One Syllable Names for Boys

Intriguing, when seen as a water name a la River and Ocean, but too close to cultural appropriate if used as a reference to the Creek tribe of Native Americans. Another downside is its resemblance to creak, as in creaky bones or floorboards, and to unappealing words like creep and creak.

A fresh, green, rising nature name for girls that would make a cool possibility for a baby boy as well. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 for boys a handful of times since naming records began.

Moshe is the original Hebrew form of Moses, also spelled Mosheh. In the past it was changed to names like Morris, Moe and Maurice.

Rare, with a gleaming, golden image.

A unisex name for which pronunciation differs by gender — the masculine variation is often homophonous with Case, while the feminine is a variation of Casey. Kayce was among the fastest-rising names of 2022, jumping 490 spots, thanks to the cool-cowboy association from character Kayce Dutton on the hit TV Western Yellowstone. This Kayce's name is pronounced like "Casey", leading to the rise of Casey as well for both boys and girls.

Asking for trouble.

Fane, used as a nickname in the Middle Ages for someone with a cheerful disposition, is one of the more offbeat members of the Zane-Kane family.

The origin of the Anglicized Ryan, this Irish name feels like a brighter and fresher alternative.

Paz is an appealing Spanish name meaning "peace", derived from the Latin "pax". It's usually feminine in Spanish, but could also make an interesting literary choice for a boy, honoring the writer Octavio Paz.

In the old days, this might have been a short form for Dewitt, but today it's more likely to appear as a witty word name. We approve.

Gives middle-aged Neil a new lease on life.

A two-initial nickname occasionally used on birth certificates.

Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.

Popular Dutch name that reflects the short, clipped style in vogue in that country. Another Bartholomeus or Bartholomew short form also popular there is Bart.

Five is a number name introduced to the lexicon by famous crazy baby namers The Novogratz Family. Five is, yes, their fifth child, who happens to be a boy, but there's no reason Five -- and Seven and Eleven -- can be unisex baby names.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

Forbes is a business magazine in the U.S., long led by Malcolm Forbes, with a buttoned-down Brooks Brothers image. If you name your son Forbes, you're definitely implying a connection to the prominent and wealthy family -- which may be exactly what you're intending. But if you have a more down-to-earth image in mind, try Field.

Popular name in the Netherlands that's arguably more attractive than the original Shem, who was one of the biblical sons of Noah. A Sam alternative, though you'll forever be explaining it.

Many European cultures spell Christopher with a K and thus the short form Kris. There were about 35 baby boys named Kris, just Kris, in the US last year, and only a handful of baby girls -- this after the name ranking in the Top 1000 for both genders from the late 1940s through the 1970s. However you spell it, it's an appealing name that's in a slump right now because of overexposure. It's also one of the original gender neutral names, paving the way for a new way of thinking about names and gender.

Military word names, from Cannon to Major, are in, but Tank might push things a bit too far.