Five Letter Boy Names

A name that could set an Indian boy on a path to leadership.

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.

There once was a moralizing fabulist who tried to make it as a baby name...and failed.

A great uncommon English-Arabic crossover choice, easily pronounceable internationally.

Nevis — as in the island in the West Indies making up the nation St. Kitts and Nevis — was derived from the Spanish name Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, meaning "Our lady of the snows"

Viraj is a Hindu mythological name for a figure associated with creation. Viraj is becoming more popular in the US, still mostly among parents of Indian descent.

Alain gives the midcentury Alan a bit of gallic dash.

Taron and its twin Taran may both be variations of Taranis, the name of the Celtic thunder god. Taranis is thought to be a counterpart to the better-known Norse god Thor. There was also a 7th century King of the Picts named Taran mac Ainftech. Both Taron and Taran were used for about 30 baby boys in the US last year. Two notable modern bearers: Welsh actor Taron Egerton and South African-born filmmaker Taron Lexton.

A fresh Dutch take on George, although you’re likely to get pronunciation errors upon first meetings.

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

Iraia is one of those rare names that exists as a male form in one culture -- in this case, Maori -- and in a female form with a totally different meaning and derivation. New Zealand actor Jemaine Clement, who is a descendant of the progressive Wairarapa chief Iraia Te Whaiti, named his son Sophocles Iraia.

Gives middle-aged Neil a new lease on life.

This bold and straightforward name is a common variant of Tariq in Turkey and Bosnia and is used as an alternate spelling in Arabic-speaking countries.

As a masculine name, Kenna originates in the Oromo language of Ethiopia, in which it means "to offer" or "to present." It is unrelated to the feminine name Kenna, which is a variation of Kenneth.

Simple, attractive, and worldly, would fit in with the Kierans and Kylans in the preschool class.

Jireh is a spiritual name that has been rising significantly for both sexes in recent years, although still remains quite rare. Jehovah-Jireh was the location of the binding of Isaac, where Jehovah told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.

The late great singer-songwriter Warren Zevon would make a worthy namesake.

Nikau is among the most popular Maori names for boys in New Zealand. It sounds like a cousin to Nicholas, but Nikau is actually the name of a palm tree native to the islands.

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).