Two Syllable Boy Names

A new addition to the menagerie of animal baby names — Rooster was given to five baby boys in 2019, but did not return to the charts in the following year. The word has American origins — the Puritans used it as an alternative to "cock," which developed its euphemistic meaning around the 1770s. Rooster comes from the verb "to roost," as the birds are known to do.

Baby-naming rule #984: forget any name that contains the syllable wig.

Soul singer Cuba Gooding and his actor son of the same name put this unexpected geographical name on the map for boys, but it has a longer history of use than you might expect. Deriving from the island in the Caribbean Sea, it had a brief spell of popularity in the US at the end of the 1890s when Spain lost possession of the island during the Spanish-American War. Used predominantly (though rarely) on girls throughout the last century, it has occasionally be given to a handful of boys too.

This modern variation of Murdoch spruces up a Scottish surname that is indelibly linked with controversial media magnate Rupert Murdoch. Definitely one of the more unusual boy names starting with M...or any other letter, for that matter.

Has the offbeat quality and macho feel -- like Stone and Flint -- that appeals to increasing numbers of modern parents.

Sensuous and rhythmic.

St Elwen is venerated in Cornwall and Brittany, and lent his name to several regional place names. It is also found as a surname, especially in Norfolk, England.

Association with the Irish singer-activist and the good things conjured up by the syllable 'bon', could inspire some parents to consider this name.

A century ago, a handful of boys were named Vivien or Vivian every year compared with thousands of girls. That number has now dwindled to zero.

Strong and appealing Armenian choice, but could be confused with Owen.

Sefu derives from the Arabic word sayf, meaning sword.

Amal is the name of a male figure in the Bible, a member of the tribe of Asher. Not, in this case, Mrs. George Clooney.

Mattie ranked among the Top 1000 for boys a century ago, in the heyday of the nickname-name. Today, few parents would dream of putting it on the birth certificate, preferring it as a short form for the perennially-popular Matthew. Mattie is in the Top 1000 in the U.S. for girls.

This quirky Old Testament name has potential, as parents are digging deeper into the Bible to find names for their children. It has also been used as a nickname for Obediah.

The name Lórien appears several times in Tolkien’s novels. It’s both a place name and a character name, and although the name may sound feminine due to the similarity with Lauren and Marien, Tolkein's character Lórien (Master of Visions and Dreams, also called Irmo) is male and the softness of the name will appeal to parents weary of macho names.