Overview
Short boy names aren’t just used as nicknames or pet names but can also be cool, strong, and meaningful first names for your little one.
For example, you can find many one-syllable boy names with beautiful meanings, such as names that mean “grace” (Jan) or “wisdom” (Rhett).
Have fun choosing from the short baby boy names we’ve listed below.
Short Boy’s Names By Category
The Best & Most Popular Short Boy Names
- Alan (Celtic and Gaelic) – “Handsome and cheerful”
- Alex (Greek gender-neutral name) – “Defender of man”; also a nickname for “Alexander” or similar names
- Andy (English and Scottish) – “Brave” and “manly”; also a nickname for “Andrew”
- Ben (Hebrew) – “Son”
- Carl (English, Scandinavian, and German boy name) – “Army” and “free man”; from the Germanic name “Háriolus” (army)
- Charles (German and French boy name) – “Free man”
- Chris (Greek name) – “Bearing Christ”
- Dave (English and Hebrew) – Name meaning “love” (beloved); also a nickname for the biblical boy name “David”
- Frank (German name) – “Free man,” “free to be,” or “Frenchman”
- Henry (Old High German) – “Estate ruler” from the Germanic terms “heim” (home) and “ric” (power or ruler); the #9 most popular boy name in the US in 2021 (1)
- Jack (English name) – “God is gracious”
- James (Hebrew) – Biblical name meaning “supplanter” (one who replaces) that comes from the Hebrew name “Jacob”; the #5 most popular boy name in the US in 2021 (1)
- John (English and Hebrew) – “Graced by God”
- Jude (Latin, Hebrew, and Greek boy name) – “Praised”
- Liam (Irish boy name) – “Protector” and “strong-willed warrior”; the #1 most popular boy name in the US in 2021 (1)
- Lucas (Latin and Greek) – Name that means “light” (bringer of light); the #8 most popular boy name in the US in 2021 (1)
- Nick (English and Greek) – “Victory of the people”; also a masculine version of the Greek goddess name “Nike” (goddess of victory)
- Noah (Hebrew) – Biblical name meaning “rest”; the #2 most popular boy name in the US in 2021 (1)
- Ray (German and Latin) – “Protection” or “counsel”
- Sam (English and Hebrew)- “God hears”; also a nickname for “Samuel”
- Scott (Scottish) – “From Scotland”
- Steve (British) – Powerful name meaning “crown” or “victorious”
- Tom (English and Aramaic) – “Twin”; also a short form of “Thomas”
- Vince (Latin) – Warrior name meaning “conquering” or “prevailing”
- Will (Old French, German, and Old English boy name) – “Determined protector,” “helmet protection,” or “desiring peace”; also a short form of “William”
What Are Cute & Trending Short Names For A Little Boy?
- Blaze (Latin) – Name that means “fire” (fiery)
- Brant (German) – “Fiery torch” or “sword”
- Crew (Latin) – “Chariot”
- Earl (British) – “Nobleman” or “warrior”
- Flip (Dutch) – “Lover of horses”
- Reed (British nonbinary name) – “Red hair”
- Rex (Latin) – “King”
- Tim (Greek) – “One who honors God”; also a short form of the biblical name “Timothy”
- Zane (Arabic boy name) – “God is gracious”
What Are Cool Short Boy Names?
- Ace (English) – “The best” or “number one”
- Cody (English gender-neutral name) – “Decent, helpful one”
- Jake (Hebrew) – “Supplanter”; also a nickname for “Jacob”
- Jules (French name) – “Youthful”
- Knox (Scottish and Old English) – “Round-top hill”
- Max (Latin) – “The greatest”; also a short form of “Maximillian”
- Ryder (British and Old English) – “Horseman”
- Ted (Greek) – “Wealth” or “fortune”
Unique & Rare Short Boy Names
- Asa (Hebrew) – “Healer”
- Cas (Dutch) – “Imperial”
- Dezi (Spanish, Latin, and Italian boy name) – “Desired”; can also be a rainbow baby name
- Koda (Japanese boy name) – “Friend”
- Milo (German) – “Soft-hearted and merciful”
- Quill (Gaelic) – “From the woods”
Retro & Classic Short Boy Names
- Axel (Scandinavian) – “Father of peace”
- Blythe (Old English) – “Joyous,” “cheerful,” or “kind”
- Clyde (Scottish) – “Warm and friendly”
- Curt (English) – “Courteous” and “polite”
- Dane (Scandinavian and Old English) – “From Denmark” or “God is my judge” (as a short form of “Daniel”)
- Eddie (British) – “Wealthy friend” or “rich in friendship”
- Emory (English) – “Industrious leader”
- Evyn (Welsh gender-neutral name) – “Good messenger” or “God is gracious”
- Fred (German) – “Peaceful ruler”
- Jeff (English) – “God‘s peace” or “pledge of peace”
- Kian (Gaelic and Irish) – “Ancient” or “king”
- Mack (Latin, Scottish, and Irish name) – “Son of”; can also be a variant of “Max” (the greatest)
- Reece (English) – “Enthusiasm” and “passion”
Short Country Boy Names
- Brent (Old English) – “Steep hill”
- Brody (Irish and Scottish) – “Broad island” or “muddy place”
- Colby (Norse) – “From a coal town”
- Ford (British) – “Dweller at the ford”
- Glen (Scottish) – “A narrow valley”
- Graham (Old English) – “Gravel homestead”
- Lee (British origins) – “Meadow” or “pasture”
- Ross (Scottish) – “Upland” or “peninsula”
Nature-Inspired Short Boy Names
- Asher (Old English) – “Ash tree dweller”; also means “blessed” or “happiness” in Hebrew
- Birch (Old English nonbinary name) – “Tree”
- Björn (Old Norse) – “Bear”
- Bran (Welsh and Irish) – “Raven”
- Clay (British) – “Natural soil”; also an occupational name meaning “clay worker”
- Cole (English) – Coal; also means “victory of the people” in Greek
- Cyrus (Persian) – “Sun”
- Gavin (Scottish) – “White hawk”
- Jonah (Hebrew) – “Dove” or “pigeon”
- Keith (Gaelic) – “Wood”
- Kye (Welsh, Scandinavian, Gaelic, and Greek) – “Earth”
- Leo (Latin) – “Lion”; also a powerful name meaning “lion-hearted” or “brave people”
- Lynx (Latin and Gree) – “Wild cat”
- Stone (British) – “Solid as a rock” or “dweller by the rocks”
- Todd (Middle English) – “Fox”
Celestial & Mythological Short Names For Boys
- Ares – Greek god of war
- Atlas – The bearer of the heavens and the strongest Titan in Greek mythology
- Eros – Greek god of fertility and love
- Kash (Indian) – “Sky” or “universe”
- Mars – Roman god of war
- Odin – King of the gods in Norse mythology
- Zeus – Greek chief god and also the god of the sky
Short But Strong & Powerful Names For Boys
- Alec (Greek) – “Defending men”
- Drake (English) – “Dragon,” “snake,” or “male duck”
- Edan (Irish) – “Little fire”
- Eric (Old Norse) – “Forever ruler”
- Fritz (German) – “Peaceful ruler”
- Gary (English old man name) – “Spear”
- Kace (Irish gender-neutral name) – “Courageous and vigilant”
- Kane (Irish) – “Little battler”
- Lou (French) – “Renowned warrior”
- Neil (Irish) – “Champion”
- Nero (Latin) – “Powerful” and “strong”
- Niko (Finnish) – “Victory of the people”
- Owen (Welsh) – “Young warrior”
- Rudy (German boy name) – “Famous wolf”; also a nickname for “Rudolph”
- Troy (English and Irish boy name) – “Foot soldier”
- Wyatt (Old English boy name) – “Brave in war”
Stylish Short Middle Names For Boys
- Avi (Hebrew) – “Father”
- Blane (Scottish) – “Yellow”
- Chance (Middle English and French name) – “Chance” or “good fortune”
- Dale (Old English) – “Valley”
- Jett (English) – “Black gemstone”
- Krew (Welsh) – “From the castle or the fortress by the water”
- Mick (Hebrew) – “Who is like God?”; also a short form of the angel name “Michael”
Faith-Inspired & Biblical Short Boy Names
- Adam (Hebrew) – “Man of the earth”; biblical name for the first man created by God
- Dan (Hebrew) – “God is my judge”; also a short form of “Daniel”
- Elias (Latin and Hebrew) – Biblical boy name meaning “Yahweh is God”
- Esau (Hebrew name) – “Hairy”; twin boy name along with “Jacob” (they’re real twins in the Bible)
- Evan (Welsh) – “The Lord is gracious”
- Gabe (Hebrew) – “God is my strength” or “hero of God”; also a short form of “Gabriel”
- Ivan (Hebrew, Slavic, and Greek name) – “God is gracious”
- Joel (Hebrew) – “Jehovah is the Lord”
- Josh (Hebrew) – “Jehovah is salvation”
- Levi (Hebrew) – “Joined” or “united”
- Luke (Latin and Greek boy name) – “Life-giving”; also a name meaning “light” (bright one)
- Mark (Latin) – “Shining,” “hammer,” or “consecrated to the god Mars”
- Miko (Hebrew) – “Who is like God?”; also a nickname for “Michael”
- Paul (Latin) – “Small” or “humble”
- Zeke (Hebrew) – “God strengthens”
Artsy & Musical Short Boy Names
- Art (English and Celtic) – “Creative handiwork”; also means “bear man” or “noble man”
- Axl (Hebrew) – “Father is peace”; after W. Axl Rose, the lead vocalist and lyricist of Guns N’ Roses
- Banjo (English) – A stringed musical instrument
- Bryan (Celtic) – “Noble”; after Canadian musician Bryan Adams
- Cello (Italian musical name) – A stringed musical instrument
- Elvis (Old Norse and English) – “All wise”; after Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll”
- Jazz (American gender-neutral name) – A music style
- Raga (Sanskrit) – “Melody”
Pop Culture & Literature-Inspired Short Boy Names
- Ash (Hebrew and English) – “Happy” or “by the Ash tree”; also an anime boy name
- Joe (Hebrew) – “God will give”
- Luca (Latin and Italian boy name) – “Man from Lucania” or “bringer of light”; name of the titular character in an animated movie
- Rhett (Dutch, Latin, Welsh, and English) – “Advisor” or “wisdom”; one of the entertainers in the American comedy duo, Rhett & Link
- Storm (English) – “Storm” or “tempest”; one of the powerful mutants in Marvel Comics’ “X-Men”
Short Boy Names By Letter & Syllable Count
Cool & Cute 2-Letter Names
- Bo
- Ev
- Ty
What Are Cool 3-Letter Names?
- Dex
- Ike
- Jed
- Lex
- Nix
Sweet & Modern 4-Letter Names
- Beck
- Brad
- Drew
- Nels
Cool & Fun 5-Letter Names
- Bruce
- Bryce
- Burke
- Grant
- Reese
One-Syllable Short Boy’s Names
- Brock
- Doyle
- Ned
Short Male Names From A To Z
Short Boy Names Starting With A
- Aiden
- Ayan
Short Boy Names Starting With B
- Beau
- Bode
- Boone
- Brett
- Briggs
Short Boy Names Starting With C
- Caden
- Chad
- Chase
- Clark
- Cruz
Short Boy Names Starting With D
- Damon
- Dean
- Diego
- Doug
Short Boy Names Starting With E
- Eli
- Enzo
- Eron
Short Boy Names Starting With F
- Felix
- Finn
- Flint
Short Boy Names Starting With G
- Gage
- Gale
- Gray
Short Boy Names Starting With H
- Hank
- Hayes
- Heath
- Hugo
Short Boy Names Starting With I
- Ian
Short Boy Names Starting With J
- Jace
- Jax
- Joey
Short Boy Names Starting With K
- Kai
- Kain
- Kent
- Kody
- Kole
- Kurt
- Kyle
Short Boy Names Starting With L
- Lane
- Leif
- Leon
- Logan
Short Boy Names Starting With M
- Mason
- Matt
- Merce
- Mike
- Miles
Short Boy Names Starting With N
- Nash
- Nate
- Niles
Short Boy Names Starting With O
- Olan
- Omar
- Otto
Short Boy Names Starting With P
- Pax
- Penn
- Pete
- Phil
Short Boy Names Starting With Q
- Quade
- Quin
Short Boy Names Starting With R
- Reid
- Ridge
- Rome
- Rowan
- Roy
Short Boy Names Starting With S
- Sage
- Saul
- Scout
- Seth
Short Boy Names Starting With T
- Tate
- Theo
- Toby
- Trent
- Trey
Short Boy Names Starting With U
- Ugo
Short Boy Names Starting With V
- Van
- Vick
Short Boy Names Starting With W
- Wade
- Wayne
- Wes
Short Boy Names Starting With X
- Xavi
- Xoán
- Xun
Short Boy Names Starting With Y
- Yale
Short Boy Names Starting With Z
- Zack
- Zayd
- Zed
- Zion
Gender-Neutral Short Names
- Blake
- Jade
- Shane
- Wynn
- Zoe
Other Baby Name Lists
- Country boy names
- Black girl names
- Male Greek god names
- Girl names starting with K
- Mexican boy names
- Mexican girl names
- Unique baby girl names
- Middle names for girls
- Black boy names
- Greek gods and goddesses
- One-syllable girl names
References
(1) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html