This is turning into a bit of a series! But after getting a recommendation by a loyal reader that aligned with the Highlights Of the Top 50: Girls, I felt it would be odd to have two articles in a mini series only about the girls. So we’re giving the boys a turn today! The boys top 50 is bursting with gems, naturally, and I hope that I provide a wonderful summary of all of the names and styles that the top 50 has to offer. That is, in the form of a list of some of the many interesting names that make up the top 50 we know and often secretly love. If popularity just isn’t your thing, then that’s just fine. But I do have to say, these names are family favorites for a reason. Believe it or not, popular names wouldn’t be popular if they didn’t have universal appeal. Let’s head into the tour, dear readers, and I hope you enjoy.
Ezra- Starting our deep dive into the top 50 with a biblical boy name is only fitting. Biblical names are ever present on the top of the charts. Not only do they have deep spiritual meaning for many families who choose them alongside a heroic story of faith and courage, they also have a cool sound. As for Ezra, well, he’s the full package. A name with an interesting and unique sound that sets him apart from other names, a middle Z to draw attention to the name, and that gender-bending -a ending that really flatters many biblical boy names all contribute to his massive success. Strong and modern yet with roots that stretch on for centuries, Ezra has the amazing meaning of “helper” in addition to being on the low end of the top 50 at #44. And another biblical boy name with an equally current feel like Silas or Asher meshes perfectly with this treasure.
Alexander- But even though we see cool and recent stars grace the top 50, we also see worn classics that still carry plenty of sparkle continue to make their way up the charts. Alexander is a name that oozes with images of royalty, nobility, knights, saints, dukes, and six-year-olds too. It’s a name bravely borne by so many heroic characters and real life people throughout pop culture and history. But even despite this, Alexander was falling as of 2019. He was losing momentum after peaking at #4 in 2009, and flipped between #13 and #11. It wasn’t looking good. But, of course, when we met the hero of the musical made accessible with the help of Disney+, Hamilton, parents saw the name Alexander in a brand new light. The name was given a bit of CPR by the historical figure, and at last climbed as opposed to falling, snatching that #10 spot just as Logan relented. He’s a name that belongs next to the great classics, like Charles, for instance, and definitely defines a portion of the top 50.
Ethan- Just below Alexander sits Ethan at #13. A biblical name that I lovingly refer to as “the Silas/Asher/Ezra of the 2000s.” A name with that biblical connection to cement the interest of religious parents, Ethan means “enduring and firm,” a meaning that presents the promising idea of a persevering and unrelenting little boy. Ethan has all of the style of a modern boy name: that -an ending, a unique first syllable, and a gentle sounding strength, but has all of the meaning and richness from those centuries of use as a given name. Ethan made it biggest at #2 in 2010, and has been on a rocky and inconsistent decline. One year, he’s #2. The next, he’s #7. And the year after that, he’s #3! At the moment, we see Ethan at a fairly low #13. But hey, those softer sounds could mean yet another jagged point on his popularity graph. We’re all about the sounds that make up Ethan lately. It’s just getting Alexander to give up his newfound beloved top 10 status that will be difficult.
Jackson- Ahh Jackson. The sounds, the style, and the meaning are all pure perfection, resulting in a string of little Jaxtyns, Jaxxons, Jacksyns, Jaxyns, and more following in his footsteps. But none of them can even hope to rival Jackson. He’s a modern surname style take on the friendly, boy-next-door feel of Jack, giving him the edginess of Hudson and Grayson but the warmth and playfulness of Jack. Even though he was the most popular in 2013, at #16, he hasn’t really budged. That beautiful mesh of styles all compacted into a stylish combo with a cute sound is too much for parents to resist, and he still ranks at #17, even eight years after his peak. Even if Jackson is fairly recent, he’s displayed some pretty impressive longevity here. Not only that, he means “son of Jack,” which, I mean, if you’re expecting a son and your name or your father’s name is Jack or John, then you’ve got a pretty fantastic honor name right there. He’s most certainly a defining member of the top 50.
Mateo- A name that fits the bill for a perfect cross-culture name, Mateo is perfection for many Latino and Italian families. It’s a name that bounces off the immense past popularity of Matthew, a biblical sensation that spanned decades in his mass popularity in sound, yet adds a cool ending -o. And one of the hottest baby naming trends for boys right now? You guessed it! Arlo, Milo, Kylo, and more all are on the rise for that cool and current ending. But Mateo blends old favorite Matthew with modern -o ending to create a name that feels fresh and 2021 while still retaining warmth and nostalgia from Matthew. Not only that, it’s a name easy to pronounce in several languages if you’re bringing up a baby in a bilingual family, and peaked this year. It’s clear that Mateo is catching on, and it’s very clear why. At #20, Mateo offers heaps of style served with a platter full of practicality, a very welcome combination for many.
Grayson- It really wouldn’t be the top 50 without Grayson. He’s handsome, on trend, surname style, and I can definitely see the name aging well. Grayson is naturally adorable and sweet on a chubby baby boy, babbling toddler, sporty or studious teenager, and even a professional business executive, psychologist, doctor, or any other of the countless aspirations your son could pursue. The color name imagery gives Grayson a cold, harsh feel, but it’s also one that makes Grayson undeniably cool. He peaked in 2018, but has still persisted to be the thirty-fifth most popular name in the United States. He’s a staple of the top 50, having also brought other names like Greyson and Graysen to the light of top 1000 fame, and a wonderful honor name for Jason if you want something even more recent than Mason. Xavier or Everett would be lovely matches to Grayson, if you’re looking for a little brother.
Aiden- Okay, I take back what I said about Grayson. The top 50 could exist without the presence of Grayson. But if we snatched #24 Aiden’s influence from the world, the top 1000 would look a bit more like the top 980. Aiden has inspired countless spin-offs and variations, only some of which include Jayden (30), Jaden (269), Jaiden (311), Brayden (84), Braydon (856), Braden (578), Zaiden (429), Zayden (186), Raiden (423), Rayden (683), Caden (237), Caiden (348), Cayden (251), Kaden (220), Kaiden (138), Kayden (97), Hayden (180), Haden (952), and Haiden (986). Pretend I completely came up with that list on the spot and didn’t go back to my Aiden name profile and copied my August 2020 self. With all of those spellings, Aiden can certainly get lost. But his glimmer persists nonetheless. His simple sounds and pronunciation on top of being an Irish name in the midst of a time period when Irish names were the biggest trend, raising Aiden, Connor, Liam, and more to power, it’s no wonder that parents adore Aiden. Even though the namenerds of the world love to hate on the name, it’s clear that Aiden and his many spin-offs are thriving.
And that concludes the highlights of the boys top 50! Hopefully, you found this summary to cover the variety of styles and origins represented in the top 50 for baby boys, and enjoyed yourself as well. Next up in what’s shaping up to be a full length series, I’m following through with a reader request: my favorites for boys and girls in the top 50. Until then, have a wonderful rest of your day!
Sincerely,
-Delphina Moon