The Most Popular American Boy Names
In this article you'll find a long list of American baby boy names. It ranges from seemingly unconventional American boy names to more traditional American boy names, gender-neutral or unisex American names for boys and the most popular American names for boys in the US over the last 100 years.
American boy names: what's in a name?
On May 4, 2020, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, and his girlfriend at the time, the singer Grimes, made headlines around the world. The reason? A seemingly cryptic post on what was then Musk's Twitter account, which turned out to be the name they had chosen for their newborn son: X Æ A-12 Musk.
Pronounced "X-Ash-A-12," the name highlights a clear difference in the laws on naming a child. Germany has clear naming rules (that is, no titles, places, brand names or vulgar words), while the laws on first names in the US are much less strict, if they exist at all, and they vary by state.
Unconventional American boy names
Creative freedom or not, the lack of rules around American baby naming has certainly given parents in the US the chance to invent and choose boy names freely. The list below has a few more unconventional American names for boys that made their way from Hollywood onto birth certificates. Actors and musicians in America in particular have some pretty wild ideas when it comes to naming boys.
| Name | Eltern |
|---|---|
| Ace Knute | Jessica Simpson und Eric Johnson |
| Aire | Kylie Jenner und Travis Scott |
| Bear Blaze | Kate Winslet und Edward Abel Smith |
| Bronx Mowgli | Ashlee Simpson und Pete Wentz |
| Jermajesty | Jermaine Jackson und Alejandra Loaiza |
| Kal-El | Nicolas Cage und Alice Kim, benannt nach Supermans Geburtsnamen |
| Pilot Inspektor | Jason Lee und Beth Riesgraf |
| Psalm | Kim Kardashian und Ye, ehemals Kanye West |
| Saint | Kim Kardashian und Ye, ehemals Kanye West |
| Sparrow James Midnight | Nicole Richie und Joel Madden |
Tastes differ, of course, and that goes for these American boy names too. One thing is certain, though: when it comes to boy names in the US, you are truly spoiled for choice!
Traditional American boy names
Feeling a little overwhelmed by the unusual American letter combinations above? The US also has plenty of more traditional American names for boys and men. The most popular ones and their meanings are listed below.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| David | Beloved |
| George | Farmer or earthworker |
| James | Supplanter or the one who takes over |
| John | God is gracious |
| Joseph | He (God) will add |
| Michael | Who is like God? |
| Richard | Mighty ruler |
| Robert | Glorious or shining |
| Thomas | Twin |
| William | Resolute protector or strong-willed |
These timeless, classic American boy names are often shaped by Old English, biblical and historical influences. And although these American first names for boys are often called "old man names" today, they are still very popular in the US, and at least nobody needs an explanation of how to pronounce them.
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Common American boy names
Clothes, furniture or baby names: vintage is in! That is why the American boy names you hear on playgrounds today are often a mix of new favorites and a few classic "old-school" picks. These are currently the most common American boy names:
- Elijah
- Henry
- James (nicknames: Jim, Jimmy)
- Liam
- Lucas
- Mateo
- Noah
- Oliver (nicknames: Olly)
- Theodore (nicknames: Theo, Ted, Teddy)
- William (nicknames: Will, Bill, Billy)
So when parents in the US choose a name for their baby boy, tradition with a twist seems to be all the rage right now. And who knows, by that logic the creative naming choices of parents Musk and Grimes might make a comeback one day, too.
Gender-neutral American names
From the big question of whether it will be a boy or a girl to so-called gender reveal parties, it is clear that many parents in the US still care a lot about the sex of their newborn. Not least when it comes to finding and choosing a name, although that is not strictly necessary. In fact, there are plenty of gender-neutral baby names for American parents to choose from. In the list below you will find the most popular gender-neutral names in the US right now.
- Alex
- Avery
- Casey
- Charly
- Hunter
- Jamie
- Jordan
- Riley
- Taylor
- Quinn
Whatever the reasons parents in the US have for choosing a gender-neutral American name, this list helps you look beyond the usual baby names.
Most popular American boy names of the last 100 years
The rise of pop culture, socioeconomic conditions and ethnic diversity have all shaped American culture and, with it, which boy names became popular in the US. Here is the list of the most popular boy names in the US over the last 100 years.
- Aaron
- Alan
- Alexander (nicknames: Alex)
- Andrew (nicknames: Andy, Drew)
- Anthony (nicknames: Tony)
- Austin
- Benjamin (nicknames: Ben, Benny)
- Billy
- Bradley (nicknames: Brad)
- Brandon
- Brian
- Bryan
- Carl
- Charles (nicknames: Charly, Chuck)
- Christopher (nicknames: Chris)
- Corey
- Craig
- Daniel (nicknames: Dan, Danny)
- David (nicknames: Dave, Davey)
- Dean
- Dennis
- Donald (nicknames: Don, Donny)
- Douglas (nicknames: Doug)
- Dylan
- Edward (nicknames: Ed, Eddy)
- Elijah
- Eric
- Ethan
- Eugene
- Frank
- Gabriel
- Gary
- George
- Gregory (nicknames: Greg)
- Harry
- Jackson (nicknames: Jack)
- Jacob (nicknames: Jake)
- James (nicknames: Jim, Jimmy)
- Jason (nicknames: Jay)
- Jeffrey (nicknames: Jeff)
- Jerry
- Jimmy
- John (nicknames: Johnny)
- Johnny
- Jonathan (nicknames: Jon, Jonny)
- Joseph (nicknames: Joe, Joey)
- Joshua (nicknames: Josh)
- Keith
- Kenneth (nicknames: Ken, Kenny)
- Kevin
- Lawrence (nicknames: Larry)
- Liam
- Logan
- Louis
- Lucas (nicknames: Luke)
- Mason
- Martin (nicknames: Marty)
- Matthew (nicknames: Matt)
- Michael (nicknames: Mike, Mikey)
- Nathan (nicknames: Nate)
- Noah
- Oliver (nicknames: Olly)
- Patrick
- Paul
- Peter (nicknames: Pete)
- Philip (nicknames: Phil)
- Ralph
- Raymond
- Richard (nicknames: Rick, Ricky, Dick)
- Robert (nicknames: Rob, Bob, Bobby)
- Roger
- Ronald (nicknames: Ron)
- Roy
- Russell
- Ryan
- Samuel (nicknames: Sam)
- Scott
- Sean
- Stephen (nicknames: Steve)
- Steven (nicknames: Steve)
- Terry
- Thomas (nicknames: Tom, Tommy)
- Timothy (nicknames: Tim, Timmy)
- Todd
- Victor
- Vincent (nicknames: Vince)
- Walter (nicknames: Wally)
- Wayne
- William (nicknames: Will, Bill, Billy)
The alpha and omega of American boy names, or in this case the A to W, is this: every first name in the US comes from a mix of social trends, cultural change and personal taste.
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100 American boy names and their meanings to help you choose
Still haven't found the right one among the American boy names so far? Here are 100 more American boy names for you, each with its meaning.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aiden | Fiery |
| Asher | Happy, blessed |
| Axel | Father of peace |
| Beckett | Beehive |
| Beau | Handsome |
| Blake | Dark, pale |
| Bodhi | Enlightenment |
| Brock | Badger-like |
| Brody | Ditch |
| Brooks | Brook |
| Cade | Round |
| Caleb | Faithful, devoted |
| Cameron | Crooked nose |
| Carson | Son of the marsh dwellers |
| Carter | Cart driver |
| Chase | Hunter |
| Cody | Helpful |
| Cole | Dark-haired, coal-black |
| Colin | Puppy, young animal |
| Colton | From the coal town |
| Cooper | Barrel maker |
| Cyrus | Sun |
| Damian | To tame |
| Dante | Enduring |
| Declan | Full of goodness |
| Dominic | Of the Lord |
| Drake | Dragon |
| Dustin | Brave fighter |
| Easton | East-facing place |
| Edison | Son of Edward |
| Eli | Uplifted |
| Elliott | The Lord is my God |
| Emmett | Universal |
| Everett | Brave as a wild boar |
| Ezra | Help |
| Felix | Happy, lucky |
| Finn | Fair-haired |
| Fletcher | Arrow maker |
| Gage | Pledge |
| Garrett | Spear strength |
| Gavin | White falcon |
| Graham | Gravel house |
| Grant | Great, grand |
| Grayson | Son of the gray-skinned one |
| Griffin | Strong lord |
| Grover | Grove of trees |
| Gunner | Brave warrior |
| Hank | Steward of the estate |
| Harley | Hare's meadow |
| Harrison | Son of Harry |
| Harvey | Fit for battle |
| Hayes | Enclosed land |
| Hudson | Son of Hugh |
| Hugo | Mind, intellect |
| Ian | God is gracious |
| Isaac | Laughter |
| Isaiah | Salvation of the Lord |
| Jace | Healer |
| Jasper | Treasurer |
| Jett | Black gemstone |
| Joaquin | God will judge |
| Jude | Praise |
| Julian | Youthful |
| Kai | Sea |
| Karter | Cart driver |
| Knox | Round hill |
| Landon | Long hill |
| Lane | Path |
| Leo | Lion |
| Levi | United, joined |
| Lincoln | Settlement by the pond |
| Luca | Bringer of light |
| Maddox | Son of Madoc |
| Malachi | My messenger |
| Maverick | Independent |
| Maxwell | Great stream |
| Miles | Soldier |
| Milo | Soldier or merciful |
| Nash | At the ash tree |
| Nico | People of victory |
| Nolan | Champion |
| Oscar | Deer lover |
| Owen | Young warrior |
| Parker | Park keeper |
| Phoenix | Dark red |
| Pierce | Rock |
| Preston | Priest's town |
| Quentin | Fifth |
| Remy | Rower |
| River | Brook |
| Rowan | Little red one |
| Ryder | Rider |
| Sawyer | Woodcutter |
| Silas | Forest or wood |
| Thaddeus | Gift of God |
| Thiago | Supplanter |
| Tobias | God is good |
| Tucker | One who makes cloth soft |
| Wesley | Western meadow |
| Zane | God's gracious gift |
Final thoughts on American boy names
When it comes to variety, the US clearly offers a lot to choose from when picking a first name, at least for boys. Few or no naming laws, the influence of celebrities, cultural diversity and a rich history have together turned the country into a creative playground for American first names.
With social media shaping naming trends more and more, we at Lottili are curious to see which American boy names will get liked over the next 100 years and which ones won't make it into the top name rankings.
Sources
German Federal Ministry of Justice: Naming law
