50 Baby Boy Names with Animal Meanings

Looking for a cool animal-inspired name for a baby boy? From classics like Leo to more unusual options like Bear, here's our carefully curated list of animal names for baby boys.

1. Leo. Roaming America's playground since the beginning of recorded baby name history.
2. Leonardo. The Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of Leonard. Its most noted American bearer: actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
3. Leon. Another option inspired by the king of the jungle, Leon means "lion" in Spanish.
4. Colt. Evokes horses and guns, as well as the American football quarterback Colt McCoy.
5. Zander. A diminutive of Alexander, a standalone boys' name, and a species of ray-finned fish.
6. Leonel. A variation of the classic Lionel; popular in the Spanish-speaking world.
7. Leonidas. Of Greek origin, Leonidas is widely held to mean "son of a lion". History buffs may recognize Leonidas as the name of a courageous king who ruled Sparta during the fifth century BC.
8. Drake. Word for a male duck, though we prefer its other meaning, "dragon".
9. Leonard. Related to the Old High German Leonhard comprised of the elements leon, meaning "lion", and hard, meaning "brave" or "hardy", this name has come to mean "strong as a lion". Saint Leonard of Noblac adds a religious dimension.
10. Lionel. A low-key classic with leonine roots and a slew of notable bearers, including musicians Richie and Hampton, actors Barrymore and Jeffries, and of course, the towering soccer legend Lionel Messi.
11. Bjorn. Masculine given name of Scandinavian origin, meaning "bear".
12. Bear. This 21st-century riser may be short on tradition, but it already has quite some fans, including Kate Winslet and Alicia Silverstone, who named their sons Bear in the early 2010s.
13. Robin. A unisex mid-century moniker with an avian twist, perfect for any bird-loving retro couple's new arrival, boy or girl.
14. Adler. Surname-turned-boy's-name, Adler means "eagle" in German.
15. Fox. A key member of the wild animal name contingent that, in addition to Fox, includes names like Bear and Wolf.
16. Zev. Means "wolf" in Hebrew.
17. Wren. More popular for girls, though.
18. Aryeh. Variant of Arieh.
19. Wolf. A nickname for Wolfgang and Wolfram, Wolf also works as an independent given name. Its most noted bearer: broadcast journalist Wolf Blitzer.
20. Orson. Cool comeback name with a cute animal meaning ("bear cub") and literary overtones via Orson Welles.
21. Marlin. Marlin may be a fish, but it's also a legit baby name.
22. Hawk. Hawk has suddenly flown onto the baby name scene. What do you think: yay or nay?
23. Wolfe. The E at the end gives this animal name a cool surname-name feel.
24. Lynx. An edgy boys' name with an unambiguous meaning.
25. Tiger. Undoubtedly influenced by Mr. Woods.
26. Lion. Given the rise of such names as Bear and Fox, Lion sounds more possible now than ever.
27. Merle. This one means "blackbird" in French.
28. Peregrine. For some, this name summons the peregrine falcon; for others, it's the name of a medieval saint.
29. Lio. A variation of Leo.
30. Finch. First documented as a baby name in 2011.
31. Aquila. This one has a lot going for it: a cool avian meaning ("eagle", from Latin), unisex appeal, and biblical bona fides via the early Christian missionary couple "Priscilla and Aquila" described in the New Testament.
32. Fin. Take the hugely popular Finn, drop an N, and there's an animal name waiting!
33. Heron. Herons may be long-legged, long-necked shorebirds, but Heron also makes a good baby name, perfect for the son of a bird-loving couple.
34. Falcon. An intriguing newcomer to the growing group of bird-inspired baby names.
35. Colm. Irish for "dove".
36. Hawke. Old English last name with an obvious meaning, Hawke could easily slip into first-name territory.
37. Fennec. Fennec, which belongs to a small fox native to the Sahara Desert, was first recorded as a baby name in 2015.
38. Pike. If you want your child's name to make a splash, Pike could be worth a look.
39. Eagle. A distinctive bird-inspired choice.
40. Shad. A short, to-the-point baby name—and a type of fish. Could work as an alternative to Chad.
41. Arieh. Hebrew name meaning "lion".
42. Starling. Starling joins the growing group of avian baby names.
43. Adar. A subtle avian possibility, Adar is the plural form of the Welsh word aderyn, meaning "bird".
44. Bradan. Scottish Gaelic word for "salmon".
45. Calisto. Parents hoping to raise a lepidopterist might start by picking an approriate appellation, such as Calisto, which is also the name of the largest butterfly genus in the West Indies.
46. Goby. Only if you're a marine biologist!
47. Grayling. A fish, a butterfly, a PR agengy...and a baby name possibility for the intrepid parent.
48. Seal. Made famous by the single-named British singer-songwriter.
49. Swan. An bold bird-inspired possibility for a boy.
50. Tora. Means "tiger" in Japanese.