Clipboard with a list of baby boy names

One of the most vital things when you are planning for your future child’s arrival—but not a lot of people discuss early on—is what you will name your baby. Baby boy names  are important because it is what your child will be living with for all of his  life. The same can be said about your baby girl.

Picking a Baby Name for Boys or Girls

Naming your child can be a daunting task for some as it entails not just your personal preferences, the sheer variety of names—boy names, girl names and even gender-neutral names—but also your cultural influences. However, this is not to say that all parents must have their child’s name picked out by a certain time frame. Some parents may choose to decide on a name shortly after their child is born¹.

Some may choose to name their baby after themselves, the baby’s grandparents¹, or even create an entirely new name. The possibilities for creativity are endless.

In Singapore, babies of Chinese descent are given names composed of two syllables from the Chinese alphabet, which bear their meanings. Their names may also be inspired by the natural world or by the child’s personality. Baby names for boys may be common, while girls’ names may denote beauty or other desirable qualities².

While babies of Chinese descent in Singapore are often given Chinese names, they tend to adopt more Western-sounding names in later life, usually when they start university².

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Feng Shui and Baby Boy Names

Choices for your baby’s name may also be heavily influenced by feng shui, a time-honoured Chinese practice that ensures the balance of energy (“chi”) through scientific calculations³. Although feng shui is used most often to harmonise one’s home, in naming one’s baby, it is about coming up with a name that carries good energy with it.

Applying feng shui when choosing baby boy names or even for girls is done through BaZi Analysis, which takes into account the parents’ elements and names that the parents like. It is advised that the baby’s name be complementary with the element of each parent. They are also advised to share with the child, when he is older, the meaning of his name so that he will have a sense of well-being and belonging, which in turn will fill him with good energy⁴.

Parents who choose to obtain BaZi consultation services will be asked for the baby’s birth details, parents’ birth details and their full names and Chinese zodiac of each⁴.

For Hindu parents, one of the most important considerations for choosing a baby name for boys or girls is the baby’s birth time. This birth time is submitted to an astrologer (a Jyotish), who will identify the baby’s zodiac sign and prepare the baby’s Kundali.

Also known as a Birth Horoscope, the Kundali is an astrological chart that is created based on the baby’s exact time, date and place of birth. The Jyotish will also provide parents with letters that are considered suitable for naming the baby. Some Hindus may opt to name their baby twelve days after his or her birth, whereas other Hindus may choose to name their baby forty days after birth.

Malay parents, on the other hand, usually structure a baby name for boys or girls by choosing a first name, and combining it with a patronym - bin or binti - and the father’s first name.

Alternatively, parents can also go about choosing their baby’s name by writing a list of names they like and finding out the meaning of each. If your bundle of joy is a boy, there are a lot of names from which parents can choose.

Popular inspiration for baby boy names is the Bible, which, like any other name, have their respective definitions. Below are some names of Hebrew origin with their corresponding meanings.

  • Noah - Rest or peace5
  • Elijah - My God is Yahweh6
  • Jacob - Supplanter7
  • Daniel - God is my judge8
  • Matthew - Gift9
  • Isaiah - God is salvation10

These names belong to some famous personalities, such as Noah Haynes Swayne (the first Republican-appointed as a Justice to the Supreme Court)5; Elijah Woods (portrayed Frodo in The Lord of the Rings)6; Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (mythologist)7; Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter in the Harry Potter saga)8; Matthew McConaughey (actor)9; and Isaiah Washington (actor)10.

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Parents may also opt for a Greek option for baby boy names:

  • Luke - The bright one11
  • Christopher - Christ-Bearer12
  • George - Farmer13
  • Alex - Defender of men or protector of mankind14
  • Nicholas - Victory of the people15
  • Sebastian - Venerable16

Notable persons bear these names too: Luke Skywalker (portrayed by Mark Hamill, the main character of the Star Wars franchise)11; Christopher Reeve (portrayed the titular character in the 1952 version of Superman)12; George, although meaning “farmer”, has been a popular name for British monarchs for 116 years13; Alex Ferguson (ex-manager of Manchester United)14; Nikola Tesla (inventor, among other things)15; and Sebastian Vettel (Formula One racer and four-time F1 World Champion)16.

Baby boy names can also come from Latin roots:

  • Oliver - Olive tree17
  • Leo - Lion18
  • Victor - Conqueror19
  • Austin - Great or magnificent20
  • Maximillian - Greatest21
  • Patrick - Patriarch22

Oliver was a popular name most recently in 2017 in the United States17, being in the top ten names for babies in the country. Leo belongs to icons such as actor Leonardo DiCaprio (most known for the role of Jack in Titanic) and Leo Tolstoy, writer of works such as War and Peace18 and Anna Karenina. Victor is also the name of writer Victor Hugo, responsible for Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame19. Austin, a name that was popular from 1990 to 2007 in the US, belongs to actors Austin Nichols and Abrams20. Like George, Maximillian is a royal name, belonging to Maximilian I, archduke of Austria, German king and Holy Roman Emperor during the 16th century21. Once a name is deemed too sacred to use for anyone but a saint, the name Patrick belongs to actor Patrick Stewart (portrayed Professor X in the X-Men franchise)22.

If the suggested names above still don’t feel like the best choice for your son, any of these baby boy names would make for a fine name:

  • Dylan - Son of the Sea or Son of the Wave23
  • Tristan - Bold24
  • Maddox - Fortunate25
  • Arthur - Warrior king26

These names were made popular by the following: Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet who wrote the famous words: “Do not go gentle into that good night”23; Tristan Vautier, French pro racer and champion of Intercontinental GT challenge24; Maddox Jolie-Pitt, the adopted son of actress Angelina Jolie25; and Arthur, popularised by the legend of King Arthur26.

And if any of these still hasn’t tickled your fancy, here are other ideas for a baby boy names:

  • Liam - Desire, guardian, helmet, protector, boss27
  • Ethan - Enduring, firm28
  • Caleb - Whole, heart29
  • Aaron - Lofty, exalted30
  • Jonathan - God has given31
  • Jeremy - God will uplift32
  • Elliot - With strength and right33
  • Adam - The ground, earth34
  • Everett - Strong, brave36
  • Zachary - Remembered by God37
  • Nathaniel - Gift of God38
  • Tristan - Bold39
  • Ashton - Ash tree40
  • Ivan - Gracious gift from God41
  • Blake - Fair-haired, dark42
  • Emmanuel - God with us43
  • Sean - God is gracious44
  • Hayden - Fire45
  • Steven - Honor, fame, crown46
  • Marcus - Mars (the planet)47
  • Samuel - God heard48
  • Charles - Free man49
  • Kenneth - Handsome50
  • Bryan - High, noble51
  • Isaac - Laughter52
  • Colin - Cub, young one53
  • Derrick - Ruler54
  • Louis - Famous warrior55

Welcome your baby boy with a selection of the most popular Islamic names in 2022.

  • Aadil - Sincere, virtuous, just or upright, excellent character and fair58.
  • Aarif - Well-acquainted, knowledgeable, patient, hardworking, sincerity with friendships and commitments57.
  • Maahir - Adept at various things, proficient and skilled58. 
  • Parvez - Victory, peace and prosperity59.
  • Faaz - Victory success, plentiful, grace and favour60.

Here are some Tamil name options for your baby boy in 2022.

  • Krish - Short for Krishna61 means tall, dark, handsome! 
  • Dev - Born into divinity with the heavenly power to steer his destiny62.
  • Jai - The sound of victory, triumph, conquest, success and achievement.63 
  • Om - The eternal, sacred, primordial sound of the universe.64 
  • Shiv - An off-shoot of Shiva65 to mean auspicious, propitious, gracious, good fortune, prosperity, kind and benevolence.

There are many more options for baby boy names which can be variants of the aforementioned names. In the end, it all boils down to what fits your son best. After all, mothers do know best!

Behind every name, there is a story and meaning. Discover over 100 unique names to choose from for your little one using the Enfamama A+ Baby Name Generator!

REFERENCES:

  1. How to Choose a Name for Your Baby. https://www.verywellfamily.com/baby-names-4014180. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  2. Baby-naming practices from around the world. https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a568884/baby-naming-practices-from-around-t.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  3. 7 Simple Ways to Use Feng Shui in Your Home. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/simple-ways-to-use-feng-shui-i.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  4. Baby Naming with Bazi Analysis. https://fengshuimaster-singapore.com/baby-naming-with-bazi-analysis. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  5. Noah. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Noah. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  6. Elijah. https://www.behindthename.com/name/elijah. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  7. Jacob. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Jacob. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  8. Daniel. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Daniel. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  9. Matthew. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Matthew. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  10. Isaiah. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaiah. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  11. Luke. https://www.behindthename.com/name/luke. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  12. Christopher. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Christopher. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  13. George. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/george/#:~:text=In%20Greek%20Ba.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  14. Alex. https://www.behindthename.com/name/alex. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  15. Nicholas. https://www.behindthename.com/name/nicholas. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  16. Sebastian. https://www.babycentre.co.uk/babyname/1008491/sebastian. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  17. Oliver. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Oliver. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  18. Leo. https://www.behindthename.com/name/leo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  19. Victor. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Victor. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  20. Austin. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/austin/#:~:text=The%20name%20Au.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  21. Maximillian. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/maximilian#:~:text=The%20na.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  22. Patrick. https://www.behindthename.com/name/patrick. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  23. Dylan. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/41lJ0wLqcy87gHh7ZDRtBnc/dylan-.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  24. Tristan. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/tristan/. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  25. Maddox. https://www.babynames.com/name/maddox. Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  26. Arthur. https://www.babynames.com/name/arthur#:~:text=The%20name%20Arthur%20mean.... Accessed 16 Oct. 2020.
  27. Liam. https://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Louis. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  28. Ethan. http://www.association-ecoles-lasalliennes.be/site/d516r.php?1e81a9=what.... Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  29. Caleb. https://www.behindthename.com/name/caleb. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  30. Aaron. https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Aaron.html#.XuntBUUzY2w. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  31. Jonathan. https://www.everything-birthday.com/name/m/jonathan#:~:text=Jonathan%20h..... Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  32. Jeremy. https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/biblical. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  33. Elliot. https://www.babynames.com/name/elliott#:~:text=Share%20this%3A,and%20is%..... Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  34. Adam. https://www.behindthename.com/name/adam. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  35. Austin. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/austin/#:~:text=The%20name%20Au..... Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  36. Everett. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/everette. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  37. Zachary. https://ohbabynames.com/all-baby-names/zachary/#:~:text=Zachary%20is%20a...(he%20remembered).&text=Zechariah%20was%20also%20the%20name,century%20B.C.%20King%20of%20Israel.. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  38. Nathaniel. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Nathaniel. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  39. Tristan. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/tristan/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  40. Ashton. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/ashton. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  41. Ivan. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/ivan/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  42. Blake. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/blake. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  43. Emmanuel. https://www.behindthename.com/name/emmanuel. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  44. Sean. https://family.disney.com/baby-names/baby-boy-names/meaning-of-sean/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  45. Hayden. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/hayden. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  46. Steven. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/steven. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  47. Marcus. https://www.behindthename.com/name/marcus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020
  48. Samuel. https://www.behindthename.com/name/samuel. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  49. Charles. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Charles#:~:text=The%20name%20Charles%20is..... Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  50. Kenneth. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/kenneth. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  51. Bryan. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/bryan/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  52. Isaac. https://www.behindthename.com/name/isaac. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  53. Colin. https://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/boy/colin. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  54. Derrick. https://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/derrick/#:~:text=In%20German%20...'s%20ruler.. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  55. Louis. https://nameberry.com/babyname/Louis. Accessed 17 Oct. 2020.
  56. Aadil https://www.prokerala.com/kids/baby-names/muslim/boy/a/
  57. Aarif https://www.prokerala.com/kids/baby-names/muslim/boy/a/
  58. Maahir https://www.prokerala.com/kids/baby-names/muslim/boy/m/
  59. Parvez https://www.prokerala.com/kids/baby-names/muslim/boy/p/
  60. Faaz https://www.prokerala.com/kids/baby-names/muslim/boy/f/
  61. Krish https://www.kidpaw.com/names/krish
  62. Dev https://www.babycenter.in/babyname/25068716/dev
  63. Jai https://www.thebump.com/b/jai-baby-name
  64. Om https://www.parentune.com/baby-names/starting-letter-om?page=2
  65. Shiv https://www.kidpaw.com/names/shiv