For families expecting a little guy, these 1,000 most popular boy baby names should give you tons of inspo to consider. (Bonus: Read the meanings behind the most-loved monikers!)
Wondering what will be the perfect name for your baby boy? The official list of 1,000 most popular boy names—according to the Social Security Association—is a fab place to start. You’ll notice when comparing this year’s against the past several, that baby boy name trends shift slightly every few years and even more dramatically by the decade. Do you want a popular name for your baby, or something very rarely heard?
If you’re looking at biblical names, they’re all up and down the charts from the #2 spot and represented well into the hundreds! Other common threads throughout the list are lots of J names, C names, and M names. Vintage choices like Oliver and Theodore rest comfortably among classics like James and Henry, while some popular boy names seem to have burst out of obscurity, like Maverick and Hudson. And there are lots of surprises on here—for example, would you ever have guessed that Sincere would vastly outrank Sam?
You’ll notice that names containing X are still relevant (Axel, Maxwell), as are the Braydens and Jadens favored five to 10 years ago, but these trends are being pushed down by romantic stalwarts Liam, Elijah, and Lucas. The top names for boys also include lots of gender-neutral names, meaning this roundup is a decent place to poke around for baby girl name inspiration, too.
With meanings and explanations for the top 50, and the rest listed below, here are the top 50 baby boy names. Where do your favorites rank?
The Top 10 Best Boy Baby Names
- Liam: You might not realize that the most popular boy name is actually a shortening of another name in the top five! Liam is the Irish diminutive of William, meaning “resolute protection.”
- Noah: A Hebrew name with crossover appeal for people of various faiths, the name belonging to the collector and keeper of animals in the Old Testament also means “motion, rest, repose.”
- Oliver: Your little Ollie will hardly be the only one with this adorable name in the baby group. Oliver means “olive tree” with German roots and it’s jumped two spots from #5 since 2018 and has held strong at #3 since. Its sister name, Olivia, is currently the most popular name for US baby girls.
- James: A version of Jacob (Hebrew, “the supplanter”), this cool monosyllabic boy name hasn’t fallen out of the US Top 20 ever since the 1880s (when it was at #3!) and shows no signs of doing so any time soon.
- Elijah: Another Hebrew name, this one translates to “Yahweh is God.” It’s actually considered gender-neutral, but is far more popular for boys.
- Mateo: A recent addition to the top 10, this Spanish take on Matthew (“gift of God”) is now well above its English version!
- Theodore: With super-cute nickname choices (Teddy, Theo) and a dignified sound, this old-fashioned name meaning “gift of God” from the Greek is a fave—it’s been inching up the list each year.
- Henry: A German name translating to “estate ruler,” it’s effortlessly old-school, with clout and charm.
- Lucas: The Latin version of Luke, meaning “man from Lucania” is a wholesomely handsome pick. It’s slowly been on the rise in recent years.
- William: From Shakespeare to Faulkner, and more contemporary well-knowns like Prince William, Billy Joel, and Bill Murray, your little man would have plenty of namesakes to look up to if there don’t happen to be any in the family.
The Best Boy Baby Names: 11–25
- Benjamin: Meaning “son of the right hand,” the Hebrew name is another one that has remained popular since the beginning of the US ranking lists.
- Levi: This vintage pick means “join, attached” from the Hebrew, and is adorable for your blue-jean baby.
- Sebastian: The Latin-from-Greek place name refers to someone from the ancient city of Sebastia. Within the last 70+ years, it’s skyrocketed from the high 900’s to the top handful of names, making big moves in 2022 from 22 to 13, where it’s remained!
- Jack: One of the most popular monosyllabic names for boys, it’s a diminutive of John (“God is gracious”) dating back to Medieval times. Jack has always been a top name in the US, never dipping outside the top 200 names.
- Ezra: With Hebrew origins, Ezra means “help,” and the name made a big jump in 2022 from #37 to #25 and another leap in 2023 up to #15.
- Michael: This is one that is handed down generation to generation on both the naming charts and within families. Michael means “who is like God?” of Hebrew origin.
- Daniel: We weren’t kidding when we said the top names would have many from the Bible; this Hebrew/biblical name meaning “God is my judge” is a favorite.
- Leo: This boy’s name comes from the Greek for “lion” and, after years of tiptoeing up the list, made its roaring top-20 debut in 2023!
- Owen: Meaning “well-born” and “young warrior,” the gender-neutral name is much more popular for little guys than girls.
- Samuel: Hebrew for “told by God,” it’s a warm and wholesome name to consider for your little one.
- Hudson: A place name that New Yorkers will recognize, this name was a new edition to the top 30 in 2022, and its popularity continues to grow!
- Alexander: If the first thing you think when seeing this one is, “…the Great,” you’re not alone. It’s a name packed with history and power, translating to “defending men.”
- Asher: A biblical name meaning “happy and blessed,” Asher is a sweet moniker to bestow upon your little man. This one was a new addition to the top 25 in 2021, and has been rising since!
- Luca: This Italian name is technically gender-neutral and means “bringer of light.” In 2022 it outranked its counterpart (Luke) for the first time…perhaps due to the popularity of the 2021 Disney movie Luca!
- Ethan: The Hebrew moniker (“strong, firm”) appears many times in the Old Testament, and even more often among newborn baby boys!
The Best Boy Baby Names: 26–50
- John: A timeless name, John has been in the top 30 since 1900! From 1900 through 1923, John enjoyed the top spot, after which it stayed in the top 10 through 1986, before finally leaving the top 20 in 2009.
- David: Another total classic, this name meaning “beloved” has been beloved by boy-moms and dads for more than 100 years.
- Jackson: Not surprisingly, Jackson means “son of Jack.” It’s a well-loved name with spirit and style.
- Joseph: Another name that has remained popular for more than a century, Joseph is a Hebrew name meaning “God will give.”
- Mason: The English occupational name for “one who works with stone” seemed like a trend, but is becoming a classic!
- Luke: A biblical name that means “giving light.”
- Matthew: Another biblical name and a classic! Matthew means “gift of God.”
- Julian: A bit on the nose, this baby name means “youthful!”
- Dylan: A newcomer to the top 35 in 2023, Dylan means “son of the sea” or born from the ocean.”
- Elias: A twist on Elijah, the biblical name translates to “Lord is my God.”
- Jacob: It was in the #1 spot from 1999 to 2012, so naturally some weariness ensued and it’s dropped since. But this beautiful biblical name is likely to hang out somewhere near the top for years to come. Jacob means “the supplanter.”
- Maverick: It’s probably no coincidence that this name started to soar the year Top Gun: Maverick hit theaters.
- Gabriel: Meaning “strength of God” this baby name comes from the Bible.
- Logan: A Scottish gender-neutral name, it also ranks for girls, but way lower. This adorable name means “little hollow.”
- Aiden: The original spelling has a second “a” rather than an “e,” but this more phonetic version pulls rank. It’s an Irish baby boy name meaning “little and fiery.”
- Thomas: Expecting multiples? This baby name that means “twin” could be just riht for half your pair.
- Isaac: Fitting for your bundle of joy, this classic Hebrew name, means “one who laughs or rejoices.”
- Miles: The modern moniker has been creeping up the list, finally cracking the top 50 in 2023. It means “merciful” or “solider.”
- Grayson: Though the literal meaning (“son of a gray-haired man”) maybe isn’t the most flattering for dads, this baby name has unmistakable gravitas.
- Santiago: Another top-50 newcomer: This melodic Spanish name means “Saint James!”
- Anthony: Whether your precious baby grows up to be an “Ant” or a “Tony,” the root of their name means “priceless one.”
- Wyatt: Wyatt’s a newer favorite, only cracking the top 100 for the first time in 2004. It has old English roots and means “brave at war.”
- Carter: While the literal meaning of this name (“one who transports goods by wagon”) may not summon a lot of sentimental feelings, this crisp gender-neutral name still has plenty of appeal—especially with folks for whom Carter is a meaningful last name!
- Jayden: This contemporary fave (though –yden names have been falling off in past years), actually has biblical roots. Jayden means “thankful” and “God will judge.”
- Ezekiel: The strong Hebrew name fittingly means “strength of God.”
