Three Letter Boy Names

The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away from trendy Kai boosts its prospects as a cool unisex name.

Lux, one of the light-filled names that include Lucy and Lucian, broke onto the scene as a girls' name but now it's decidedly gender neutral. In fact, at the last count there were slightly more boys named Lux than girls: 140 to 120. But that's pretty close, making this a truly nonbinary name.

This attractive mini-name combines multiple trends: the R initial, vowel-ending boy names, and a fantastical meaning.

Nyx is the name of the Greek goddess of the night. It's used for baby boys in small numbers.

A name known in several cultures, also through animated book character Tiger Aki. Finnish author Aki Ollikainen is another notable bearer.

The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.

This charming mini name began life as a nickname for Rodrigo but has since taken on a life of its own, ranking as an independent name in Portugal, it’s country of origin. If you’re looking to honor a Rodrigo, Roger, or Roderick in your life, Rui is an appealing international option. Ruy is a spelling variation that is more commonly seen in Spain.

Strongly linked in the US to the complex "Star Wars" character, Obi Wan Kenobi, but also popular in Nigeria as a short form of names containing the element Obi "heart".

Kim is forever feminized, despite memories of the Rudyard Kipling character.

The sidekick in almost every movie or TV show with an Italo-American setting.

One of those midcentury shortenings that are starting to sound cool again, though we prefer Van.

Both Jeb and Jed are very attractive Old Testament short forms with long and bright futures. Jeb's main current association is with the Bush brother and former governor of Florida, but the name was a mainstay on early TV westerns, and then went upscale as the nickname (his birth name being Josiah) of the President on "The West Wing."

Like Ed, Eddie and Teddy, Ted is rarely used as an independent name – in the US, at least. In the UK, Eddie ranks just outside the Top 200, Teddy ranks just outside the Top 30, and Ted is a Top 200 pick.

With Theodore rising, Ted may have new life among parents who don't want to use the short form Theo. And TV's Ted Lasso makes it a quintessential nice guy name.

Short and cool with rugged charm, Wes is a rising star in the US, climbing the charts along side Wesley and Weston and joining other one syllable options such as Mack, Jett, Tate, and Brooks. Filmmakers Wes Anderson and Wes Craven lend the name a stylish and creative air, but it also has Old Western undertones thanks to its literal meaning, "west".

A very unusual biblical name, Rei was one of David's most loyal supporters.

Tai, which rhymes with Kai, is a unisex name with a range of international references. It means the equivalent of "too much" in Chinese but is also used as a Maori name meaning "the tide" and in Romanian means "yours." While it's only ever ranked in the U.S. Top 1000 as a girls' name, during the height of the popularity of Olympic skater Tai Babilonia, Tai makes a simple intriguing modern choice for either gender.

As Bas, it's a popular name in The Netherlands, but Baz, as in director Luhrmann, has potential for independent life too.

Curiously, Australian-born Moulin Rouge director Luhrmann was born neither Sebastian nor Basil, but had the name Mark Anthony on his birth certificate; his nickname arose from his supposed resemblance to a British TV fox puppet named Basil Brush.

This name of the ten-year-old boy in the much loved and acclaimed modern classic To Kill a Mockingbird could find favor along with that of the character's sister, Scout.

This can make an unusual yet simple middle name choice, especially for anyone with family ties to Wales.

Short and to-the-point, it turns an ancient biblical name into a friendly cowboy.