Namewise

Boys' names

Names Namewise records as used for boys. Usage is read from official statistics — which list a registrar published the name in — not from an opinion about the name, and a name recorded on both lists appears under names used for both instead.

7,664 names found

Full profile: deeper editorial detail. Official popularity record: sourced statistical evidence, editorial detail not yet written. Name identity record: exists in the catalogue with limited current evidence. Namewise is expanding editorial depth over time.

James

male

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Supplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob).

Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus
Thomas

male

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The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'.

Aramaic, via Greek
William

male

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Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.

Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Michael

male

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Commonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God.

Biblical Hebrew
Daniel

male

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Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel.

Biblical Hebrew
John

male

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From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John.

Biblical Hebrew
David

male

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Commonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.

Biblical Hebrew
Peter

male

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From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.

Greek/Aramaic, biblical
Matthew

male

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From Greek Matthaios, from Hebrew Mattithiah, combining 'mattat' (gift) with 'Yahweh' — 'gift of God'. Matthew was a tax collector and one of the twelve apostles, traditionally credited as author of the first Gospel.

Biblical Hebrew
Oliver

male

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Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated.

Old French
Martin

male

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From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France.

Latin (Ancient Roman)
Jack

male

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God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name.

English, historically a diminutive of John
Sean

male

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The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry.

Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John
Joshua

male

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From Hebrew Yehoshua, combining 'yeho' (referring to God) with 'yasha' ('to save') — 'Yahweh is salvation'. Joshua succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites in the Old Testament.

Biblical Hebrew
Jason

male

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From Ancient Greek Iason, meaning 'healer'. In Greek mythology, Jason led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece; the name also appears in the New Testament as a Hellenized form possibly of a Hebrew name.

Greek
Noah

male

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Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'.

Hebrew
Liam

male

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A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'.

Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam)
Harry

male

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A diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation.

English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry
Jan

male

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A form of Johannes used across many European languages, from Hebrew Yochanan via Greek Ioannes — 'Yahweh is gracious'.

Hebrew, via Dutch/Scandinavian/Central European transmission
Muhammad

male

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Praiseworthy, commendable.

Arabic
Tobias

male

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Traditionally understood to mean 'God is good' or 'the Lord is good', from a Hebrew phrase.

Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition
Jonas

male

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Traditionally associated with the biblical figure Jonah; some traditions link the underlying Hebrew root to 'dove'.

Hebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition
Emil

male

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From the Roman family name Aemilius, itself from Latin 'aemulus' meaning 'rival'.

Latin, widely used across Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German and other European traditions
Andreas

male

Official popularity record

Showing 24 of 60 names on this page.