Top boy Names For 2021

Names that reflect values and heritage.

Most parents select baby names that stand for some admirable human qualities. The popular boy names of 2021 represent qualities such as strength, bravery, and nobility. These popular names blend traditional and modern influences, each representing admirable traits parents hope their sons will embrace. Many of these names come with a rich history, which adds to their charm. These names offer a sense of heritage and convey meaningful qualities that keep them relevant even after centuries.

Two of the top favorites, Liam (protector) and William (protector) signify protection and are also associated with bravery or fearlessness. Similarly, names like Ethan (strong) and Bryan (strong) convey strength, a highly valued trait in boys. On the modern side, names like Ryder (mounted warrior) and Xander (defender of people) bring to mind warriors with meanings that highlight their roles as defenders and protectors of their people. If you’re looking for popular and meaningful boy names in the US, check out the list below, compiled from official SSA data (1).

In This Article

Browse Top Baby Names by Gender

Girl Boy

Browse Top Baby Names by Year

Name		Gender	Meaning
Delvin-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Narrow water; River
Fahad		Boy	Panther
Jabril-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	God is my strong man; God is my hero
Jakub-Baby-Name-Guide:-Origin,-Meaning,-History-&-Popularity		Boy	Holder of the heel; Supplanter; May God protect
Jovany		Boy	God is gracious
Gareth		Unisex	Valor; Hay lord
Knoxx		Boy	Round hill; Hump
Kurtis		Boy	Courteous; Polite
Manny-Name-Meaning-&-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	God is with us
Olivier		Boy	Olive tree; Ancestor's descendant; Planter of olive trees; All cautious
Oshea		Boy	Salvation
Murray		Unisex	Seaside settlement; Seashore; Coast; Descendant of the follower of Virgin Mary; Pleasant
Trystan		Unisex	A sorrowful man
Xavien-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Everything-You-Need-To-Know		Unisex	The new house
Arik		Boy	Lion of God; Eternal ruler; Powerful; Brave
Bakari		Boy	Hopeful; Promising
Aman-Name-Meaning:-Origins,-History-&-Cultural-Significance		Unisex	Peace; Calm; Feeling of security; Trust; Safety; Handsome; Healthy and strong
Baxter		Boy	A baker
Calix-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-Pronunciation-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	Chalice; Most beautiful
Chet		Boy	Camp; Fortress
Demian-Baby-Name:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Meaning-&-More		Boy	To tame; Master; Conquer
Geovanny		Boy	God is gracious
Geoffrey:-Origin,-Meaning,-And-Pop-Culture-Insights		Unisex	God's peace; Peaceful gift; Peaceful territory; Peaceful foreigner
Jairus		Boy	He shines; God enlightens
Maaz		Boy	One who seeks or gives shelter
Mathis		Boy	God's gift
Mazen		Boy	Rain clouds; Blessed rain drops
Musab		Boy	Hard to be defeated; Brave
Namir		Boy	Leopard; Panther; Good; Pure
Percival-Name-Meaning-&-Origin:-Comprehensive-Guide-For-2025		Boy	Pierce the valley; Hard spears
Roel		Boy	Famous land; Famous wolf; Famous ruler
Sander		Boy	Defender of people
Steel		Boy	Steel
Teodoro		Boy	Gift from god
Talan-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-Nicknames-&-Popularity		Unisex	Warrior
Aayden		Boy	Fire
Abdallah		Boy	Servant of God; Servant of Allah
Yanis		Unisex	God is gracious
Ayoub		Boy	Other name of Job; Persecuted; Hated
Aziz-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-Popularity:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Powerful; Respected; Beloved
Buck-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-History,-Popularity-&-Complete-Guide		Boy	Male deer or goat
Caesar		Boy	Hairy
Clarke		Boy	Clerk; Priest; Scribe
Esa-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-Variants-&-Popularity		Boy	Yahweh is salvation; God is my salvation
Gaspar-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Treasurer
Iain		Boy	God is gracious
Jupiter		Boy	Supreme God of the sky; Father of the sky
Marwan		Boy	Flint (stone); Quartz; A hard stone of nearly pure silica; name of a fragrant plant; Strong lion; Leader
Rahim		Boy	Kind; Merciful; Compassionate
Ronen-Meaning:-Guide-To-Pronunciation,-Popularity-&-More		Boy	A song that brings joy
Sylvan-Name-Meaning-And-Popularity:-Complete-Guide-For-2025		Boy	Of the forest or woods
Trayvon		Boy	Three; Little
Tavion		Unisex	Eighth
Tyron-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Land of Eoghan
Travon		Unisex	Fair town
Yonatan		Boy	Yahweh has given
Abubakr		Boy	Father of young camel
Zaccai-Name-Guide:-Meaning,-History,-Popularity-&-Nicknames		Boy	Pure and just
Ahsan		Boy	Most handsome; Most beautiful
Ashur-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-5-Charming-Nicknames		Boy	Blessed; Happy; God of War; Islamic month
Claudio		Boy	Differently abled; Crippled
Demarco-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Son of Marco; Mars; Man
Edan		Boy	Era; Fire
Humza-Baby-Name:-Complete-Guide-To-Meaning-&-Popularity		Boy	Steadfast; Strong
Jaheim		Boy	Raised Up; Dignified
Esaias		Boy	Yahweh is salvation
Jerimiah		Boy	Yahweh will exalt
Jahsiah		Boy	Yahweh supports
Marty		Boy	The god of war; Mars; Dedicated to Mars; Warlike; Male
Masyn		Boy	Stone worker
Nahum-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Pronunciation:-A-Complete-Guide		Boy	Comforter; To comfort
Nilan		Boy	Victory of the people
Aubreigh		Boy	Elf ruler; Elf king
Quade-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Evil; False; Mud; Refuse; Son of Uaid; Power of the army
Rehan		Boy	Basil
Ollivander		Boy	He who owns the olive wand
Salim		Boy	Safe; Sound; Intact; Peaceful
Riyaan		Boy	Little king; Heaven's door
Walden		Boy	Welshman from the valley; Foreigner from the valley
Takoda		Boy	Friend to all
Willard		Boy	Firm desire; Strong will
Vyom		Boy	Sky; Space; To fly or soar
Arjan		Boy	From Hadria; Procuring; Earning; Acquiring; Gaining; Golden life
Arlan-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Pledge; Oath
Bently		Boy	Meadow with bent grass; Bent grass clearing
Madisson		Boy	Son of the Mighty Warrior; Son of Maud; A variant of Madison
Jeff-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-Popularity:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	God's peace; Pledge
Jetson		Boy	Descend; Flow down
Eydan		Unisex	Little fire
Jibril-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-&-Pronunciation		Boy	God is my strength; God is my hero
Eziah		Unisex	God is my salvation
Joah		Boy	Yahweh is brother
Jeter		Unisex	Stone; Rock; To throw
Lawton		Boy	Who lives on the farm located on the side of the hill; Hill settlement
Michelangelo		Boy	Who is like God?; Messenger
Kylon		Boy	Club footed; Bandy legged;
Pinchas		Boy	The mouth of the serpent; Nubian
Rainer		Boy	Advice; Counsel; Army
Aira		Boy	Messenger; Herald; Ryegrass; Darnel; Second; Asia
Rayshawn		Boy	Beam of light; Counsel; Protection; God is gracious

Infographic: Popular Boy Names Symbolizing Faith In God

For centuries, parents have chosen names for their children that reflect their faith in the Almighty. And despite the ever-changing trends, many parents still opt for baby names with deep spiritual meanings. The infographic below offers a look at the most trending boy names with spiritual meanings.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team