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was one of the quickest rising boy names in 2013 when it reached its high point at #318. It has since declined in popularity, but as of 2023, it remains in the US Top 500 and in the UK Top 1000.

Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.

Kyrie may be a name of God used widely in the ancient church refrain Kyrie Elieson, or Lord, have mercy, but it's rising in popularity for boys in the US on the strength of basketball star Kyrie Irving. Irving pronounces the first syllable of Kyrie to rhyme with my, whereas with the religious word it rhymes with fear.

The additional syllable makes Lark a masculine surname name.

Leandro is a variation of the Ancient Greek name Leander, created by combining the Latin words leo and Andro together, to get a meaning that suggests strength, power, and bravery. The Hero and Leander myth lends the name a romantic, poetical feel, while it's association to Bishop Leander of Seville gives it a more saintly quality.

O-ending short forms are almost invariably appealing, though this might seem slight as the child grows up.