Choosing a name for your baby boy can be so tough! Some people want a unique name, others may want a more traditional baby name, or even something from their personal list of meaningful boy names. And of course, partners trying to name the same child often want different kinds of names!
At this point, lists of potential or popular baby names become invaluable.
You can run through a ton of possible names in one sitting and really get a feel for the types of baby names you like (and those you don’t).
As you do your name sorting, here’s a rundown of strong names you may want to consider!
Some of the most popular meaningful boy names get their meanings from the Hebrew language and Bible stories. Here are a few examples:
Abraham – father of a multitude
Amos – carried by God
Elijah – Yahweh is God
Ethan – strong, firm
Ezekiel – God strengthens
Ezra – help
Isaac – laughter
Jacob – supplanter
John – God is gracious
Jude – praised
Solomon – peace
Zachariah – the Lord remembered
Of course, Bible-based names aren’t the only option for meaningful boy names.
Many great options for boy names get their meaning from nature.
If you’re into the idea of a nature-based boy name, here’s a few suggestions, along with their meanings:
Beckett – bee hive (Irish)
Callum – dove (Scottish)
Camden – winding valley (Scottish)
Drake – dragon (Middle English)
Holden – hollow valley (English)
Pierce – rock (Welsh)
Rowan – a type of tree (English)
But of course, there are also boy names with connections to nature that are more obvious and need no translation.
If you’re looking for a name like that, a few options are:
Ash
Birch
Briar
Clay
Elm
Forrest
Huck/Huckleberry
Leaf/Leif
Reed
Meanings for the Most Popular Baby Boy Names
Perhaps the meaning of a name is secondary for you.
Maybe you’ve already picked a name you like and you just want to know what it means – either because you’re curious or you want to make sure you don’t hate it.
After all, a vegan pacifist giving their baby a name that means wolf-slayer may not be the greatest fit. (No, I can’t actually think of any name off the top of my head that means wolf-slayer, but you get the idea. . .)
Here are the meanings for the Top 10 most popular baby boy names, in order:
- Liam – resolute protection (Irish)
- Noah – derived from “Noach,” in Hebrew, meaning rest
- Oliver – olive tree (Latin)
- Elijah – Yahweh is God (Hebrew)
- William – resolute protection (English)
- James – derived from Jacob (which means “supplanter” in Hebrew)
- Benjamin – son of the right hand (Hebrew)
- Lucas – bringer of light (Latin)
- Henry – house ruler (a derivative of French and German)
- Alexander – defending man (Greek)
(If you want to check out even more boy names with meaning, as well as their derivatives and variations, you can find a helpful table on Kiwi Families.)
For many parents, the meaning of a name is very important, while for others, it’s just a bonus factor to consider. Hopefully this rundown of strong, meaningful baby boy names will help make naming your baby just a little bit easier!