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

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Browse Top Baby Names by Year

Name		Gender	Meaning
Armando		Boy	Soldier; Army man
Moises-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Variants,-And-2025-Popularity		Boy	Savior; To pull out of water
Shane		Unisex	God is gracious
Soren-Name-Meaning-In-2025:-Origin,-Popularity-&-Variations		Boy	Stern; Severe
Raphael		Boy	God heals
Emmitt		Boy	Whole; Great; Universal
Zaiden		Boy	God; Divinity; Growth
Dorian		Boy	Gift; Of Doris; Child of the sea
Keiran		Boy	Black; Black-haired; Army's edge
Abdiel		Boy	Servant of God; One who serves God
Deacon-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-A-Complete-Guide		Boy	Servant; Messenger
Moshe		Boy	Savior; Draw out of water; Son; Deliver
Phillip-Name-Meaning,-History,-And-Variations:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Horse lover
Zachariah		Boy	God remembers; Yahweh remembers
Albert-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Complete-Popularity-Guide		Boy	Noble; Bright
Gunnar-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Key-Insights		Boy	Bold warrior
Jayson		Unisex	Healer
Kylan		Boy	Narrows; Channel; Strait
Jasiah-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-History:-A-Complete-Guide		Boy	Yahweh supports
Drake-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Key-Insights-For-2025		Boy	Dragon; Serpent
Braylon-Name-Full-Guide:-Meaning,-Pronunciation-&-Popularity		Boy	Broad valley; Hill; Salmon
Quentin		Boy	Fifth
Huxley		Boy	Inhospitable place; Hugh's meadow, clearing, woodland
Sonny		Boy	Young boy; Son; Glorious
Wells-Name-Meaning-And-History-In-2025:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Spring; A person who lived near a well or spring
Cannon		Boy	A church official; Reed
Kenzo		Unisex	Humble; Healthy; Wise; Three
Nikolai		Boy	Victory; People
Makai		Boy	Who is like God; Ocean
Conrad-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Complete-Guide		Boy	Brave counsel
Julio		Boy	Sacred to Jupiter; Youthful; Downy-bearded
Benson		Boy	Son of Benedict; Blessed
Derrick		Boy	Ruler of the people
Davis-Name-Meaning:-Ultimate-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Son of David; Beloved; Uncle
Abram-Baby-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origins-&-Variations		Boy	High father; Exalted father; Father of multitudes; Father of nations; Crossing; Passage
Mohamed		Boy	Reliable; Always worthy of trust and belief; Worthy of high responsibility; Commendable; Praised
Raul		Boy	Counsel; Advice; Wolf
Ronald		Boy	Ruler's counsel; Ruler's advice
Arjun-Name:-Meaning,-Origin,-Popularity---Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	White; Clear; Made of silver; Lustrous; Dazzling
Dexter		Boy	Right-handed; Skilled; One who dyes
Kaysen-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Son of the marsh-dwellers
Kaliyah		Boy	Sweet; Beloved; Darling; High; Lofty; Sublime
Lawrence		Boy	From Laurentum; Bright; Shining
Danny		Boy	God is my judge
Scott		Boy	Gael, Gaelic speaker
Samson-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Sun
Roland		Boy	Famous land; Glorious territory; From the famous land
Yusuf		Boy	God increases; He will add
Zain-Name-Meaning-&-History:-6-Meanings,-Variations-&-Trends		Boy	Beauty; Grace
Roy-Name-Meaning-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	King; Red
Saint		Boy	Holy; Saintly
Case-Baby-Name:-Expert-Guide-To-Meaning,-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Vigilant; Watchful
Saul-Name-Meaning:-Guide-To-Origin,-History-And-Popularity		Boy	Asked; Loaned; Grave; Prayed for
Rodrigo		Boy	Famous ruler
Jaziel		Boy	God is my maker
Boone-Name-Meaning-&-Origin:-History-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	One who grows beans; Good
Hezekiah-Name-Meaning-And-History:-What-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	God strengthens; Yahweh strengthens
Arturo		Boy	Bear; King
Koa-Baby-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-For-2025		Boy	Warrior; Koa tree
Jamari		Boy	A good-looking man; Beauty; The pool
Jaxtyn		Boy	God is gracious; Town of Jack; Son of Jack
Reece-Name-Meaning-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Enthusiasm; Ardor
Alec		Boy	Defender of the people
Landen-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	From the long hill
Sylas		Boy	Of the forest; Prayed for; God of the forest or the countryside
Darius		Boy	Possessing goodness
Boston-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Unisex	Botwulf's stone
Ares		Boy	Bane; Ruin; Throng of battle
Kyree		Boy	Benevolent; Noble lord or lady
Keith-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-And-What-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	Wood; From the battleground
Edison		Boy	Son of Eda; Son of Adam
Johan		Boy	God is gracious
Shepherd		Boy	Shepherd; Sheepherder
Watson		Boy	Son of Watt; Power of the army
Jerry		Boy	God will exalt; Sacred name; Power of the spear
Marvin		Boy	Famous friend; Sea friend; Bone marrow; Eminent; Noble; Wish; Desire; Young goat or kid
Nikolas		Boy	Victory of the people
Axton		Boy	Acca's stone; Town of ash trees
Brycen-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Nicknames-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	Son of Brice; Speckled man's son
Donald-Name-Meaning:-A-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-And-Popularity		Boy	One who rules the world
Dariel		Boy	Open; From Airelle
Bodie		Boy	Awakening; Enlightenment; Large-bodied
Brixton-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-History-&-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	A district in South London; Stone of the Saxon lord Brixi
Raylan-Name:-Ultimate-Guide-To-Meaning,-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Counselor; Beam of light; Rye land
Layton		Boy	Leek town
Valentino		Boy	Brave; Strong
Trenton-Name-Meaning,-History,-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide		Unisex	Trent's town
Landyn		Boy	Long hill
Gustavo		Boy	Staff of the Gods
Alessandro		Boy	Defender of mankind
Ander		Boy	Manly; Male; Virility; Brave; Defender of mankind
Ridge-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Origins-&-Trends		Boy	A person who lived near a ridge; A continuous elevated mountain crest; Back or spine
Ahmad		Boy	Much praised; Most commendable
Mara-Name-Meaning:-Origins,-Variations-&-Famous-Bearers		Boy	Bitter
Kingsley		Boy	King's meadow; King's wood
Issac-Name-Meaning-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	He will laugh
Mauricio		Boy	Moorish
Tony-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-What-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	Priceless; Flourishing
Ahmed-Name-Meaning-&-Origin:-Key-Insights-For-Expecting-Moms		Boy	Highly praised; Most commendable
Duke-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-History-&-Popularity		Boy	Leader

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