Two Syllable Boy Names
- Esker
Origin:
Nature nameMeaning:
"sandy ridge"Description:
A geographical term for a long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, caused by glaciation.
- Kaïs
- Pasha
Origin:
Russian, diminutive of PavelMeaning:
"small"Description:
Your little Pasha will rule the roost. In Russia, Pasha is traditionally given to a boy born on Good Friday.
- Koren
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gleaming"Description:
An unusual, sensitive, and gently attractive Hebrew name.
- Cristian
Origin:
Spanish, Romanian and Italian form of Christian, LatinMeaning:
"follower of Christ"Description:
Both Christian and Cristian rank in the US Top 500 names for boys, and while the classic "Ch" spelling is used more than four times as often, Cristian is still given to more than 1000 boys each year, and is often used in the Hispanic community.
- Autry
Origin:
French surnameMeaning:
"noble strength"Description:
Loose, lean, and lanky cowboy-sounding names have become a recent trend, but how about the name of a real one--the Singing Cowboy Gene. Autry might be thought of as a masculine spin on the fashionable Audrey or a fresher version of Austin or Auden.Some other cowboy surnames from the Golden Age of movie and TV westerns: Boone, Boyd, Cody, Corrigan, Gibson, Hart, Holt, Houston, McCoy and Renaldo.
- Hampton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"home settlement"Description:
Names of classy places -- Aspen, Paris, and yes, Hampton -- are in favor with aspiring parents, though they don't always have the intended effect.
- Oriol
Origin:
CatalanMeaning:
"golden"Description:
Intriguing name that's a Top 100 choice in Spain and virtually unknown outside that country. But has definitely possibilities for the adventurous baby namer.
- Cale
Origin:
Diminutive of Caleb or surnameDescription:
This up-and-coming single-syllable name has a few famous bearers, including baseballer Cale Iorg and Canadian hip-hop musician Cale Sampson. Sounding like Kale, this name also has a crunchy, hipster vibe.
- Caro
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"dear"Description:
The meaning is endearing, but it also feels uncomfortably like a short form for Caroline. Its artistic reference is British sculptor Anthony Caro.
- Harker
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"deer marshland"Description:
Harker sounds like an occupational name, but this surname actually derives from several English places, meaning either "male deer", "hare" or "gray" + "marshland". It can also be a nickname for an eavesdropper or busybody... or, to put a positive spin on it, someone who is a good listener or has keen hearing. Whichever origin you prefer, it's a cool-sounding and underused name with similar sounds to Harper, but without the mostly-feminine usage.
- Rajah
Origin:
Arabic and SanskritMeaning:
"hope; ruler"Description:
Indian princely title, more exciting than Prince or Duke, that is also a widely-used name for both genders. In the US, the names Rajah and Raja are uncommon: Ten baby boys were named Rajah last year and 18 were given the Raja spelling.
- Aviv
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"springtime, freshness, youth"Description:
Strongly associated with the city of Tel Aviv. For girls, may be lengthened to Aviva; for boys, might be better abbreviated to Avi.
- Tudor
Origin:
Welsh and Romanian variation of Theodore, Teodor, or TheodoricMeaning:
"gift from God; ruler of the people"Description:
Known as a British royal family line as well as a style of architecture, this name feels both solemn and formidable, but with an intriguing "dark-academia" feel to it too. Currently in the Top 1000 in England and Wales, it is also used in Romania and Moldova.
- Rylee
Origin:
Spelling variation of RileyDescription:
The -ee suffix is decisively feminine, so it's no surprise that male usage of this name lags behind female usage.
- Marty
Origin:
Short form of Martin, LatinMeaning:
"warlike"Description:
Marty is one of those Old Man nicknames that's just starting to sound cute again.
- Fenton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"marsh town"Description:
Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but in step with the times. And Fen as a nickname is undeniably cute -- a Ben of the future.
- Pavel
Origin:
Russian variation of PaulMeaning:
"small"Description:
Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.
- Arven
Origin:
Variation of Arvin, GermanMeaning:
"friend of the people"Description:
As a male name, Arven is a variation of the friendly German Arvin. The feminine Arven is the Hungarian form of Arwen, the Tolkien princess in Lord of the Rings.
- Xanthus
Origin:
Greek, variation of XanthosMeaning:
"golden-haired"Description:
Usually spelled XANTHOS, this alternate name for APOLLO has a noble sound (pronounced ZHAN-thos) and can always be shortened to Xan.