Popular Names for a Baby Boy  

So, you finally found out your child is to be a bouncing baby boy.  Everything will be decorated in blue.  Dad will have a son.  That only leaves the question, what will you name him? 

Names are a tough thing to figure out.  You don’t want to be too traditional, but you don’t want to get so creative that you get tired of hearing it.  Maybe these popular names can help with the decision. 

The most popular baby name for a boy is Jacob.  Jacob is a biblical name from the Old Testament that means “supplanter.”  To supplant means to take over or to take control of something.  Although it is a Jewish name, it is not only given to Jewish boys. 

Rounding out the top ten names for boys are:  Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Daniel, Christopher, Andrew, Ethan, William, and Anthony.  Each of these names is traditional by today's standards.  You may find them on any family tree in any generation among any number of cultures.  Heroes and scoundrels alike have carried these names throughout history. 

Let’s look at the meanings behind these popular names.  Michael means “esteemed”.  It is a name of Hebrew origin.  Joshua is also a Hebrew name. It means “God is my salvation.”   

Matthew means “gift of God”.  Daniel means “God is my judge.”  Christopher means “Christ bearer.”  It is a Greek word.  Andrew means “courageous.” 

Ethan means “firmness.”  It is of Hebrew origin.  William is from the German and it means “protector.”  Finally, Anthony means “praiseworthy.”   

All of these names are good names for a baby boy.  Should he grow into his name, he will be a credit to his entire family.  Keep in mind that popular names for your little one will mean more young boys with the same name in your son’s class at school and at college.  However, his surname will distinguish him from the rest.   

As you can see with the most popular boys names over the past few years, trendy names are fleeting.  They stay in the limelight for a while, but eventually fade away.  The more traditional names seem to stay with us for the duration.  The first names that come to our minds tend to be the names we hear the most.   

When it comes to naming your son, take your time and consider all of your options.  No one said that you have to decide in a day or a week—use the whole nine months of your pregnancy if necessary.  Even after the child is born you get a few more days to finalize the name.  Go with your first instincts.  Everyone is not going to agree with the baby’s name, but as long as the parents are happy with it, that’s all that matters. 

The meanings for each name were taken from the Name Book by Dorothy Astoria, Copyright ©1997.