Two Syllable Boy Names

Sharing an etymology with Cleopatra, this masculine form of the name also has biblical ties. Cleopas was one of the men who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus following his resurrection. As a child's name, it has been a rare sight. While it does have an interesting history, it's connection to Cleopatra and obvious nickname Cleo could make it seem too feminine for some.

Basque form of Santiago

A Top 100 pick in Israel that feels simple and appealing enough to work in almost any language.

See QUENTIN and QUINTIN.

Gambit means ploy or trick, which makes it an appropriate name for a little player. Eight boys were named Gambit in the US in one recent year.

With the sprightly "Ren" and "Wren" currently in fashion, and "ley" a productive suffix to create new names, this combination was inevitable, and is chirpy and appealing. Renley has been on the US charts for girls since 2012, and for boys since 2013. It probably got a boost from the Game of Thrones character Renly Baratheon, albeit with a slightly different spelling.

Highly unlikely philosophical choice.

A masculine name in Choctaw culture. In English, it resembles the feminine name Hallie.

Traditional though not overly popular Welsh option, which may have something of a fantasy vibe elsewhere in the world.

Much stronger than Dale for a boy.

The name of the second-biggest (and third-most populous) island in Hawaii was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017. A major factor was surely Dwayne Johnson's character in Moana, the Polynesian demigod named Maui, a mythological trickster who slowed the sun to create the days. (It fell back to normal levels in the following years.)

Biblical name -- he was an ancestor of Abraham's -- rarely used today but registered on the U.S. popularity list at the end of the 19th century. With the rise of other obscure Old Testament names, just might have a shot at revival.

Balaam is a character mentioned in the Torah, said to have told King Balak how to get the Israelites to commit sin by enticing them with sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols. He is described as a "wicked man".

Rupin is one of those names that is virtually unknown in the Western world and yet is easily translated because it feels so familiar -- parts Rupert, Robin, and Reuben. A handsome choice.

Take modern virtue Brave, add the trendy -n ending, and voilà! A cool new word-meets-surname name which feels bang on trend right now.

An example of the Welsh love of naming children after rivers and places. Colwyn is rare in the States but has genuine appeal: no hidden spelling traps, and similar-yet-different to names like Colton, Colson and Colin.

Long associated with jazz great Ornette Coleman, this name's main problem is that almost all other ette-ending names -- from Annette to Paulette -- are unequivocally feminine.

Surname that is occasionally used as a given name in tribute to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Yochanan Ben Zakkai is a prominent figure in Jewish history.