One Syllable Names for Boys

Though the variation Pius is too, well, popeish, Pio might work for an ordinary boy.

Floyd was a Top 100 name from the 1880s to the 1940s that somehow developed an almost comical hayseed persona along with a touch of retro jazz cool; it's beginning to appeal to parents with a strong taste for the quirky.

The African name Ayan was first seen on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2014. It's both simple and distinctive, a winning combination.

The classic strong-yet-friendly nickname name, much used for charming movie characters.

A standard form of John in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan. Properly pronounced yahn (in most of these languages), most Americans will still equate it with the Brady Bunchesque girls' name Jan.

Win is an upbeat, can-do name that can be a short form of one of the buttoned-up British choices above or can stand on its own. Welsh Wyn is another possibility.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and singer Ciara named their son Win Harrison. Harrison is Wilson's father's first name.

This unusual Indian name, which refers to one of the names of Lord Vishnu, has been one of the fastest-growing boys' names of the last decade. It first managed to climb into the US Top 1000 in 2014. The nickname Rey Americanizes it.

A popular nickname that, over the past few decades, has acquired enough standing to work on its own, a la earlier equivalents such as Jack and Max; an alternative to Zach/Zack. Actor/singer Zac Efron--born Zachary--is an attractive current bearer.

Variant of Rewan. This spelling of the medieval saint's name is found in the place name Ruan Lanihorne in Cornwall. The name is of uncertain etymology but most likely comes from "Roman".

A locational surname with its origins in the North of England, occasionally also used as a first name. Notable bearers include actor Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things) and author and filmmaker Dacre Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker.

Pronounced like Jay, this short name is popular in South Asia and makes for a great English-South Asian crossover choice, used regularly in the UK and Australia. It can also be an alternate spelling of the English name Jay, either short for a J name or deriving from the name of the bird.

A preppier take on Rain — you could also consider Raines. The feminine version of Raine is French, related to Reina, and means "queen."

The simple and attractive Bryn is well used for boys in Wales, and does have a history as a male name in the US, although both Bryn and Brynn are currently far more popular for girls.

Fierce meaning, gentle image. This name is very common in Israel, where an endearing pet form is Dubi.

Maz is occasionally used as an independent name, as is the case for Maz Quinn, New Zealand surfer. It can also be used as a nickname for any name containing M, A, and Z. Tomaz is perhaps the most likely option for a boy.

Franz is the German equivalent to Francis, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a Franz outside of countries with Germanic origins. In America the name is often associated with celebrated author Franz Kafka, who was born in Prague.

In Maori mythology Tāne (also called Tāne Mahuta) was the god of forests and birds, son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa. Tāne was the one who pushed his powerful parents apart to create the land and sky.

Musical term with a lot of energy.