490+ Boys’ Names That Start With C (With Meanings)

What Are Boys’ Names Beginning With C? History & Some Famous People

Many boys’ names that start with C are associated with celebrities or powerful people. So, they can also be strong and powerful names for your little one.

C names have been around since ancient times.

Examples include Caesar (Latin name after the famous Roman ruler) and Cyrus (a Persian boy name after the ancient Persian king Cyrus the Great.

Other powerful boy C names include “Charles,” after the current king of the United Kingdom.

Male celebrities and sports figures with C names include:

Channing Tatum (American actor)
Chester Bennington (American singer)
Christopher Lee (English actor)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portuguese soccer player)

Below are 490+ names with meanings and some famous namesakes to help you choose your little one’s name, including names from these categories:

Boy C Names With Beautiful Meanings
Boy C Names That Mean “Love”
Southern & Country Boy Names That Start With C
Boy C Names In Literature & Pop Culture
Musical Boy Names That Start With C

The Best Boys’ Names That Start With C

What’s The Best C Name?

Christopher

Greek and English boy name
“Bearing Christ” or “follower of Christ”
It’s the highest ranking C name on the list of popular names for the past decade by the SSA (Social Security Administration). (1)
Famous namesakes include British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan, the late American actor Christopher Reeve, and English actor Christopher Lee

What Are The Most Popular C Names?

Carl

German boy name
One-syllable boy name meaning “man,” “free man,” or “strong man”
Historic namesakes include Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung (the founder of analytical psychology) and American psychologist Carl Rogers (among the founders of humanistic psychology)

Charles

German, Latin, and Old English boy name
“Free man” or “free person”
Also a royal or prince name after King Charles III (king of the United Kingdom known for being the oldest person to inherit the British throne after being the crown prince for 70 years)

Charlie

German gender-neutral name
“Free man”
More than just a nonbinary variant or nickname of “Charles,” this name is popular as a standalone given name such as for Charlie Brown (among the main characters of the “Peanuts” comic strip”), English comic actor Charlie Chaplin, and Charlie Bucket (the main character in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”)

Chris

Greek boy name)
“Bearing Christ” as a short form of “Christian” and “Christopher”
Famous namesakes include Australian actor Christopher “Chris” Hemsworth and American actor Christopher “Chris” Evans

Christian

Latin, English, and Greek name for boys
Also spelled as “Cristian”
“A christian” or “follower of Christ”
Famous namesakes include children’s fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen, French fashion designer Christian Dior, and English actor Christian Bale

Clark

Latin and Old English boy name
Classic boy name meaning “cleric,” “priest,” “clerk,” or “scribe”
Famous namesakes include William Clark Gable (also called “King of Hollywood”), Clark Kent (Superman’s alter ego), and American basketball player Clark Kellogg

Cute & Adorable Boy Names Starting With C

Carlin

Irish name; unisex
“Little champion” or “descendant of Charles”
Celebrity namesakes include American actor Carlin James of “How to Get Away with Murder” and “American Crime Story”

Cash

English and French boy name
“Case,” “money,” or “wealth”
Celebrity namesakes include film producer Cash Warren (Jessica Alba’s husband)
Also a middle name for boys or a last name (e.g., musician Johnny Cash)

Chevy

French name for boys
“Horseman,” “cavalier,” or a short form of the French name “Chevalier,” which means “knight”
Famous namesakes include American comedian Chevy Chase and American rapper Kevin “Chevy” Woods

Cinco

Spanish boy name
Pronounced as “sing-koh”
“Five” or “fifth born”
Also a last name (e.g., Michael Cinco, an internationally acclaimed Filipino designer who has dressed several Hollywood celebrities, including Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Kylie Minogue, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears)

Clancy

Irish boy name
Also spelled as “Clancey”
“Red warrior,” “ruddy warrior,” “son of Flannchadh,” or “son of the red-haired soldier”
Celebrity namesakes include American actor Clancy Brown

Clete

English and Greek boy name
Pronounced as “kleet”
“Called forth”
Namesakes include American broadcast journalist Clete Roberts, baseball player Clete Boyer of the New York Yankees, and baseball outfielder Clete Thomas of the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins

Clifford

English and Anglo-Saxon boy name
“Ford by a cliff” or “river crossing by a cliff”
Famous namesakes include the main character in the fantasy series “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” American rapper Clifford Smith (known as “Method Man”), and the late American actor Clifford Parker Robertson III

Codie

Irish name for boys
“Helpful”

Côme

French baby boy name
Pronounced as “koh-me”
“Universe,” “order,” or “decency”
Celebrity namesakes include French actor Côme Levin

Cornell

English boy name
“Horn” or “friend of the heart”
Celebrity namesakes include American musician Cornell Dupree and football player Cornell Green

Costin

Latin, Anglo-French, and Romanian boy name
“Constant,” “the steady one,” “steadfast,” or “chestnut”
Namesakes include actor Costin Pana (in “Boss Fight”)

Craig

Gaelic, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish boy name
“From the crag (rugged cliff)” or “rocky”
Famous namesakes include British singer-songwriter Craig David and American actors Craig Lee Thomas and Craig Robinson

Curran

Medieval Irish boy name
“Little spear,” “dagger,” or “hero”
Celebrity namesakes include American actor Curran Walters

Strong & Powerful Boy Names Beginning With C

Caddaric

Old English boy name
Warrior name meaning “battle leader”

Caden

Old English, Welsh, Gaelic, and Arabic boy name
“Son of Cadain,” “spirit of battle,” “friend,” “companion,” or “battle”
Celebrity namesakes include American actor and YouTube star Caden Conrique

Cadman

Welsh and English boy name
“Battle man” or “warrior”
Also a last name (e.g., actors Joshua Cadman, Andy Cadman, and Rhys Cadman)

Caelen

Old Irish and Scottish boy name
“The victorious people” or “slender”

Cahil

Old Irish boy name
“Powerful in battle” or “valor”

Cahir

Irish boy name
“Battle man” or “warrior”

Caleb

Hebrew boy name
Biblical boy name that means “faithful,” “brave,” “bold,” “whole-hearted,” and “devotion to God”
Celebrity namesakes include American professional basketball player Caleb Martin and American actor Caleb McLaughlin (in “Stranger Things”)

Callan

Irish boy name
Also spelled as “Callen”
“Rule,” “battle,” or “descendant of Cathalán”
Celebrity namesakes include Australian actors Callan McAuliffe and Callan Mulvey

Cannon

Irish, Latin, and English boy name
“Discipline,” “rule,” or “artillery”
Also a last name (e.g., American TV host and actor Nick Cannon)

Cassius

Latin and Roman boy name
Also spelled as “Casius”
“Helmeted warrior,” “hollow,” “empty,” or “vain”
Namesakes include Cassius Marcellus Clay (abolitionist and former United States Ambassador to Russia), Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.), and Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (the father of Muhammad Ali; named after the abolitionist)

Chester

English boy name
“Fortress” or “camp” as a place name after an ancient Roman settlement
Celebrity namesakes include American singer Chester Bennington of the rock band Linkin Park and American actor Chester Morris

Chidi

Igbo – African boy name) – “God exists” or “the strongest God”; namesakes include British physician Chidi Ngwaba and Nigerian Olympic medalist Chukwudi “Chidi” Imoh

Colson

Middle English, Old French, and Greek boy name
Badass boy name meaning “people of victory,” “son of Nicholas,” or a black boy name meaning “swarthy (dark-skinned),” “charcoal,” or “coal-black”
Celebrity namesakes include American musician Machine Gun Kelly (born Colson Baker) and American baseball player Colson Montgomery

Connall

Gaelic boy name
“Strong as a wolf”
Namesakes include internet personality Conall Doyle

Conan

Celtic, Irish, and Scottish boy name
“Little wolf” or “little hound”
Famous namesakes include British writer Arthur Conan Doyle (“Sherlock Holmes” creator), American TV host Conan O’Brien, and Irish footballer Conan Byrne

Crown

English boy name
“Royalty”
Also a last name (e.g., American businessman Lester Crown and Irish politician John Crown)

Cyrus

Persian and ancient Greek name for boys
Name that means “sun,” throne,” or “young lord”
Famous namesakes include ancient Persian king Cyrus the Great, British boxer Cyrus Pattinson, and father-daughter musicians Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus

What Rare & Unique Boy Names Start With C?

Cabal (Catalan, French, and Hebrew boy name) – “Rich man,” “received doctrine,” “knight” or occupational name meaning “knight’s servant”

Cadmian (Latin and English boy name) – “Mineral that contains cadmium (a silvery-white metal)”

Cadmus (Greek boy name) – “From the east” or “one who excels”

Cadoc (Celtic and Welsh boy name) – “Warlike” or “battle glory”; also a spiritual name after Saint Cadoc, a 6th-century Welsh martyr

Cadwell (Greek and Anglo-Saxon boy name) – Old man name meaning “cold well” or “cold spring”; also spelled as “Caldwell”

Cahyim (Hebrew boy name) – “Life”; pronounced as “kah-yiym”

Calhoun (Irish and Old English boy name; also spelled as “Calhaun,” “Colhoun,” or “Callhoun”) – “The narrow woods,” “from the narrow forest,” “from the nook or corner,” or “warrior”; historic namesakes include former US Vice President John C. Calhoun (1825 to 1832)

Calton (Latin and English boy name) – “Calf farm,” “farmstead settlement,” or “calf settlement”; also a place name after Calton Hill located in Edinburgh, Scotland

Carlsen (Danish and Norwegian name for boys) – “Son of Carl” and is also spelled as “Carlson”; also a last name (e.g., Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen)

Carsten (Latin and German name for boys) – “Follower of Christ,” “Christian,” or “messiah (the anointed one)”; celebrity namesakes include Danish actor Carsten Norgaard (in “D2: The Mighty Ducks”) and German football coach Carsten Jancker (manager of Austrian club DSV Leoben)

Casimir (French and Polish name for boys) – Masculine name with contradictory dual meanings, either as “proclaimer of peace” or “destroyer of peace”; historic namesakes include Casimir III the Great (King of Poland from 1333 to 1370) and Polish-American biochemist Casimir Funk (he formulated the concept of vitamins)

Cason (Old Norse boy name) – Nature name meaning “calf”; celebrity namesakes include American professional basketball player Cason Wallace

Cavan (Irish boy name) – “Hollow of a tree”; celebrity namesakes include American baseball player Cavan Biggio and Irish actor Cavan Clarke

Chaim (Hebrew and Yiddish boy name) – “Life”; historic namesakes include French painter Chaim Soutine and Israeli actor Chaim Topol (the lead actor of the stage musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” and the play’s film adaptation)

Chin (Chinese and Korean boy name) – “Precious”

Colby (English, Hebrew, and Old Norse boy name) – “Swarthy (dark-skinned) person’s settlement,” “dark-haired,” or “from a coal town”

Coleson (English and Greek boy name) – “Son of Nicholas”

Conner (Irish and Gaelic boy name) – “Hunter” or “lover of hounds”; namesakes include English musician Conner Reeves and American basketball player Conner Henry of the Houston Rockets

Copeland (English boy name) – “Purchased land”; also a last name (e.g., American musician Stewart Armstrong Copeland and American comedian Brian Copeland)

Cormac (Irish and Gaelic boy name; also spelled as “Cormack”) – “Raven,” “son of the charioteer,” or “chariot driver”; famous namesakes include American writer Cormac McCarthy and Cormac Mac Airt, a 3rd-century King of Ireland

Crofton (Old English boy name) – “Town with a small field,” “cottage town,” or “settlement of the cottages”; celebrity namesakes include Hollywood actor Crofton Hardester (in “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Unspeakable”)

Cyprian (Latin and Roman boy name) – “Man from Cyprus”

Male Names With Beautiful Meanings

Boy C Name That Means “Light”

Cahaya (Malay and Indonesian boy name) – “Light”; also a last name (e.g., actress Elisza Cahaya of “A Barge on the Ocean”)

Boy C Names That Mean “Love”

Can (English, Turkish, and Persian boy name) – “Able,” “life,” “soul,” or a pet name for a loved one that means “sweetheart” or “darling”

Cedric (Old English and Celtic boy name; also spelled as “Cedrick,” “Cedrik,” “Cedro,” or “Cedrych”) – “Love,” “loved one,” or “war chief”; famous namesakes include American stand-up comedian Cedric Antonio Kyles known as “Cedric the Entertainer” and fictional “Harry Potter” character Cedric Diggory

Boy C Name That Means “Moon”

Chandra (Nepali, Sanskrit, and Hindi unisex name) – “Moon,” “to shine,” or “glittering,” and is also a mythical name that means “goddess of the moon”; celebrity namesakes include American actress Chandra Wilson

Boy C Names That Mean “Water”

Calder (Scottish boy name) – “Stream” or “rough waters”

Caldre (English boy name) – “Cold brook (small river)”

Cove (English androgynous name) – “Small bay” or “small coastal inlet”; celebrity namesakes include American singer-songwriter Cove Reber, the lead vocalist for the post-hardcore band Saosin and the American rock band Dead American

Cromwell (Old English and Scottish boy name) – “Winding stream” or “from the crooked well”

Cool Boy Names Beginning With C

Cal (Hebrew boy name) – “Brave,” “whole-hearted,” “faithful,” or “devotion”

Calan (Gaelic boy name) – “Narrow,” “slender,” “rock,” or “battle”

Calen (Greek and Latin gender-neutral name) – “Pure,” “slender,” “victory of the people,” or “pure lake”

Caley (Irish, Gaelic, Scottish, and English boy name) – “Slim and fair,” “brave warrior,” “contemporary child,” or “from the jackdaw (a bird species) clearing”

Calin (Romanian gender-neutral name) – “Strong,” “powerful warrior,” “slender,” “holy water,” “pure,” or “eternal warrior”

Champ (Latin and English boy name) – “Free man” or “warrior”; after Filipino musician Champ Lui Pio

Clarence (Latin boy name) – “Clear,” “one who lives near the River Clare (a river in Ireland),” or “bright and shining”; historic namesakes include American criminal defense lawyer Clarence Darrow and US Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas

Clive (English boy name) – “Cliff,” “slope,” or “someone who lives by a cliff”; celebrity namesakes include American record producer Clive Davis, English actor Clive Owen, and English novelist Clive Barker

Classic & Timeless Boy Names Beginning With C

Calbert (Old English and Jamaican boy name) – Country boy name that means “cowherd” or “cowboy”; also spelled as “Calvert”

Calbraith (Gaelic and Scottish boy name) – “Stranger” or “pure”

Callahan (Irish boy name) – “Descendant of Ceallachán (bright-headed),” “lover of churches,” or “bright-headed”

Campbell (Scottish and Irish boy name) – “Crooked mouth”; also spelled as “Campbel”

Cannan (French and English boy name) – “Son of Cain,” “wolf cub,” or “an official of the church”; also spelled as “Cannen” or “Cannin”

Cannyn (English boy name) – “Foot path”

Canon (French, Gaelic, and Old English boy name) – “Wolf cub,” “clergyman,” or “law”

Canute (Scandinavian boy name) – “Knote”

Carlton (Old English boy name) – “Town of free men,” “settlement of the free man” or “free peasant settlement”; can also be spelled as “Carleton” or “Charlton”

Carmichael (Scottish, Gaelic, and Irish boy name) – “Fort of Michael,” “follower of Michael,” or “who is like God?”; pronounced as “kar-my-kel” and can also be spelled as “Carmicheal” or “Karmichael”

Chance (Old French and Middle English boy name) – “Good fortune,” “luck,” or “gamble”; also a variant of the Norman and Old English boy names “Chauncey” and “Chaunce”

Claus (German boy name) – “Victory of the people” after the Greek boy name “Nicholas”

Clement (Late Latin boy name) – “Gentle,” “merciful,” or “mild”; also spelled as “Clemente”

Clifton (Old English boy name) – “Town on a cliff” or “man from the town near the cliff”

Connor (Irish boy name) – “Lover of hounds” or “one who loves dogs”; also spelled as “Conor”

Conrad (ancient Germanic boy name) – “Brave counsel” or “bold and wise”

Cooper (Middle and Old English boy name) – “Barrel maker” or “wood repairer”; celebrity namesakes include American actor Cooper Huckabee, basketball player Cooper Flagg, and American football wide receiver Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams

Crawford (Old English boy name) – “Crow ford”

Creed (Latin and English boy name) – Word name meaning “belief,” “statement,” “doctrine,” or “principle”

“Old Man” Boy Names That Start With C

Caedmon (Gaelic and English boy name) – “Wise warrior” or “poet”

Calixto (Greek boy name) – Masculine name meaning “beautiful” or “wonderful”; variant of the Latin boy name “Calixtus” and can also be spelled as “Calixte,” “Calliste,” “Callistus,” or “Callixtus”

Callen (Gaelic gender-neutral name) – “Brave little battler” or “rock”

Callice (Latin boy name) – “Chalice” or “goblet”

Callinicus (Greek boy name) – “Beautiful victor” or “great victory”

Callis (English and Irish boy name) – “From the French port of Calais” or “resembling a chalice”

Calloway (Latin, French, and Old English unisex name) – “Place of pebbles” or “place of stones”; also spelled as “Callaway”

Callum (Scottish and Gaelic boy name) – “Dove”; also spelled as “Calum” and is a variant of the Latin and Roman boy name “Columba”

Calvex (English boy name) – Southern boy name meaning “shepherd”

Camden (Scottish boy name) – Earthy name meaning “enclosed valley,” “winding valley,” or a place name after Camden Market, an outdoor market and tourist spot in London; also spelled as “Camdin,” “Camdon,” “Camdyn,” or “Camedon”

Camilo (Portuguese, Latin, and Spanish boy name) – “Youth employed in religious services” or “religious servant” as a variant of the Roman name “Camillus”; also spelled as “Camillo,” “Camillus,” or “Camilus”

Carlisle (Old English gender-neutral name; pronounced as “kar-lyle”) – “From the walled city,” “from the protected tower,” “dweller at the fortified tower,” or “from the city of Luguvalium (Roman town)”; can also be spelled as “Carlile” or “Carlyle”

Cecil (Latin, Roman, and Welsh boy name) – “Blind” or “sixth”; historic namesakes include Cecil Rhodes (a former Cape Colony Prime Minister) and Cecil Day-Lewis (Irish-British Poet Laureate)

Cesar (English, Latin, and Roman boy name) – “Hairy” or “thick head of hair” as a variant of “Caesar” (after the powerful Roman ruler Julius Caesar), “Caesario,” “Casarius,” or “Caeser”

Chesley (Old English boy name) – “Meadow” or “camp”

Corvus (Latin boy name) – “Raven” or “crow”; sacred birds in Roman mythology

Crispian (Latin boy name) – “Curly-haired”

Crowley (Gaelic and English boy name) – “Descendent of the hardy warrior” or “descendant of O’Cruadhlaoich (which means “the hardy warrior”)”

Southern & Country Boy Names That Start With C

Carver (English boy name) – “Wood carver”

Clyde (English and Scottish boy name) – “Friendly,” “warm,” or “keeper of the keys”; also a water name after the River Clyde in Scotland

Colbert (German and French boy name) – “Helmet bright” or “keeper of calves”

Colsen (American gender-neutral name) – “Son of Cole,” “black,” or “coal”

Colton (Old English boy name) – “One who lives in a colt-breeding town,” “from the coal town,” or “charcoal town”; also spelled as “Colten,” “Collton,” “Colsten,” or “Colston”

Crosby (Irish, Scandinavian, Old Norse, and Norwegian boy name) – “At the cross,” “village at the cross,” “village with crosses,” or “dwells at the shrine of the cross”; also a last name (e.g., American singer David Van Cortlandt Crosby, American football player Mason Crosby, and father-son singers and actors Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby Jr. and Gary Evan Crosby)

Trendy & Modern Boy Names Starting With C

Cace (Irish gender-neutral name) – Cool boy name meaning “alert,” “vigorous,” or “observant”; also spelled as “Cacey”

Cajetan (German, Slavic, and English boy name) – “Rejoiced”; variant of the Italian boy name “Gaetano” and can also be spelled as “Cajetano”

Canice (Irish boy name) – “Handsome”

Chaz (American and German boy name) – “Free man”; modern variant of the German boy name “Charles”

Chauncey (English and French boy name) – “Fortune”; celebrity namesakes include American actor Chauncey Leopardi and Canadian pair skater Chauncey Bangs

Coby (English, Greek, and Hebrew unisex name) – “May God protect,” “supplanter,” or “holder of the heel” as a short form of “Jacob”

Crew (Old English, Middle French, and Welsh boy name) – “A group of people” or “military reinforcements”; also spelled as “Crue”

Cyan (English and Greek boy name) – Color name meaning “greenish-blue color”

Travel-Inspired Boy Names That Begin With C

Cairo (Egyptian and Arabic boy name) – “The victorious,” “vanquisher,” or “the conqueror”; also a travel-inspired place name after the capital of Egypt

Caithness (Old Norse boy name) – Place name after the historic county in Scotland meaning “headland (a narrow piece of land that extends from a coast into the sea) of the Catt people (from the Kingdom of Cat during the Middle Ages)”

Cambridge (English boy name) – “Bridge over the River Cam (in a town in England)”

Carrington (Old English boy name) – “Settlement by the rocks”; after a village in Greater Manchester, England

Chile (Gaelic boy name) – “Strait” or “channel”; also a place name after a country in South America

Cleveland (English boy name) – “Cliff land” or “land of cliffs”; a city in Ohio

Boy C Names In Literature & Pop Culture

Calvin

Latin and French boy name
Also spelled as “Calvyn”
“Little bald one”
After one of the characters in Bill Watterson’s comic series “Calvin and Hobbes”

Caspian

English and Latin boy name
“White”
Also a prince name after the main character of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” and a water name after the Caspian Sea (the world’s largest inland body of water)

Chip

English boy name
“Free man” as a short form or diminutive for the German boy name “Charles”
Famous namesakes include American filmmaker Chip Duncan, one of the chipmunks in “Chip and Dale,” and the teacup (the housekeeper’s son) in the Disney princess movie “Beauty and the Beast”

Cullen

Ancient Gaelic and Irish boy name
“Handsome” or a nature name meaning “holly tree”
After the vampire family who lives among humans in the “Twilight” fantasy saga

Cyrano

French and Greek boy name
Pronounced as “sihr-ah-noh”
“Of Cyrene (an ancient Greek city)” or “from a Greek island”
Famous namesakes include French novelist Cyrano de Bergerac who became the inspiration for the play “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand

Short Boy Names Beginning With C

Cab (French boy name) – Occupational name meaning “one who makes ropes”; also spelled as “Cabe,” “Cabel,” “Cabell,” or “Cable”

Cade (English boy name) – One-syllable boy name meaning “round” or “barrel”

Cai (Latin and Welsh unisex name) – “Rejoice” or “happy”

Cale (Hebrew boy name) – “Whole heart,” “dog,” or “brave”

Cane (English gender-neutral name) – “Stalk of sugar” or “sugar cane”

Cap (French boy name) – “Chaplain” (pastor, priest, or religious representative in the military and armed forces)

Carr (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “From the swampy place” or “spear”

Cartier (French and Old English boy name) – “Driver of a cart”; also spelled as “Cartrell”

Cas (Dutch boy name) – “Imperial” or “treasurer” as a variant of the Persian boy name “Casper”

Case (English boy name) – “Vigilant,” “brave,” or an occupational name meaning “case-maker”

Cato (Latin boy name) – “Good judgment,” “wise,” or “all-knowing”

Chad (Old English and Welsh boy name) – “Defender,” “warring,” “battle,” “protector,” or “from the warrior’s town”

Chase (English and French boy name) – “To hunt,” “to chase,” or can also mean “huntsman”; celebrity namesakes include American media personality Cole Chase Hudson

Chet (English boy name) – “Fortress” or “camp”

Coen (Dutch and German boy name) – “Bold advisor” or “brave advise” as a variant of the German boy name “Conrad”; namesakes include Dutch racing cyclist Coen Vermeltfoort, Dutch journalist Coen Verbraak, and Dutch actor Coen van Vrijberghe de Coningh

Cole (English and Greek unisex name) – “Victory of the people” as a short form or nickname of the Greek boy name “Nicholas”; namesakes include Canadian ice hockey player Cole Perfetti and American actors Cole Hauser and Cole Sprouse

Coy (English gender-neutral name) – “Quiet,” “shy,” or “still”

Cray (Scottish, Gaelic, and Native American boy name) – “Son of prosperity,” “son of grace,” or “tribe name”; also a last name (e.g., American guitarist Robert Cray and jazz pianist Dan Cray)

2-Syllable Boy Names Beginning With C

Caper (Middle English, Latin, and Old Norman French boy name) – Occupational name that means “maker of capes and cloaks”; also spelled as “Cape”

Cardew (Celtic boy name) – “From the black fort” or “dark fortress”

Cardon (Old Norman French boy name) – Plant name meaning “cardon thistle” or “artichoke thistle”

Carel (French boy name) – “Strong”

Carew (Welsh, Latin, Celtic, and Cornish boy name) – “Chariot,” “from the fortress,” or “fort near a slope”; also spelled as “Carewe”

Carey (Irish boy name) – Black boy name that means “dark” or “black”

Carlow (English boy name) – “Quadruple lake” or “four-part lake”; also a place name after a town in Ireland and can also be spelled as “Carlowe”

Carmel (Hebrew gender-neutral name) – “Vineyards of God,” “orchard,” and “garden”; also spelled as “Carmeli,” “Carman,” “Carmello,” or “Carmen”

Carnell (English and American boy name) – “Defender of the castle” or “crossbowman”

Carney (Irish and Gaelic boy name) – “Victorious” or “the winner”

Carpus (Latin boy name) – “Fruitful” or “my bounty”

Carra (Irish, Latin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian unisex name) – Pet name for a loved one that means “dear” or “friend”

Carrey (German, Celtic, Welsh, and Gaelic boy name) – “Having dark features,” “from the fort on the hill,” or “from the river”

Carrick (Irish boy name) – “Rock”

Carsen (Scottish boy name) – “Son of the marsh-dwellers”; also spelled as “Carsyn”

Carsten (Latin boy name) – “A christian” or “a follower of Christ”; also spelled as “Carston”

Carvel (Old French boy name) – “One who lives in the swamp” or “from the villa by the marsh”; also spelled as “Carvell,” “Carvil,” or “Carville”

Cary (Welsh gender-neutral name) – “Pleasant stream,” “dark,” or “pure”

Cashel (Celtic boy name) – “Fort” or “castle”

3-Syllable Boy Names Beginning With C

Camillus (Latin boy name) – “Free-born child,” “honorable,” “noble,” or “temple servant”

Carlito (Spanish boy name) – “Little man,” “little Charles,” or “little Carlos”; variants include “Carrlos”

Charlemagne (French boy name) – “Charles the Great,” “heavenly,” or “name of a king”

Constantine (English and Latin boy name; also spelled as “Constantin,” “Constantino,” or “Constantinus”) – “Steadfast” or “constant” as a variant of the Latin name “Constantinus”; famous namesakes include Constantine the Great (a first-century Roman emperor) and the main character in the superhero horror film “Constantine” after a demon hunter

Cunningham (Irish boy name) – “Descendant of Cuinneagán (leader chief)”; also a last name (e.g., Scottish musician Phil Cunningham, American former professional soccer player Jeff Cunningham, and American novelist and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham)

Other Long Boy Names Starting With C

Capricornus (Latin boy name) – “Horned goat” or “the goat” as a variant of the constellation name “Capricorn”

Carnelian (Latin boy name) – “Ochre-colored semi-precious gemstone” or “red gem”

Cashmere (English gender-neutral name) – Cloth name after the “wool from the Kashmir goat”; also spelled as “Casmir” or “Casmire”

Musical Boy Names That Start With C

Cadence (English and Latin unisex name) – “Rhythm”; variants include “Caydence” and “Cadenze”

Carmin (Italian, Latin, and Arabic boy name) – “Song” or “vivid red”; variants can include “Carmino” or “Carmine”

Carol (English gender-neutral name) – “Song” or “hymn”

Caroll (Old German and Irish boy name; also spelled as “Carolus,” “Caryl,” or “Caryll”) – “Free man” as a variant of “Carl” or “song” as a variant of “Carol”; can also mean “fierce in battle” or “champion”

Exotic Boy C Names From Around The World

Italian Boy Names Beginning With C

Calvino (Italian name for boys) – “Bald” or “hairless”

Carlo (Italian boy name) – “Free man”; variant of “Charles”

Ciro (Italian boy name) – Name that means “sun”; variant of the Persian name “Cyrus”

Costanzo (Italian and Latin boy name; also spelled as “Constanzo”) – “Constant,” “steadfast,” and firm“; historic namesakes include Italian philosopher Costanzo Preve and 16th-century papal physician Costanzo Varolio (he attended to Pope Gregory XIII)

Corrado (Italian boy name) – “Brave counsel”

Cosimo (Italian and Greek boy name) – “Order” or “decency” after the Latin boy name “Cosmas”

French Boy Names That Start With C

Cabbot (French boy name) – “To sail”; also a last name (e.g., early Italian-born British explorer John Cabot)

Caide (Old English and Old French boy name) – “Round” or “lumpy”

Clovis (French and German boy name) – “Warrior,” “renowned fighter,” or “famous warrior”; historic namesakes include Clovis I, the first king of the Franks (Germanic people in central and western Europe during the Early Middle Ages)

Corbett (French and Norman boy name) – “Young crow”; also spelled as “Corbet”

Corwin (Old French boy name) – “Leather”; namesakes include American football player Corwin Brown and chemistry professor Corwin Herman Hansch known in the scientific community as the “father of computer-assisted molecule design”

Croix (French name for boys) – “Cross”

Curtis (Old French boy name) – “Courteous,” “polite,” or “well-bred”; celebrity namesakes include American professional boxer Curtis Harper and professional wrestler Curtis Axel

Spanish Boy Names Beginning With C

Carlos (Spanish boy name) – Hispanic boy name meaning “free man” as a variant of the German name “Charles”

Carmelo (Spanish boy name) – “Garden”; after the biblical place name “Mount Carmel” mentioned in the Old Testament

Casimiro (Spanish boy name) – Hispanic name meaning “proclamation of peace”; variants include “Casimeer,” “Casimer,” or “Casimir”

Cortez (Spanish boy name) – “Courteous” or “polite” as a variant of the French boy name “Curtis”; namesakes include American basketball player Cortez Gray and football player Cortez Broughton

Cruz (Spanish and Portuguese boy name) – “Cross”

Scottish & Irish Boy Names That Start With C

Caeden (Welsh, American, and Scottish boy name) – Powerful name meaning “spirit of battle” or “fighter”

Caelan (Scottish and Irish name for boys) – “Slender,” “fair,” or “victorious people”; also spelled as “Caolan”

Cahal (Irish boy name) – Warrior name meaning “powerful in battle,” “valor,” or “battle ruler”

Cailean (Gaelic and Scottish boy name) – “Rock,” “battle,” “pup,” or “whelp”; can also mean “triumphant in battle” as a variant of “Colin”

Caine (Irish and Gaelic boy name) – “Son of Catháin” or “son of the warrior”

Caio (Latin boy name; pronounced as “kah-yoh”) – “Happy” or “rejoice”

Canady (Irish and Gaelic boy name) – “Helmet head” or “helmeted”

Carey (Irish boy name) – “The color black”

Carson (Scottish and Irish boy name) – “Son of the marsh-dwellers”; can also be spelled as “Carrson” or “Karson”

Casen (Irish boy name) – “Vigilant” or “watchful”

Cathal (Irish boy name) – Tough boy name meaning “battle”

Cavin (Irish boy name) – “Handsome boy” or “beautiful at birth”; can also be spelled as “Caveen”

Cayson (American and Irish boy name) – “Brave and vigilant boy,” “unrelenting,” or “courageous and tough”

Cian (Irish and Gaelic boy name) – “Enduring” or “ancient”; namesakes include Welsh musician Cian Ciarán and Irish rugby player Cian Healy

Cillian (Irish boy name) – “Bright-headed,” “little warrior,” “war,” “strife,” “little church,” or “associated with the church”; celebrity namesakes include Irish Gaelic footballer Cillian Morrison and Irish actor Cillian Murphy

Cody (Irish boy name) – “Descendant of Cuidightheach (the helpful one),” “helpful person,” or “decent and helpful one”

Colum (Gaelic and Irish boy name) – “Dove”; namesakes include Irish writer Colum McCann, New York-based writer and media entrepreneur Colum Murphy, and Irish hurler Colum Corless for an Irish sport similar to Gaelic football and hockey but with shorter sticks

Creighton (Gaelic and Scottish boy name) – “Border town”

Greek Boy Names Beginning With C

Cinna (Greek gender-neutral name) – Short form of “cinnamon”

Cletus (ancient Greek name for boys) – “Illustrious (distinguished),” “invoked,” or “called forth”; also a spiritual name after the pope who served in ancient Rome for over a decade in the 1st century AD

Cosmo (Greek gender-neutral name) – “Universe” or “world”; also spelled as “Cosmos”

Costas (Greek and Latin boy name) – “Steadfast”; can be a standalone given name or a short form of “Constantine”

Cylas (Greek, Aramaic, and Latin boy name) – Rainbow name meaning “prayed for” or a classic boy name meaning “of the forest”

Cyril (Greek boy name) – “Lord”; used in the Greek Bible to mean “God” and also spelled as “Kyrios”

Other Exotic Boy Names Starting With C

Caellum (Latin boy name) – “The sky and the heavens” or “brave warrior”; also spelled as “Caelum”

Cahya (Indonesian gender-neutral name) – “One who is the light in darkness”

Caiden (Gaelic and American boy name) – “Fighter”; also spelled as “Caidin”

Caidon (Arabic boy name) – “Companion”; also spelled as “Kaden”

Cais (Vietnamese name; unisex) – “Rejoice”

Caius (Latin boy name) – “Joyful” or “rejoicing”; pronounced as “kah-yoos”

Camry (Japanese boy name) – “Crown”

Chang (Chinese name for boys) – “Free,” “unhindered,” or “smooth”

Chas (German boy name) – “Man” or “free man”

Chetan (Sanskrit and Hindi boy name) – “Conscious,” “soul,” “spirit full,” or “visible”

Chiko (Japanese unisex name) – “Pledge,” “light of wisdom,” or “arrow”

Cnut (Scandinavian, Old Norse, and Norwegian boy name; pronounced as “kah-nyoot”) – “Knot”; historic namesakes include Cnut the Great, the King of England (beginning in 1016), King of Denmark (beginning in 1018), and King of Norway and some parts of Sweden (beginning in 1028) before he reunited them to create the North Sea Empire

Mythical Names That Begin With C

Caelus (Latin boy name) – “The heavens” or “sky”; after the Roman primal god of the sky

Cafall (Old English and Scottish boy name) – Mystical name meaning “Arthur’s dog,” referring to the pet of the legendary King Arthur

Castor (Greek boy name) – “To shine,” “to excel,” or “beaver”; twin boy name after one of the twin boys in Greek mythology (together with “Pollux”)

Chi (African name for girls and boys) – “God,” “spiritual being,” or “personal spiritual guardian”

Chronos (Greek boy name) – “God of time”

Cronus (Greek boy name) – Titan king of the gods; he’s the father of Zeus and other Olympian gods

Spiritual & Biblical Boy Names Beginning With C

Cainan (Hebrew boy name) – “Purchaser” or “possessor”; biblical name identified in the Bible as “the father of Salah (an ancestor of both the Israelites and Ishmaelites)”

Canaan (Hebrew boy name) – “Merchant,” “subdued,” or “humble”; biblical place name also known as “The Promised Land” to the Israelites

Castiel (Hebrew boy name) – “Shield of God” or “my cover is God”

Cohen (Jewish and Hebrew boy name) – “Priest”; also a last name

Cornelius (Hebrew and Latin boy name) – “Horn”; after the Roman centurion (army commander) who became the first Christian convert

Cuthbert (Old English boy name) – “Famous” and “bright”; famous namesakes include Saint Cuthbert

Historical & Celebrity-Inspired Boy Names Beginning With C

Chadwick (Old English and Welsh boy name) – “Settlement belonging to Chad,” “town of Chad,” or “battle”; after the late American actor Chadwick Boseman

Channing (English and Old French boy name) – “An official of the church” or a tough boy name meaning “young wolf”; famous namesakes include American actor Channing Tatum and American former professional basketball player Channing Frye

Che (Spanish boy name) – “God will increase” as a variant of “Joseph”; historic namesakes include Argentine Marxist revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara, guerrilla leader of the Cuban Revolution

Chuck (German boy name) – “Man” or “free man”; famous namesakes include American martial artist Chuck Norris, American musician Chuck Berry, and American basketball player/sports shoe product marketer Chuck Taylor

Claude (French boy name; also spelled as “Claudie” or “Claud”) – “Crippled” or “lame” as a variant of the Latin name “Claudius”; famous namesakes include French artist Claude Monet, composer Claude Debussy, and British actor Claude Rains

Clinton (English boy name) – Place name that means “settlement on the River Glyme” or “fenced settlement”; also a middle name for boys and a last name (e.g., former US president Bill Clinton)

Colin (Scottish, Irish, and Gaelic boy name; can also be spelled as “Collin” or “Collins”) – “Young dog,” “cub,” or “people of victory”; after Irish actor Colin Farrell, American comedian Colin Quinn, and American actor Colin Hanks (son of Tom Hanks)

Conway (English, Welsh, Gaelic, and Irish boy name) – “Holy water,” “holy river,” “hound of the plain,” or “settlement with crosses”; famous namesakes include American singer-songwriter Conway Twitty

Cristiano (Portuguese and Italian boy name) – “A christian” or “follower of Christ”; famous namesakes include Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo

Occupational Boy Names That Start With C

Cahyyam (Arabic boy name; pronounced as “kah-yam”) – “Maker of tents”; also spelled as “Khayyam”

Carden (English unisex name) – “Wood carder” (prepares wood fiber for processing) or “wood carrier”; also spelled as “Cardin”

Carter (English and Gaelic gender-neutral name) – “One who uses a cart,” “tourist,” or an occupational name meaning “cart maker,” “charioteer,” or “transporter of goods by cart”

Chandler (French gender-neutral name) – “Candle seller” or “candlemaker”

Cloyd (French and English boy name) – “One who works with the hammers and nails”; celebrity namesakes include American baseball player Cloyd Boyer of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Athletics

Cohn (Latin boy name) – “Priest”

Colter (Old English boy name) – “One who looks after horses”

Cordell (Middle English boy name) – “Cord maker,” “cord seller,” “one who tows boats,” or “maker of rope”; also spelled as “Cordel”

Cutler (Old English boy name) – “Maker of knives”; namesakes include American author and consultant Cutler J. Cleveland

Nature Names That Start With C

Calyx (English and ancient Greek name for boys) – “Pod,” “husk,” or “chalice”; also spelled as “Calix” or “Callyx”

Canyon (Spanish boy name) – Earthy name meaning “footpath,” “large ravine,” or “small reed”

Cedar (Greek boy name) – “Cedar tree (a coniferous evergreen tree)”

Clay (English nonbinary name) – “Sticky fine-grained soil,” occupational name meaning “clay worker,” or “town with good clay” as a variant of “Clayton”; namesakes include Swiss motorsports racing driver Clay Regazzoni and American writer Clay Shirky

Cleve (English boy name) – “Cliff land”

Cliff (English boy name) – Tough boy name meaning “steep rock face”

Colt (English boy name) – “Young horse”; namesakes include American golfer Colt Knost

Corbin (French and Anglo-Norman boy name) – “Raven” or “crow”; also spelled as “Corben”

Cordero (Spanish boy name) – “Young lamb”

Corey (Irish and Gaelic boy name) – “Dweller near or in a hollow (narrow lowland area between mountains),” “cauldron,” or “spear”; can also be spelled as “Cory”

Cypress (English and Greek boy name) – “Cypress tree”; also a place name after a city in California

Gender-Neutral & Nonbinary Names Beginning With C

Cailin (Gaelic unisex name) – “Pure”

Cameron (Scottish and Gaelic gender-neutral name; also spelled as “Camron,” “Camren,” “Camaeron,” “Camryn,” or “Camyron”) – “Crooked nose”; famous namesakes include American actors Cameron Boyce and Cameron Monaghan

Casey (Old Irish unisex name) – “Vigilant,” “watchful,” or “brave”

Cayden (American and Irish gender-neutral name) – “Fighter,” “battle,” or “son of Cadán”; also spelled as “Caiden”

Chainey (English gender-neutral name) – “Oak grove”

Ciel (French gender-neutral name) – “Sky,” “heavenly,” or “from the heavens”

Clair (French and Latin gender-neutral name) – “Bright” or “clear”

Cleo (Greek and English gender-neutral name) – “Glory,” “to make famous,” or “to celebrate”

Courtland (Old English gender-neutral name) – “Land of the court” or “land set aside for a feudal lord”

Courtney (Latin and Norman unisex name) – “Short nose”

Crimson (English gender-neutral name) – “Rich deep red”

More Boy Names Starting With C

Cashton
Caspar (also spelled as “Casper”)
Cass
Cassian
Cassio
Castor (also spelled as “Caster” or “Castorio”)
Catch
Catcher
Cathan
Cato (also spelled as “Caton”)
Caulder
Cavalon
Cavan
Cayce
Caydan (also spelled as “Caydin” or “Caydon”)
Cayde
Caymun
Caysen (also spelled as “Cayson”)
Cayto (also spelled as “Caytoe”)
Caz
Cecero
Ced
Ceirnin
Celestino (variants include “Célestine,” “Celeste,” or “Celesto”)
Celey
Celindo
Celso
Celsus
Centaurus
Cephas (also spelled as “Cepheus” or “Cephus”)
Cerdric
Cerek
Cerfirino
Cerimon
Cerny
Cetus
Chace
Chaddie
Chadric
Chadrick
Chaelus
Chago
Chai
Chaika
Chaimek
Chalney
Chan
Chancelor
Chancey
Chand
Chandlor
Chaney
Chann (also spelled as “Channe”)
Channon
Chanse
Charon
Chars
Chasen
Chaskel
Chata (also spelled as “Chatam” or “Chatan”)
Chatillon
Chatzkel
Chayan (also spelled as “Chayann”)
Chayce
Chayim
Chayton
Chen
Cheney
Cheyenne
Chiamaka
Chico
Chidro
Chike
Chill (also spelled as “Chil”)
Chilton
Chimon
Chiron
Chlodwig
Chogan
Choncey
Chotan
Christoph (can also be spelled as “Christof” or “Christophe”)
Christos
Chung
Churchill
Ciaran
Cicero
Ciceron
Cipriano (also spelled as “Ciprian” or “Ciprien”)
Ciqala
Circinus
Cirilio (also spelled as “Ciril,” “Cirillo,” “Cirilo,” or “Cirrillo”)
Cisco
Claas
Clachas
Claes
Claiborn (also spelled as “Claiborne,” “Claibourn,” “Claibourne,” or “Claibourne”)
Claidianus
Claney
Claran
Clarendon
Clarkson
Claron (also spelled as “Clarons” or “Claronz”)
Clarrence
Claudan
Claudell
Claudido
Claudio (also spelled as “Claudius,” “Claudien,” or “Claudino”)
Claudon
Clayborn
Clayton
Cleavant
Cleeve
Cleevont
Clem
Clemendo
Cleon
Clevon
Clint
Clodito
Clodo
Clodomiro
Clodoveo
Clovisto (also spelled as “Clovito”
Clydell
Cochise
Codey
Coilin
Colan
Colborn (also spelled as “Colbourn,” “Colbourne,” or “Colburn”)
Colet
Coleton
Collumbano
Colm
Colquhoun
Coltrane
Columbano (also spelled as “Columbanus”)
Colvill
Colyn
Coman
Cominius
Conall (also spelled as “Conal”)
Conant
Condon
Confucius
Cong
Conin
Connell
Conon
Conrado
Conroy
Consalvo
Constance
Constantius
Copper
Corbie
Corbit (also spelled as “Corbitt”)
Corbyn
Cordale
Cordas
Corday
Coren
Coridon
Corin
Corradeo (also spelled as “Corrado”)
Corrin
Cort
Cortland
Corvin
Corwan (also spelled as “Corwyn”)
Cosmé
Coty
Coulter
Courvoisier
Coyan
Coye
Cozmo
Craik
Crandall
Creigh
Crichton
Crispino
Crispo
Crispus
Cristobal
Cristoforo
Crocket (also spelled as “Crockett”)
Cronan
Cullinan
Curon
Currer
Currin
Curron
Curt
Cuyler
Cy
Cyd
Cydney
Cygnus
Cymbeline
Cyran
Cyrillus (also spelled as “Cyryllo” or “Cyrylo”)
Czar

Bonus: Favorite Baby Girl Names That Start With C

Camellia (flower name)
Charlotte (popular girl name)
Cybelle (unique girl name)

Tips For Choosing Boy Names That Start With C

Decide on popular vs. rare boy names
Consider the spelling variation
Check their meanings
Double-check pronunciations, spellings, and resulting initials

FAQs

What Middle Names Can Match With Boy Names Beginning With C?

Some middle names to consider:

Are There “Ugly” Boy C Names I Should Avoid?

Cain (Hebrew boy name) – “Spear,” “possessed,” or “produced”; after Adam and Eve’s first son who killed his brother Abel out of jealousy

Candidius (Latin boy name) – “White”; might be linked to “Candida” (yeast infection)

Casca (Latin boy name) – “Old”

Columkille (Irish boy name) – “Dove of the church”; variant of “Columcille” but might put your child through bullying with the “kill” part

Baby Name Lists By Letter

You can also find ideas from the top 15 baby name generators.

References

(1) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/century.html