When a name gets popular, it’s rarely in isolation.

　　Both boy names and girl names tend to rise and fall in groups based on sound, image, association, or some combination thereof. Sometimes just a pair of names will attract attention, but often entire gangs of names will become fashionable at the same time.

　　This causes some choices to seem more popular than they actually are. Sure, you named your son Kaiser, which is very low on the popularity charts. But when he’s in kindergarten with kids named Kai, Kyler, Kylo, Kyrie, and Skyler, suddenly Kaiser feels like part of this trendy boy name crowd.

　　This isn’t a bad thing – unique names often feel more usable if they fit into a broader fashionable name group. Kaiser may not have been a wearable option if other Ky– names and regal names hadn’t paved the way.

　　

Popular Boy Name Groups

Below are some of the trendiest name cliques that have become popular for boys in recent years. Some are centered around a theme, like musicians, animals or ancient mythology, and others share a common sound, like the stylish O, S or TT endings.

　　

Az- names

Aziel, Azriel, Azrael, Azazel, Azariah, Azaire

　　

Woodsy occupational names

Archer, Bridger, Hunter, Fletcher, Fielder, Sawyer, Thatcher

　　

International O enders

Arlo, Elio, Enzo, Hugo, Leo, Milo, Nico, Otto, Rio, Theo

　　

Bold mythology names

Atlas, Adonis, Apollo, Odin, Orion, Osiris, Jupiter, Loki, Zephyr

　　

Cas- names

Cassius, Cassian, Caspian, Casper, Castiel, Casper

　　

Musical hero names

Axl, Bowie, Dylan, Hendrix, Jagger, Marley, Lennon, Ziggy, Zeppelin

　　

S-ending surnames

Ames, Brooks, Banks, Briggs, Hayes, Jones, Oaks, Riggs, Wells

　　

Wild animal names

Bear, Fox, Hawk, Lynx, Wolf

　　

Bo- names

Beau, Beauden, Beaumont, Boaz, Bodhi, Bode, Boden

　　

Punchy X enders

Knox, Maddox, Lennox, Pax, Phoenix, Felix, Lux, Tex, Onyx, Rex

　　

Luc- names

Luke, Luca, Lucas, Lucian, Lucius, Lucio, Lucifer

　　

Exalted word names

Legend, Maverick, Noble, King, Royal, Reign, Saint, Messiah

　　

Names ending in -us

Atticus, Cyrus, Justus, Linus, Magnus, Maximus, Thaddeus

　　

Finn- names

Finn, Finley, Finnegan, Finnian, Flynn, Griffin, Finneas

　　

Literary surnames

Auden, Booker, Blake, Eliot, Keats, Huxley, Tennyson, Wilde

　　

Names ending in -tt

Beckett, Bennett, Emmett, Everett, Merritt, Jett, Rhett, Truett

　　

Weaponry names

Colt, Cannon, Caliber, Gage, Gunner, Kimber, Remington, Wesson

　　

Kai- names

Kai, Kaikoa, Kairo, Kaiser, Kyrie, Kylo, Kyrie, Khairi

　　

Biblical names ending -ah

Isaiah, Jonah, Josiah, Judah, Micah, Noah, Nehemiah, Obadiah

　　

Ro- names

Roman, Rowan, Romeo, Rome, Rhodes, Romulus, Rohmer

　　

Cowboy cool W names

Waylon, Weston, Wesley, Wyatt, Wiley, Wylie, Wilder, Wade

　　

About the Author

　　

Sophie Kihm

LinkSophie Kihm's Personal Website

　　Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

　　Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.

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