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Most Popular Boy Names: The Top 1000

Choosing a name for a baby boy is a huge decision. After all, the name you pick will be a defining piece of your son's identity for a lifetime. Luckily, there are a lot of great resources available to help you hone in on that perfect moniker.

If you need a great name for a son but don't know where to begin your search, the list of the Top 1000 most popular boy names can be a good starting point. In the U.S., the Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for collecting baby name data, so we pulled out their latest statistics (published in 2023; for U.S. births in 2022). Then, we added our own insights and comments, and the result is a huge, fun-to-browse list of baby boy names that mirrors American parents' current preferences. (If you're expecting a girl, or don't know your baby's gender yet, we also have a similar list of popular girl names.)

The top of the boys' list features classic names such as James, William, Henry and Benjamin. This reflects today's parents' love for names that are timeless, dignified, and rooted in history. In the Top 10 and Top 20 you'll also find some lower-key classics, names that have history and cultural references to spare, but that slide up and down the popularity scale a bit more than the bona fide classics. When you expand your search to the Top 100, you also begin to see more newcomers, names that have only recently began to appeal to American parents.

In addition to finding ideas for great, popular boy names, you can also use our Top 1000 list as inspiration for unusual boy names that are currently flying under the radar. If you scroll down to the bottom of the list, you'll find hundreds of names that are uncommon by today's standards, but not unheard of.

Whether your taste in boy names runs toward the well-established and popular, or you prefer to go with something more unusual and unexpected, we hope you'll find plenty of cool ideas below.

Liam. Still the most popular boy name. Can Liam hold onto its #1 spot in 2023 and 2024? We'll see...
Noah. Twenty-century favorite with deep roots, Noah was #1 before Liam took over.
Oliver. Powerfully popular pick with a subtle nature meaning ("olive tree").
James. Evergreen classic that never falls out of favor.
Elijah. Borrowed from a biblical prophet.
William. Comes with royal, saintly and literary credentials.
Henry. Boasts royal, saintly and literary cachet.
Lucas. Latin version of Luke.
Benjamin. Timeless classic with history galore.
Theodore. Charming nickname (Theo) included!
Mateo. Spanish equivalent of Matthew.
Levi. Short in length, strong in impact.
Sebastian. Stylish classic with saintly cred.
Daniel. Impeccable classic.
Jack. Short, zappy classic.
Michael. Go-to choice for generations.
Alexander. Rock-solid classic.
Owen. Welsh surname and given name with literary cachet.
Asher. Biblical boy name with a modern feel.
Samuel. Deep-rooted classic.
Ethan. Biblical classic with widespread appeal.
Leo. Packs a literary and saintly punch.
Jackson. The original spelling.
Mason. Occupational name.
Ezra. Combines biblical gravitas with an appealing, modern sound.
John. Popular throughout history.
Hudson. Surname, place name and given name.
Luca. Luke with a European twist.
Aiden. The original!
Joseph. Biblical heavyweight.
David. Classic that needs to introduction!
Jacob. Peaked in the aughts.
Logan. Old surname, now shining as a baby name.
Luke. Old biblical name with a modern sensibility.
Julian. Charming saint's name.
Gabriel. Marries biblical roots with cool, current sound.
Grayson. Beloved surname-name.
Wyatt. Originally a British surname.
Matthew. Enduring classic.
Maverick. Suddenly a full-fledged baby name.
Dylan. Past prime, but still a solid choice.
Isaac. Enduring biblical classic.
Elias. Variant of Elijah.
Anthony. Nickname-rich classic.
Thomas. Always a safe, sensible choice.
Jayden. The most recognized spelling of this name.
Carter. Common both as a surname and given name.
Santiago. Hispanic name with place name appeal.
Ezekiel. Winning combination of deep roots and a modern sound.
Charles. Regal, literary and saintly choice.
Josiah. Biblical comeback star.
Caleb. Old biblical name with modern appeal.
Cooper. English surname and popular boy's name.
Lincoln. Presidential surname choice.
Miles. Sleek and stylish.
Christopher. Consonant-heavy but resonant.
Nathan. Continues to win hearts.
Isaiah. Biblical comeback name.
Kai. Means "sea" in Hawaiian and Japanese.
Joshua. Prophet name from the Bible.
Andrew. Traditional and resilient.
Angel. Classic Hispanic boy name.
Adrian. Latin-rooted baby name with Catholic bona fides.
Cameron. Surname that does doubly duty as a given name.
Nolan. Irish last name turned first name.
Waylon. Skyrocketed in popularity in the 2010s.
Jaxon. Spelling spin on Jackson.
Roman. Strong, romantic choice.
Eli. Short but strong biblical classic.
Wesley. Always current -ley name.
Aaron. Biblical name built to last.
Ian. Still a strong choice.
Christian. Peaked at the turn of the century.
Ryan. Irish-rooted surname and boy's name.
Leonardo. Leonard with panache.
Brooks. Old surname, now thriving as a boy's name.
Axel. Scandi name.
Walker. Makes a great first name, too!
Jonathan. Never seems to grow old.
Easton. Surname, place name and baby name.
Everett. Back in a big way.
Weston. Surname, place name and baby name.
Bennett. Charming -tt ending name for a boy.
Robert. For the staunch traditionalist.
Jameson. Classic surname-turned-first-name.
Landon. Old surname, now thriving as a given name.
Silas. Perfect mix of traditional and modern.
Jose. Cognate of Joseph.
Beau. Handsome, literally.
Micah. Old Testament prophet name.
Colton. Place name, surname and given name.
Jordan. Evocative unisex name.
Jeremiah. Somewhat serious-sounding biblical classic.
Parker. Last name turned first name.
Greyson. Variant of Grayson.
Rowan. Nature name (as in the tree).
Adam. Biblical stalwart.
Nicholas. Tried-and-true choice.
Theo. Theodore diminutive that has taken on a life of its own.
Xavier. One of the few well-known X-names.
Hunter. Peaked in Y2K.
Dominic. Feels traditional and fresh at once.
Jace. Short for Jason, or as a standalone.
Gael. Way to honor your Gaelic heritage.
River. Unisex word name.
Thiago. Portuguese name.
Kayden. Evolved from Kaden.
Damian. Fresher alternative to Damon.
August. Nice, evocative word name.
Carson. Last name turned boy's name.
Austin. Classic with place name cred.
Myles. Variant of Miles.
Amir. Of Arabic origin.
Declan. Irish appellation.
Emmett. Ah, that double T!
Ryder. Member of the two-syllable er-ender clan.
Luka. Variant of Luca.
Connor. Inspired by the Irish surname O'Connor.
Jaxson. Retooling of Jackson
Milo. Charming o-ender.
Enzo. Effortlessly cool.
Giovanni. Italian in origin and spirit.
Vincent. Boasts a ton of historic and cultural cred.
Diego. Hispanic classic.
Luis. Pared-down version of Louis.
Archer. Last name turned given name.
Harrison. It's got the surname vibe!
Kingston. English surname and place name repurposed as a baby name.
Atlas. Greek mythology name.
Jasper. Gemstone name with literary cachet to boot.
Sawyer. Surname-name.
Legend. Daring word name choice.
Lorenzo. Energetic Italian appellation.
Evan. Short but strong.
Jonah. Borrowed from an Old Testament prophet.
Chase. Dynamic and upbeat.
Bryson. Last name that does double duty as a baby name.
Adriel. Reminiscent of both Adrian and Gabriel.
Nathaniel. Always a solid, sensible choice.
Arthur. Traditional and rooted.
Juan. Hispanic standard.
George. Literary, saintly, presidential and royal.
Cole. Last name also in use as a given name.
Zion. Leading the pack of Z-names.
Jason. Past-peak, but not past game.
Ashton. Brought to the fore by actor Ashton Kutcher.
Carlos. Hispanic name.
Calvin. Holds timeless appeal.
Brayden. Rhymes with Aiden—for better or for worse.
Elliot. Elliot, Eliot, Elliott—choose your spelling!
Rhett. Came of age as a baby name in the late 2010s.
Emiliano. Sophisticated Latino-flavored choice.
Ace. Fave of celebrity parents.
Jayce. Variant of Jace.
Graham. Old Irish/Scottish name.
Max. Short but substantial.
Braxton. Punchy surname name.
Leon. Spanish for "lion".
Ivan. Slavic classic.
Hayden. Surname, place name and baby name.
Jude. Made famous by actor Law.
Malachi. Biblical revival.
Dean. Never truly in, never truly out.
Tyler. Holdout from the nineties.
Jesus. Please pronounce it hay-SOOS and spell it Jesús!
Zachary. Variant of the biblical male name Zechariah.
Kaiden. Variant of Kayden.
Elliott. Variant of Elliot.
Arlo. Friendly and upbeat.
Emmanuel. Handsome but not macho.
Ayden. Variant of Aiden.
Bentley. Last name, but also a baby name.
Maxwell. Sophisticated and debonair.
Amari. Name with multiple possible origins and meanings.
Ryker. Part of the er-ender contingent.
Finn. Charming, whether as a nickname or standalone.
Antonio. Quintessentially Italian.
Charlie. Charming, sweet classic for a boy (or a girl).
Maddox. Old surname, now shining as a first name.
Justin. Saint's name.
Judah. Son of Jacob in the Hebrew Bible.
Kevin. Past-peak, but still relevant.
Dawson. Last name that does double duty as a given name.
Matteo. Italian equivalent of Matthew.
Miguel. Spanish and Portuguese version of Michael.
Zayden. Aiden with zip.
Camden. Surname, place name and given name.
Messiah. Once unthinkable, now mainstream.
Alan. Short, easy-going name.
Alex. Nickname that stands on its own, too.
Nicolas. Variant of Nicholas.
Felix. Means "happy" in Latin.
Alejandro. Spanish form of Alexander.
Jesse. Time-honored name with biblical provenance.
Beckett. Modern trendsetter.
Matias. Spanish and Finnish version of Mathias/Matthew.
Tucker. Surname also in use as a boy's name.
Emilio. Most common in Latino and Italian-American communities.
Xander. Originally a short from of Alexander.
Knox. Old surname, and now also a popular baby name.
Oscar. Short but sophisticated.
Beckham. Famous surname turned baby name.
Timothy. Biblical name and nature name in one.
Abraham. Biblical and patriotic.
Andres. Variant of Andreas.
Gavin. Quintessentially British.
Brody. Old surname, adopted as a first name by millenial parents.
Barrett. Last name turned first name.
Hayes. Presidential surname—and now a popular baby name, too.
Jett. Surname turned supercharged baby name.
Brandon. Nineties' favorite.
Joel. Resilient Old Testament prophet name.
Victor. Drenched in history.
Peter. Originally biblical name with broad appeal.
Abel. If you're not put off by the biblical story.
Edward. Regal and saintly.
Karter. Variant of Carter.
Patrick. Name of the patron saint of Ireland.
Richard. Buttoned-down classic.
Grant. Surname/given name with presidential cred.
Avery. Old boy name and a modern unisex name.
King. Bold word name.
Caden. Name with numerous spelling variations.
Adonis. Evokes Greek mythology.
Riley. Today more popular for girls.
Tristan. Literary choice with international appeal.
Kyrie. There's more to Kyrie than meets the eye.
Blake. English last name and unisex baby name.
Eric. Manly but not macho.
Griffin. Surname and given name.
Malakai. Malachi with an exotic twist.
Rafael. Takes its inspiration from the archangel.
Israel. Place name that commands attention.
Tate. English surname turned baby name.
Lukas. Variant of Lucas.
Nico. Nick with more energy.
Marcus. Trend-trascending name with European flair.
Stetson. Western hat brand, surname, and now a baby name.
Javier. Hispanic name.
Colt. Multifaceted moniker.
Omar. Short on letters, big on impact.
Simon. Worn across ages.
Kash. Variant of Cash.
Remington. Surname, place name and baby name.
Jeremy. Variant of the biblical Jeremiah.
Louis. Regal, literary and saintly.
Mark. Short, easy-going classic.
Lennox. It's got the X-factor!
Callum. Out-and-out British.
Kairo. K-ization of the Egyptian capital.
Nash. Surname turned given name.
Kyler. Move over, Tyler!
Dallas. Solid choice with place name credentials.
Crew. Modern word name.
Preston. Place name, surname and given name.
Paxton. Place name, surname and given name.
Steven. A bit outdated, but still wearable.
Zane. Zippy literary choice.
Kaleb. Another way to spell Caleb.
Lane. Sleek surname-turned-given-name.
Phoenix. Evocative unisex choice.
Paul. Time-honored name with biblical roots.
Cash. In tune with the times!
Kenneth. Old, Scottish charmer.
Bryce. Surname and given name.
Ronan. Of Irish origin.
Kaden. Now supplanted by Kayden.
Maximiliano. Big on both sound and style.
Walter. Blast from the past.
Maximus. Big moniker in every way (it means "the greatest" in Latin).
Emerson. Surname turned given name.
Hendrix. Famous surname—and now a popular boy name.
Jax. Short and punchy.
Atticus. Literary powerhouse.
Zayn. Of Arabic origin.
Tobias. Literary choice with European panache.
Cohen. Old surname, embraced as a first name by millenial parents.
Aziel. Skyrocketed in popularity in the early 2020s.
Kayson. Rose from obscurity to fame in the 2010s.
Rory. Of Irish origin.
Brady. Irish-rooted surname and baby name.
Finley. Has history as both a given name and a surname.
Holden. Old surname now asserting itself as a baby name.
Jorge. Popular with Latino families.
Malcolm. Handsome, timeless classic.
Clayton. Does triple duty as a surname, place name and given name.
Niko. Varint of Nico.
Francisco. Handsome Latino name.
Josue. Joshua with international flair.
Brian. Peaked in the 1970s.
Bryan. Last name and first name.
Cade. Sleek and literary.
Colin. Still a solid choice.
Andre. Variant of Andrew.
Cayden. Variant of Kayden.
Aidan. Variant of Aiden.
Muhammad. The most popular Muslim name for boys.
Derek. Peaked in the 80s.
Ali. Arabic personal name.
Elian. Spanish unisex name.
Bodhi. Buddhist term turned baby name.
Cody. Nineties' sensation.
Jensen. Scandinavian surname reinvented as a baby name.
Damien. Variant of Damian.
Martin. Culture-spanning possibility.
Cairo. Capital of Egypt—and a baby name.
Ellis. Charming classic with the beloved El-sound.
Khalil. Of Arabic origin.
Otto. Appealing German palindrome.
Zander. Phonetically straightforward version of Xander.
Dante. Borrowed from the great Italian poet.
Ismael. Arabic name.
Angelo. Oozes Italiano.
Brantley. Originally a surname.
Manuel. Spanish version of Emmanuel.
Colson. Encroaching on first name territory.
Cruz. Surname turned cool baby name.
Tatum. Surname turned baby name.
Jaylen. Contemporary concoction.
Jaden. Another way to spell Jayden.
Erick. Variant of Eric
Cristian. Variant of Christian.
Romeo. Just don't name his sister Juliet!
Milan. Italian city—and a baby name, too.
Reid. Scottish surname turned given name.
Cyrus. Evocative and ancient.
Leonel. Variant of Lionel.
Joaquin. Hispanic charmer.
Ari. Name with multiple possible origins.
Odin. From Norse mythology.
Orion. Gives off mythical and celestial vibes.
Ezequiel. Variant of Ezekiel.
Gideon. Equal parts biblical and modern.
Daxton. Cut from the same cloth as Paxton and Maxton.
Warren. Old English surname that doubles as a boy's name.
Casey. Last name and given name.
Anderson. Made famous by a certain white-haired broadcast journalist.
Spencer. Last name promoted to the first spot.
Karson. Variant of Carson.
Eduardo. Edward with Latin flair.
Chance. Intriguing word name choice.
Fernando. Used by Latino families.
Raymond. Charming classic or an outdated appellation, depending on your taste.
Bradley. Last name and first name.
Cesar. Big, bold choice.
Wade. Quiet, understated classic.
Prince. Bold word name possibility.
Julius. Underused classic with history to spare.
Dakota. Unisex name with place name appeal.
Kade. Variant of Cade.
Koa. Kool alternative to Noah.
Raiden. Name of a Japanese deity.
Callan. Of Irish, Scottish origin.
Hector. Cross-cultural classic.
Onyx. Evocative X-powered option.
Remy. Readily importable French charmer.
Ricardo. Spanish/Portuguese version of Richard.
Edwin. Understated classic.
Stephen. Past peak—but still a classic!
Kane. Less controversial than Cain.
Saint. No pressure, huh?!
Titus. Intriguing biblical choice.
Desmond. Backed up by lots of history.
Killian. Anglicized version of the Irish Cillian.
Sullivan. Irish charmer.
Mario. Handsome Italian appellation.
Jay. Smooth and simple.
Kamari. Arabic-origin name that means moon.
Luciano. Derived from the Latin word for "light".
Royal. Hard name to live up to.
Zyaire. Elaboration of Zaire.
Marco. Crosses linguistic borders with ease.
Wilder. Cool literary option.
Russell. Surname that doubles as a classic boy name.
Nasir. Arabic name.
Rylan. Ryan meets Riley.
Archie. Unadorned and upbeat.
Jared. Old Testament name.
Gianni. Originally a short form of Giovanni.
Kashton. 21st century name creation.
Kobe. Undoubtedly influenced by basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
Sergio. Classic Italian name.
Travis. More of a dad name.
Marshall. Kids may appreciate the link to the fictional puppy.
Iker. Spanish name.
Briggs. Old surname, adopted as a first name by today's parents.
Gunner. If you're into macho names.
Apollo. Originates from Greek mythology.
Bowen. Last name, but also a given name.
Baylor. Unisex name.
Sage. Sweet nature name.
Tyson. Caught on as a first name in the 1970s.
Kyle. Past its glory days.
Oakley. Brings to mind a deciduous tree—and sunglasses.
Malik. Of Arabic origin.
Mathias. Cognate of Matthew.
Sean. Irish cognate of John.
Armani. In the same ballpark as Dior.
Hugo. Short but sophisticated classic with European flair.
Johnny. Solid, laid-back choice.
Sterling. Rich with history and meaning.
Forrest. Classic nature name.
Harvey. Surname and given name.
Banks. Surname that does doubly duty as a baby name.
Grady. Of Irish origin.
Kameron. Variant of Cameron.
Jake. Jacob short form, and a given name.
Franklin. Dignified name with patriotic overtones.
Lawson. Fresher than Dawson.
Tanner. Surname that also serves as a first name.
Eden. Biblical name with a modern sensibility.
Jaziel. Variant of the biblical name Jaasiel.
Pablo. Spanish version of Paul.
Reed. Nature name with surname appeal.
Pedro. Spanish/Portuguese version of Peter.
Zayne. Another way to spell Zane.
Royce. Surname/given name with an automotive twist.
Edgar. Regal name and literary choice in one.
Ibrahim. Of Arabic origin.
Winston. Distinguished but approachable.
Ronin. Variant of Ronan; or, a samurai-inspired name.
Leonidas. For history buffs.
Devin. Peaked with cousin Devon in the 90s.
Damon. Hit its peak in the 1970s.
Noel. Means "Christmas" in French.
Rhys. Sleek Welsh name.
Clark. Traditional and steady.
Corbin. Surname, but also a first name.
Sonny. Nickname and a given name.
Colter. More often used as a surname.
Esteban. Spanish name related to Stephen.
Erik. Variant of Eric.
Baker. Occupational name.
Adan. Variant of Aiden.
Dariel. Feels both strong and gentle.
Kylo. Kyle with more sound.
Tripp. Better than Trip.
Caiden. Variant of Caden.
Frank. Short, straightforward moniker.
Solomon. From the Hebrew shalom, meaning "peace".
Major. Big, bold word name.
Memphis. Place name.
Quinn. Irish-rooted surname and given name.
Dax. Packs a punch.
Hank. Oozes mid-century charm.
Donovan. Last name that also serves as a given name.
Finnegan. Irish surname name with literary cred.
Nehemiah. Rediscovered biblical name.
Andy. Andrew short form that stands on its own, too.
Camilo. Rarely heard outside the Latino community.
Asa. Short, simple name with literary overtones.
Jeffrey. Largely forgotten.
Santino. Of Italian origin.
Isaias. Spanish/Portuguese version of Isaiah.
Jaiden. Variant of Jayden.
Kian. Claims both Irish and Persian origins.
Fabian. European style star.
Callen. Surname turned given name.
Ruben. More streamlined version of Reuben.
Alexis. Not just for boys.
Emanuel. Variant of Emmanuel.
Francis. Literary and saintly.
Garrett. Classic surname-turned-first-name.
Kendrick. Upstanding surname—and a given name.
Matthias. New Testament name.
Wells. Surname that works as a given name, too.
Augustus. Lofty name softened by cute nicknames.
Jasiah. Twist on Josiah.
Alijah. Variant of Elijah—or Aliyah.
Alonzo. Blends the zippy Z with a bright o-ending.
Koda. Dakota offshoot with a Japanese vibe.
Collin. Variant of Colin.
Ford. Famous surname turned baby name.
Frederick. Elaborate appellation with deep roots.
Jaxton. Portmanteau of Jackson and Braxton.
Kohen. Variant of Cohen.
Troy. Fits in nearly every era.
Kason. Variant of Kayson.
Seth. Reached its apex at the turn of the century.
Denver. Nod to the capital of Colorado.
Kyson. Virtually unheard of before the 21st century.
Ares. Inspired by Greek mythology.
Raphael. Sophisticated classic.
Bodie. American twist on Bodhi.
Sylas. Variant of Silas.
Uriel. Most popular in Hispanic and Jewish communities.
Zaiden. Variant of Zayden.
Shiloh. Biblical place name with unisex appeal.
Lewis. Understated classic with surname appeal.
Kieran. Of Irish origin.
Marcos. Of Spanish, Portuguese origin.
Bo. For the minimalist.
Shepherd. Perhaps too pastoral for the average namer.
Philip. Biblical, literary, and with royal history to boot.
Zaire. Distinctive name with links to African history.
Gregory. Towering classic with saintly credentials.
Princeton. Redolent of the university.
Roberto. As handsome as its English counterpart.
Leland. Dripping with retro charm.
Eithan. Variant of Ethan.
Moshe. Hebrew version of Moses.
Johnathan. Variant of Jonathan.
Lucca. Variant of Luca with Italian place name cred.
Kenzo. Cool Japanese name.
Mack. Nice and compact classic with a slight vintage feel.
Porter. Occupational name.
Kolton. Colton with a K.
Kaison. Variant of Kayson.
Valentino. Italian surname and given name.
Saul. Name of the first king of Israel.
Shane. Member of the Shawn/Sean/Shane clan.
Jamari. Popped up when Jamar began to lose zip.
Rocco. Intriguing Italian possibility.
Kylan. Builds on Kyle.
Deacon. Well, why not!
Dalton. Norman last name doubling as a first name.
Moses. Underused biblical classic.
Callahan. Old surname, and now also a baby name.
Tadeo. Spanish version of the biblical Thaddeus.
Makai. Of debated origin.
Amiri. Variant of Amir.
Rowen. Rowan lookalike.
Drew. Unisex name.
Jalen. Variant of Jaylen.
Kylian. Emerged out of nowhere in the late 2010s.
Sutton. Last name and given name.
Dominick. More traditional spelling of Dominic.
Reece. Surname and given name derived from the Welsh Rhys.
Rodrigo. Brazilian-flavored boy name.
Soren. Inspired by the gaming world—or the Swedish Sören.
Kasen. Variant of Kayson.
Ridge. Short, straightforward boy's name.
Zachariah. Variant of the biblical name Zechariah.
Jamir. Jamal meets Amir!
Peyton. English surname turned given name.
Omari. Of Swahili, Arabic origin.
Trevor. Trevor Noah keeps this name in the public eye.
Morgan. Surname and unisex baby name.
Izaiah. Variant of Isaiah.
Alessandro. Italian spin on Alexander.
Kaysen. Variant of Kayson.
Enrique. Spanish pick.
Marcelo. Rarely used outside the Latino community.
Sincere. Virtuous word name.
Lucian. Sleeker than Luciano.
Leandro. Of Spanish, Portuguese and Italian origin.
Armando. More romantic version of Herman.
Braylen. Modern invented name.
Jayson. Variant of Jason.
Julio. Hispanic classic.
Lawrence. Way to pay tribute to author D. H. Lawrence!
Cassius. Ancient Roman name with Shakespearean bona fides.
Raul. Ralph with an international vibe.
Jase. Variant of Jace.
Mohammad. Variant of Muhammad.
Zain. Zane with an exotic twist.
Jayceon. Birth name of American rapper Game.
Jonas. Jonah with European flair.
Ronald. Neglected classic with presidential cred.
Ayaan. Popular with Muslim parents.
Rio. Means "river" in Spanish and Portuguese.
Allen. Surname and given name of Gaelic origin.
Bruce. Has seen better days.
Mohamed. Variant of Muhammad.
Dorian. From the Greek doron, meaning "gift".
Maximilian. Big name with saintly and royal history.
Keegan. Of Irish origin.
Shawn. Derived from Sean.
Yusuf. Arabic equivalent of Joseph.
Pierce. Surname and given name in one.
Ariel. Name with deep Judeo-Christian roots.
Ander. Variant of Anders.
Conor. Variant of Connor.
Conrad. Old saint's name.
Phillip. Variant of Philip.
Arjun. Hindi name.
Roy. Short moniker with a lofty meaning ("king").
Moises. Spanish and Portugese equivalent of Moses.
Arturo. Variant of Arthur.
Johan. Scandinavian and Dutch form of John.
Gerardo. Variant of Gerard.
Atreus. From Greek mythology.
Nikolai. Slavic version of Nicholas.
Braylon. Nouveau coinage.
Samson. Refreshing change of pace from Samuel.
Hezekiah. Borrowed from an Old Testament king.
Kayce. Pronounce it like Case.
Scott. Currently underused classic.
Gunnar. Old Scandinavian name.
Jamison. Variant of Jameson.
Samir. Of Arabic origin.
Keanu. Hawaiian name popularized by Keanu Reeves.
Ledger. New addition to the baby name lexicon.
Jaime. Spanish and Portuguese version of Jacob.
Finnley. Variant of Finley.
Cannon. Shot onto the baby name charts in the aughts.
Colby. Place name, surname and given name.
Nikolas. Variant of Nicholas.
Emmitt. Variant of Emmett.
Kamden. Another way to spell Camden.
Miller. More familiar as a surname.
Boone. Last name turned first.
Hamza. Of Arabic origin.
Ocean. Breezy unisex name.
Mac. Mack cropped.
Anakin. Star Wars name.
Brixton. Area of London—and more recently a baby name.
Roland. Old saint's name.
Huxley. Surname name with literary associations.
Zeke. Cool Ezekiel short form.
Danny. Daniel short form that stands on its own, too.
Marvin. Classic Welsh choice.
Otis. Short but complete moniker with musical overtones.
Albert. Perennial baby name choice among European royals.
Clay. Clayton short form with an earthy vibe.
Emir. Of Arabic origin.
Boston. Strong and metropolitan.
Bruno. German saint's name.
Lionel. Quiet classic.
Ozzy. Short but edgy.
Taylor. Surname and a unisex baby name.
Jamie. Truly unisex.
Augustine. Saint name.
Chaim. Israeli name.
Krew. Crew with a K.
Rayan. Arabic name not to be confused with Ryan.
Alden. Place name, surname and given name.
Bellamy. More familiar as a surname.
Amos. Understated biblical classic.
Drake. Famously borne by the mononymous Canadian rapper (born Aubrey).
Davis. Better known as a surname.
Dustin. A bit dusty at the moment.
Corey. A little outdated, but not too out of place.
Ahmad. Variant of Ahmed.
Conner. Surname that does double duty as a baby name.
Gustavo. Latinate form of the Germanic Gustav.
Layton. Place name, surname and given name.
Abram. If Abraham feels too long.
Axton. Newly-minted name.
Chandler. Last name that also serves as a baby name.
Azariah. Biblical name.
Reese. Surname and a unisex given name.
Benson. Last name that does doubly duty as a first name.
Tru. Short for Truman, or as a standalone.
Case. Cemented its place in the baby name lexicon in the 2010s.
Trey. Gives off sporty vibes.
Mauricio. Of Spanish, Portuguese origin.
Westin. Scandinavian surname, and now also a baby name.
Gage. Sleek surname name.
Reign. Speaks to the current zeitgeist.
Creed. Up-and-coming surname name.
Mylo. Variant of Milo.
Dennis. A little time-stamped—but still a classic!
Quentin. No shortage of distinguished namesakes here!
Madden. Old surname, and now also a baby name.
Rome. Striking place name choice.
Julien. French equivalent of Julian.
Sam. Short for Samuel, or as a standalone.
Zaid. Variant of Zayd.
Marcel. Pan-European possibility.
Maximo. Hispanic name.
Layne. Variant of Lane.
Ahmed. Classic Muslim name.
Kannon. Japanese deity; or, variant of Cannon.
Quincy. Quaint in a cute way.
Yosef. Israeli version of Joseph.
Aarav. Sanskrit name.
Lennon. Kudos to the Beatles!
Ryland. Old meets new.
Skyler. Zoomed to prominence in the 1990s.
Chris. Succinct, no-nonsense name.
Eliam. Of Hebrew origin.
Kareem. Of Arabic origin.
Kyree. Variant of Kyrie.
Dario. Italian-infused appellation.
Donald. Top 10 choice back in the 1930s.
Fletcher. Yet another surname-name.
Darius. Harkens to the Classical Era.
Duke. Regal word name.
Rayden. Variant of Raiden.
Salem. Unisex name with biblical place name panache.
Vicente. Variant of Vincent.
Vincenzo. Impeccably Italian.
Cayson. Quintessential 21st-century name.
Eliseo. Hispanic import.
Issac. Variant of Isaac.
Lian. Of multiple possible origins.
Clyde. Terribly dated, or ready for revival? You decide.
Wilson. Surname—and a remarkably trend-resistant first name.
Santana. Place name, surname, and a unisex given name.
Tomas. Variant of Thomas.
Dexter. It's got the X-factor!
Keith. Currently overlooked classic of Gaelic origin.
Houston. Place name, surname and given name.
Harry. Currently neglected name with presidential and royal cred.
Uriah. Name of several minor biblical figures.
Lee. Pint-sized classic with unisex appeal.
Rex. Means "king" in Latin.
Tony. Making waves in the 60s and 70s.
Carmelo. Spanish/Italian name.
Alberto. Latin twist on Albert.
Loyal. Virtue name.
Trace. Rhyming cousin of Ace and Jace.
Alfredo. Variant of Alfred.
Riggs. Joins the band of one-syllable names ending in S.
Forest. Nature name.
Raylan. New invention.
Salvador. Spanish/Portuguese name meaning "savior".
Jakari. Part of the new wave of African-American names.
Zakai. Israeli surname—and now a baby name, too.
Louie. Variant of Louis.
Flynn. Last name also in use as a first name.
Leonard. Old name with saintly credentials.
Mohammed. Variant of Muhammad.
Derrick. Once a mainstay in the Top 100.
Musa. International twist on Moses.
Avi. Israeli nickname and given name.
Ty. Perhaps a bit too nicknamey for the average baby namer.
Westley. Feels like half Weston, half Wesley.
Ambrose. Place name, surname and given name.
Brycen. Variant of Bryson.
Aron. Variant of Aaron.
Caspian. Place name with literary cred to boot.
Gatlin. Originally a last name.
Harlan. Shifting from fusty to fashionable.
Dillon. Surname that does double duty as a first name.
Emery. Place name, surname and given name.
Nixon. Famous surname turned baby name.
Tommy. Nickname or standalone—it's up to you!
Watson. More often used as a surname.
Zayd. Of Arabic origin.
Azrael. Mellifluous moniker with a somber meaning.
Zyair. Destined to be misspelled forever.
Azriel. Nice sound, but a dark meaning.
Legacy. Divisive, to say the least!
Cillian. Irish heritage choice.
Alvin. Old, traditional name.
Bridger. Better known as a surname.
Alec. Cognate of Alex.
Edison. Better known as a surname.
Kingsley. Kinsley with a regal twist.
Remi. Variant of Remy.
Briar. Unisex name.
Jaxxon. One of the many respellings of Jackson.
Truett. Last name occasionally used as first.
Lachlan. Of Gaelic origin.
Cal. Perhaps nicknamey for the average American parent.
Landen. Surname and given name.
Roger. As in Roger Federer...or Moore.
Alonso. Spanish heritage choice.
Kaiser. German for "emperor".
Blaze. Strong and sparky.
Jerry. Nickname and a given name.
Seven. Debuted in the U.S. Top 1000 in 2020.
Kenji. Readily importable Japanese name.
Noe. Noah with a Latin twist.
Quinton. Place name, surname and given name.
Grey. Part surname, part color name.
Jefferson. Surname name with a presidential edge.
Marcellus. Shakespearean appellation rooted in antiquity.
Ray. Raymond short form, but also a given name in its own right.
Kyro. Intriguing o-ender.
Benicio. Benedict with a Latino twist.
Justice. Straight-up word name.
Neil. Forgotten Irish classic.
Idris. Intriguing multi-origin name.
Bear. Nature name.
Kiaan. South Asian import.
Wayne. Old English surname and a given name.
Ben. Short for Benjamin, or as a standalone.
Junior. Other names might age better...
Karim. Of Arabic origin.
Yehuda. Hebrew name.
Jimmy. Mid-century moniker.
Ramon. For soccer fans.
Bjorn. Of Scandinavian origin, meaning "bear".
Nathanael. New Testament name.
Stanley. Both a given name and a surname.
Hassan. Arabic name.
Magnus. Means "mighty" in Latin.
Trenton. Originally a place name.
Brayan. Elaboration of Brian.
Brock. Surname also in use as a first name.
Jagger. Surname name with a rock 'n' roll vibe.
Cason. Rarely heard before the 21st century.
Dakari. Popular with African-American parents.
Rey. Spanish for "king".
Abdiel. Literary name in more ways than one.
Abdullah. Arabic name.
Casen. Casey with more character.
Jiraiya. Anime name.
Lance. Heading out to pasture.
Misael. Brazilian soccer player name.
Alvaro. Upbeat Latino-flavored option.
Robin. Unisex bird name.
Langston. Surname, but also a baby name.
Nelson. Last name, but also a first name.
Wes. More of a nickname.
Khari. Exotic unisex option.
Landyn. Retooling of Landon.
Jakai. Relatively new to the American baby name scene.
Lochlan. Cousin of Lachlan.
Valentin. Impeccably international.
Keaton. More familiar as a surname.
Amias. Alternative to the biblical Amos.
Joziah. Variant of Josiah.
Thaddeus. Underused biblical name.
Jedidiah. Old Testament name.
Orlando. Italian equivalent of Roland.
Eliel. Lilting Old Testament name.
Hugh. English form of the old Germanic name Hugo.
Koen. Dutch given name.
Calum. Variant of Callum.
Enoch. Long-lost biblical name.
Mitchell. Brother for Randall, an alternative to Michael.
Rohan. Claims multiple possible origins.
Aryan. Perfectly wearable—in India.
Dilan. Variant of Dylan.
Aden. Variant of Aiden.
Allan. Variation of Alan.
Leighton. Place name, surname and unisex baby name.
Elisha. Old Testament prophet name.
Evander. Greek mythology name.
Castiel. Introduced to the lexicon by Misha Collins's character on Supernatural.
Curtis. Tough to pin to any single era.
Kellen. Variant of Kellan.
Dash. At home with Cash and Nash.
Douglas. Originally a Scottish surname.
Eddie. Casual and friendly.
Melvin. Staying out of the spotlight—for now.
Avyaan. Hindi name.
Everest. Surprisingly wearable.
Zamir. Of multiple possible origins.
Ricky. Has seen better days.
Dutton. More familiar as a place name and surname.
Yahir. Hispanic import.
Devon. Made waves with cousin Devin in the 90s.
Franco. Frank with Spanish/Italian elan.
Khaza. Entered the baby name lexicon in 2022.
Dior. Brother for Armani!
Leif. Scandinavian name.
Sevyn. Unisex possibility.
Guillermo. Spanish equivalent of William.
Ira. Last seen in the Top 100 in the 1800s.
Emory. Brings to mind the university.
Felipe. Spanish counterpart of Philip.
Titan. Carries mythical and celestial overtones.
Alfred. Neglected classic begging for revival.
Azael. Pseudo-biblical name.
Zahir. Of Arabic origin.
Kellan. Put on the map by by actor Kellan Lutz.
Darren. Shot to fame in the 60s.
Rudy. Beats Rudolph any day.
Ayan. Vowelly Hindu name.
Leroy. Old name with a big meaning ("king").
Anders. Scandinavian boy name.
Ishaan. Indian appellation.
Reuben. Understated classic from the Old Testament.
Boden. Surname that also serves as a baby name.
Mccoy. The real McCoy!
Heath. Nature name.
Kase. Variant of Case.
Wylder. Variant of Wilder.
Judson. Place name, surname and given name.
Khai. Kai jazzed up.
Kye. Kai with a hint of Kyle.
Axl. As if Axel wasn't short enough...
Crue. Variant of Crew.
Ernesto. Ernest with verve.
Ahmir. Variant of Amir.
Zyon. Variant of Zion.
Aries. Zodiac sign—and now also a baby name.
Mustafa. Arabic name.
Santos. Saintly surname-turned-given-name.
Dane. Sleek one-syllable choice.
Damari. Surname and given name.
Elio. Intriguing Italian appellation.
Jadiel. Derived from the biblical Jahdiel—or not.
Jovanni. Respelling of Giovanni
Salvatore. Italian name meaning "savior".
Mathew. Variant of Matthew.
Kolson. Variant of Colson.
Nova. More popular for girls.
Brendan. Irish name with saintly credentials.
Murphy. Cute unisex possibility.
Brodie. See: Brody.
Damir. Slavic name.
Rocky. Edgy name—with puppy credentials.
Larry. Better known as a nickname.
Fisher. Now also a first name.
Waylen. Surname-name that looks a lot like Waylon.
Byron. Poetry buffs may appreciate the link to Lord Byron.
Ermias. Traces its roots to Ethiopia.
Joey. More often used as a nickname.
Joe. Joseph short form that stands on its own, too.
Jon. Less is more, they say!
Arian. Well-established given name in Albania.
Chosen. Polarizing possibility.
Jairo. Spanish name.
Vihaan. Of Sanskrit origin.
Kylen. Kyle jazzed up for the 21st century.
Ameer. Variant of Amir.
Dion. Greek mythological character.
Jrue. For basketball fans.
Kaizen. Japanese word name.
Yousef. Variant of Yusuf.
Bryant. Offers more original surname appeal than Bryan.
Cullen. Originally an Irish surname.
Kaisen. Entered the U.S. Top 1000 in 2022.
Kelvin. Hotter in the 60s.
Zen. Cool, in more ways that one.
Kartier. Kardashianization of Cartier.
Randy. Once huge, now over the hill.
Shepard. Respelling of Shepherd.
Alaric. Borne by a number of ancient European royals.
Cain. Biblical villain.
Jeremias. Variant of Jeremiah.
Alfonso. Of Spanish origin.
Brecken. Uncommon surname and given name.
Colten. Our advice: go with Colton.
Gian. Italian spin on John.
Rhodes. Stylish and worldly.
Wesson. Old surname now asserting itself as a boy's name.
Duncan. Stuck in style limbo.
Harold. Serious and accomplished, with royal heritage.
Henrik. Prevalent in Northern Europe.
Harley. Old boy name and, more recently, a girl name, too.
Alistair. British charmer.
Agustin. Spanish surname and given name.
Jericho. Biblical place name.
Talon. Offers a rich reserve of fictional namesakes.
Westyn. Variant of Weston.
Cassian. Forgotten saint's name.
Eugene. Retro possibility.
Ryatt. Cross between Ryan and Wyatt.
Shmuel. Jewish variant of Samuel
Braden. Yet another surname-turned-given-name.
Yahya. Arabic name.
Aldo. Italian appellation.
Dangelo. Evolved from Deangelo.
Ezrah. Variant of Ezra.
Korbin. Variant of Corbin.
Zavier. Phonetically unambiguous version of Xavier.
Bronson. Place name, surname and given name.
Teo. Slimmed-down version of Theo.
Jones. More often used as a surname.
Neo. Bright mini moniker.
Stefan. Stephan with a European twist.
Van. Surname prefix (think Vincent Van Gogh) turned first name.
Mekhi. As in Mekhi Phifer.
Coleson. Surname, and now a given name, too.
Eren. Turkish name.
Ignacio. Hispanic name.
Kristian. Variant of Christian.
Harlem. Evocative place name entry.
Zev. Means "wolf" in Hebrew.
Canaan. Biblical place name.
Cedric. Add an accent for some French flair, if you like.
Khalid. Arabic name.
Bode. German surname; also a nickname for Bodhi.
Gary. Onetime Top 10 choice.
Rene. Unisex name with an international profile.
Benedict. More distinctive than Benjamin.
Maxton. Modern coinage.
Thatcher. Famous British surname turned baby name.
Wallace. Not just a last name.
Davian. Cross between David and Damian.
Gordon. Old-fashioned, grown-up name.
Niklaus. Variant of Nicholas.
Yisroel. Hebrew name.
Kabir. Indian heritage choice.
Osman. Name of founder of the Ottoman Empire.
Adler. German word for "eagle".
Darian. Looks like Damian, sounds more like Dorian.
Terry. Very mid-century.
Cartier. Brother for Dior!
Osiris. Inspired by ancient Egyptian mythology.
Vance. Smooth and sleek one-syllable name.
Demetrius. Ancient name with Shakespearean and saintly cred to boot.
Kamryn. Derived from Cameron.
Lux. Means "light" in Latin.
Stone. Word, surname, and now a baby name, too.
Jaxx. We prefer Jax.
Kooper. Variant of Cooper.
Rodney. Over the hill.
Aurelio. Feminine counterpart of Aurelia.
Darwin. Famous surname and now a baby name, too.
Jakob. Variant of Jacob.
Zechariah. Biblical prophet name.
Brennan. Surname and baby name.
Marlon. You say Marlon, we say Brando.
Meir. Best known as a Jewish given name.
Yael. A girl name in Israel, ranking for boys in the U.S.
Asaiah. Of biblical origin.
Atharv. Of Sanskrit origin.
Imran. Of Arabic origin.
Ivaan. Variant of Ivan.
Kanan. As in the Star Wars character.
Kalel. Perhaps inspired by Kal-el, Superman's "Kryptonian" name.
London. More often used for girls.

Understanding Current Popularity

When you use a baby name popularity list, such as the one above, to guide your search, it's important to keep in mind that the list simply reflects the popularity of baby names in a single year—in this case 2022. This means that even if a name does not currently appear near the top of the list, you may still hear the name a lot—just not on babies born today.

Take Steven, for example. Everyone knows someone called Steven because the name was once a mainstay in the Top 10. But the chances of you meeting a baby Steven in 2024 are slim, to say the least.

Another important consideration is the expansion of the pool of baby boy names over the years. Today, there are simply more baby names in circulation than back in the day, which means that no single name is as common as Michael and Christopher in the 1990s, or John and Robert a hundred years ago. So, even if you pick a name from the Top 10, your son probably won't have to share his name with three other classmates at school.

Finally, we would like to draw your attention to names with multiple spelling variations. If a name has several popular spelling variations, it may appear more common than you might first think. Jackson, for example, does not show up at the top of the current list, but when you take into account all the little Jaxons, Jaxsons, and Jaxxons, it all of a sudden feels hugely popular.