Picking a name is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a parent — and one of the most fun. Below you’ll find more than 100 popular and beautiful baby boy names, with their meanings, origins, and common variations.
You can search by name, origin, or meaning in the table below, filter by cultural origin, or jump straight to a starting letter. Scroll further down for themed name lists — perfect if you’re looking for a name with a specific feel, from “future leader” to “soft-spoken soul”.
In a hurry? Here’s the quick version:
- Most popular origins: Hebrew, English, Greek, and Irish — together making up over 70% of the list.
- Top “meanings” parents search: strength, gift, light, protector, leader.
- Looking for Māori boy names? See our dedicated Māori Baby Names guide.
- Girls’ list? Our full A-Z of Girl Names has 100+ more.
Why a name’s meaning matters (and when it doesn’t)
If you love a name and it suits your family, that’s the most important thing. But many traditional names carry hundreds of years of cultural and emotional weight — Old English, Celtic, French, Latin, Hebrew, and biblical roots — which is part of what makes them feel grounded.
People will absolutely ask “how did you choose that name?” or “what does it mean?” — so for many parents, the meaning ends up being just as important as the name itself. Gender-neutral names are also more common than ever, so check our A-Z girl names list too — plenty cross over.
Complete A-Z Boy Names Search
Type in the search box to filter by name, origin, or meaning. Tap an origin chip to narrow the list, or use the A-Z bar to jump straight to a letter.
Below is the full A–Z directory of boy names. Use the search box to find a name fast, tap any letter to jump, or filter by origin — Māori, Pacific, English, Irish, Scottish, biblical and more.
| Name ↕ | Origin ↕ | Meaning ↕ | Variations |
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That’s the full directory. If a name jumped out at you, write it down and try saying it out loud a few times — most parents settle on the one that sounds right, not just looks right on paper.
Looking for Māori boy names?
The list above focuses on English, European, and biblical origin names. For traditional and modern Māori boy names with their te reo meanings, see our dedicated Māori Baby Names guide.
Boy names by theme and personality
Want a name with a specific feel? Tap any theme below to see 10 hand-picked names that fit. Some names appear in more than one list — those are the all-rounders.
Future Leader 10 names
- Maximus — Latin, meaning “greatest”.
- Leo — Latin, meaning “lion; courage and strength”.
- Alexander — Greek, meaning “defender of the people”.
- James — Hebrew, meaning “supplanter; associated with leadership”.
- Theodore — Greek, meaning “gift of God”.
- Henry — German, meaning “ruler of the household”.
- Charles — German, meaning “free man”.
- Benjamin — Hebrew, meaning “son of the right hand”.
- Ethan — Hebrew, meaning “strong, firm”.
- William — Old German, meaning “resolute protector”.
Adventurer 10 names
- River — English, meaning “a flowing body of water; freedom”.
- Hunter — English, meaning “one who hunts; bravery”.
- Atlas — Greek, meaning “bearer of the heavens”.
- Phoenix — Greek, meaning “rebirth, overcoming”.
- Everest — English, meaning “after Mount Everest”.
- Jasper — Persian, meaning “treasure keeper”.
- Wild — English, meaning “untamed”.
- Kai — Hawaiian / Māori, meaning “sea”.
- Arrow — English, meaning “precision and direction”.
- Wolf — Old German, meaning “wolf; courage”.
Creative Mind 10 names
- Jasper — Persian, meaning “treasure keeper”.
- Miles — Latin, meaning “soldier; tied to music (Miles Davis)”.
- Finn — Irish, meaning “fair; literary character”.
- Luca — Italian, meaning “light”.
- Zane — Hebrew, meaning “God’s gracious gift”.
- Elliot — English, meaning “Jehovah is God”.
- Theo — Greek, meaning “gift of God”.
- Hendrix — English, meaning “after Jimi Hendrix”.
- Arlo — Old English, meaning “fortified hill”.
- August — Latin, meaning “great”.
Classic Gentleman 10 names
- William — Old German, meaning “resolute protector”.
- Oliver — Latin, meaning “olive tree; peace”.
- Benjamin — Hebrew, meaning “son of the right hand”.
- Henry — German, meaning “ruler of the household”.
- Samuel — Hebrew, meaning “God has heard”.
- Edward — Old English, meaning “wealthy guardian”.
- Thomas — Aramaic, meaning “twin”.
- James — Hebrew, meaning “supplanter”.
- George — Greek, meaning “farmer”.
- Charles — Old German, meaning “free man”.
Modern Minimalist 10 names
- Kai — Hawaiian / Māori, meaning “sea”.
- Ace — Latin, meaning “one; unity”.
- Eli — Hebrew, meaning “ascended; my God”.
- Jay — English, meaning “jaybird”.
- Beau — French, meaning “handsome”.
- Leo — Latin, meaning “lion”.
- Max — Latin, meaning “greatest”.
- Finn — Irish, meaning “fair”.
- Zane — Hebrew, meaning “God’s gracious gift”.
- Noah — Hebrew, meaning “rest, comfort”.
Soft-Spoken Soul 10 names
- Noah — Hebrew, meaning “rest, comfort”.
- Luca — Italian, meaning “light”.
- Elias — Greek, meaning “the Lord is my God”.
- Levi — Hebrew, meaning “joined; harmony”.
- Silas — Latin, meaning “wood; peace, nature”.
- Isaiah — Hebrew, meaning “salvation of the Lord”.
- Oliver — Latin, meaning “olive tree; peace”.
- Elijah — Hebrew, meaning “my God is Yahweh”.
- Finn — Irish, meaning “fair”.
- Asher — Hebrew, meaning “happy, blessed”.
Funny Guy 10 names
- Charlie — English, meaning “free man”.
- Milo — Latin, meaning “soldier; merciful”.
- Teddy — English, meaning “gift of God”.
- Benny — Hebrew, meaning “son of the right hand”.
- Finn — Irish, meaning “fair”.
- Otis — German, meaning “wealth”.
- Beau — French, meaning “handsome”.
- Jasper — Persian, meaning “treasure keeper”.
- Ziggy — German, meaning “victory”.
- Theo — Greek, meaning “gift of God”.
Wild One 10 names
- Dash — English, meaning “to run quickly”.
- Rocket — English, meaning “energy and speed”.
- Maverick — English, meaning “independent-minded”.
- Wolf — Old German, meaning “wolf; wildness”.
- Blaze — English, meaning “fire”.
- Rex — Latin, meaning “king”.
- Ryder — English, meaning “mounted warrior”.
- Bear — Old English, meaning “strength and power”.
- Zane — Hebrew, meaning “God’s gracious gift”.
- Phoenix — Greek, meaning “rebirth”.
Family-First 10 names
- John — Hebrew, meaning “God is gracious”.
- Patrick — Latin, meaning “nobleman”.
- Edward — Old English, meaning “wealthy guardian”.
- Charles — Old German, meaning “free man”.
- Michael — Hebrew, meaning “who is like God”.
- George — Greek, meaning “farmer”.
- Thomas — Aramaic, meaning “twin”.
- Joseph — Hebrew, meaning “God will increase”.
- David — Hebrew, meaning “beloved”.
- Samuel — Hebrew, meaning “God has heard”.
Intellectual 10 names
- Ezra — Hebrew, meaning “help”.
- Miles — Latin, meaning “soldier”.
- Atticus — Greek, meaning “man of Attica”.
- Sebastian — Greek, meaning “venerable”.
- Vincent — Latin, meaning “conquering”.
- Oliver — Latin, meaning “olive tree”.
- Isaac — Hebrew, meaning “laughter”.
- Julius — Latin, meaning “youthful”.
- Leo — Latin, meaning “lion”.
- Lennox — Scottish, meaning “from the elm grove”.
Quick tips for choosing the right name
- Say it out loud. First name + middle name + surname together — listen for awkward rhymes or initials that spell something unfortunate.
- Imagine it at every age. A name has to work for a baby, a teenager, and a grown adult on a CV.
- Check the nicknames. Most kids end up with a shortened form — make sure you can live with it.
- Don’t over-source it. Asking 20 family members for opinions is a fast path to chaos. Narrow to a shortlist of three, then decide together.
- Sleep on it. If you still love it after a week, that’s usually a good sign.
Keep exploring baby names
Found a shortlist? Brilliant. Here’s where to go next:
- A-Z of Girl Names and Meanings — many of these cross over and work beautifully as gender-neutral choices.
- Māori Baby Names — traditional and modern Māori names with te reo meanings.
- Baby Names Hub — hundreds more name ideas across every style and origin.
- Due Date Calculator — if you’re still working out exactly when you’ll need that name.
Got a name you’d love added to the list? Leave a comment below with the name and what you know about its origin — we research and add reader suggestions regularly.
Good job
Thanks! — Kiwi Families
im devaughn my name means small nd i am small
My grandson. The name is from Persian/Iranian.
Great job compiling these list.
What’s the meaning of this name, Kenny ?
Nice one. Kenny is short for Kenneth, and possibly of Gaelic origin, where it means the handsome one. We’ve added you to the list! — Kiwi Families
The meaning of my sons name please, it is short and I have included his surname too, thankyou. Debbie Whiles.
WARREN,William
I’m not sure what this comment means?
I need more
Try here: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/baby-names/ — Kiwi Families
Could you please give us Indo-European boy names?
Thanks for the suggestion. We could definitely look at creating a new list! — Kiwi Families
Good morning. Please I have a baby boy and I want to called him Billionaire and I will like you to add this name online…. thanks and hope to here from you soon.
Hi there. That would be a very unique name indeed! There’s a lot of money stylised and derivative names that have appeared over the last 20 years or so. Cash, Prosperity, Goldie, etc. Hope you’re enjoying the parenting journey! — Kiwi Families
i got a good name what about cody
Thanks! Apparently it’s of Irish origin and means decent and helpful. We’ll add it to the list. Very cool! — Kiwi Families
Please give us 21 century baby names not old names
Hi Mistead, thanks for your feedback. These are some of the world’s most popular baby names right now! But we agree, a list of cool, fresh modern names parents are calling their kids would make a great list. We’ll look into it, thanks — Jarrod
Jayden
Jayden is a lovely name and is of ancient Hebrew origin. Very cool, we’ll add it to the list. — Kiwi Families
I want this thing to stop asking me to comment
Sorry, I’m not quite sure what you mean by this? — Jarrod
I loved the names although I had a hard time knowing the meanings. Anyone else?
Thanks for your feedback! Some of the names and meanings go back a very long way, so are steeped in history! We’d definitely recommend researching a name further, once you’ve landed on it though, and make really sure it’s got the feeling and flavour that you’re after. You only get to make the choice once! — Jarrod
I don’t like having names with meanings as it forces my children to live up to their name which is sometimes impossible.
That’s a good point. — Kiwi Families
Where are the unisex names?
Lot’s more names on our boy’s list, and many are gender-neutral, or parent’s are just making them gender non-specific too, which is cool: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/girl-names-and-meanings/ Cheers. — Kiwi Families
I couldn’t found a particular name with meaning?? (Desmond)..
We’ll try and find out, and add it, thanks! — Kiwi Families
Was I the only one who missed the girl names?
Hi there, you can find our A – Z of girls names on this article here: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/girl-names-and-meanings/
yes
Ha! No maori names?! What a crock kiwi families !
Hi Anna, you can find a list of top trending Maori baby names in our full names article here: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/baby-names/
Why are you being so aggressive?
Hi again Anna, sorry it’s far too late for your baby name choosing now! But we’ve just compiled a full list of Māori boy and girl names here: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/maori-baby-names/ Thanks for your suggestion!
harry
We’ll try and find out, and add it, thanks! — Kiwi Families
Very useful post, i also chose names for my kids my their meaning, it is important psychologically for both parents and their children when they grow up
I’m glad you liked it! It’s so hard choosing the right name, eh??
Hellow
Hi!
you got the best names
Thanks! — Kiwi Families