One Syllable Names: Part 1

In keeping with other short names like PO/POE and BO, Coe is a surname that could easily move into first place. It has a sports hero factor as well, in Olympic runner Sebastian Coe--who later became a Member of Parliament.

Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland.

Also a medieval short form of Nicholas, it is still heard in Ireland and Scotland, where it has mythological resonance – Colla Uais was an ancient Irish prince who ruled over northern Britain before the arrival of Scottish settlers.

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.

Back in the day, Con was a nickname for Cornelius and Conrad. Today it feels like a pet form of Connor.

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.

Buoyant but lightweight.

Short and curt.

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.

As a word name, Court brings with it a plethora of potential meanings, from a legal gathering, to a stage for basketball or tennis, to a street. Sharp and strong, Court feels right at home with other rugged picks like Rhett and Jett. And yet, Court remains remarkably rare in the US. The alternate spelling Cort is only slightly more popular.

Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes... until COVID-19 hit. It remained steady in use for boys in 2021, but actually increased for girls, although it remains a seriously rare and distinctive choice for either gender.

Though rarely heard now, Coy has been around for a century and was not an uncommon name a hundred years ago. There have been a couple of NFL players named Coy, Coy Bowles is in the Zac Brown band, and of course there was Coy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard. Due to the flirty connotations of the word "coy", McCoy is a more popular and recommended choice today.

A cool sounding nickname with associations to Bill Cosby.

Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.