More Than Cool Names for Baby Boys – by guest writer Catherine Uler

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The only names that are more popular come from the Bible and account for 40% of the boys’ top 100. Here are some of the most-used from each category:
 
n-ending Biblical
Landon (#39) Jacob (#3)
Brayden (#48) Michael (#7)
Cameron (#59) Daniel (#10)
Colton (#64) Elijah (#11)
Brandon (#70) James (#13)
Grayson (#78) Benjamin (#14)
Hudson (#87) Matthew (#15)
Easton (#88) David (#18)
Carson (#90) Joseph (#20)
Camden (#99) Joshua (#21)
 
There is some overlap between these two groups, a place where style and substance join forces. We like that spirit, which imbues the modern sound with meaning and tradition:
  • Aaron (#51)
  • Christian (#35)
  • Ethan (#6)
  • Evan (#55)
  • Ian (#80)
  • Jordan (#53)
  • Nathan (#31)
  • Simon (#229)
Stylish Irish Names for Baby Boys
 
A quarter of Americans have some Irish ancestry, and choosing a name from the old country is a way for many parents to celebrate that aspect of their family history. These Irish names are quintessentially cool:
  • Aiden (#12)
  • Kevin (#72)
  • Declan (#121)
  • Colin (#124)
  • Bryan (#132)
  • Rowan (#295)
  • Brendan (#326)
  • Ronan (#434)
  • Kieran (#557)
  • Kian (#583)
 
Venerable Old Names That Feel Fresh
 
Over the past few years, many old-fashioned names have come back into favor—the most popular have a respectable pedigree but still sound perfectly of-the-moment:
  • Dylan (#28)—recalls the 20th century Welsh poet Dylan Thomas
  • Byron (#516)—the most famous of the romantic English poets
  • Owen (#38)—from Owain, one of King Arthur’s knights
  • Gavin (#49)—from Gawain, another of the knights of Camelot
  • Tristan (#97)—also one of Arthur’s knights, famous for his doomed love affair with the princess Isolde
  • Jason (#79)—leader of the Argonauts in the ancient Greek story
  • Justin (#85)—short form of Justinian, an emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire
  • Roman (#134)—a citizen of the famous empire
  • Lincoln (#95)—our much-loved 16th president
  • Franklin (#495)—founding-father, inventor, and Renaissance man
  • Waylon (#292)—the smith of the gods in Norse mythology
  • Odin (#573)—father of the Norse gods
Updated Family Names 
 
We also admire the thoughtfulness of parents who incorporate the n-ending trend into family names to honor a father or grandfather, like Jackson (#16), Jameson (#181), and Samson (#356). If you like this style, see our full post on Fresh Forms of Family Names for Boys.
 
 
 

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