Cute Baby Girl Names 2000

Cute Baby Names for Boys

Cute baby names mix up the informal and the unexpected. They're names sometimes found on comic strip characters and pets — such as Sonny and Dash — but most of them would wear well on a real boy, too. Formal name options can make these even more wearable for the long haul.

Along with Sonny and Dash, other cute names for boys in the US Top 1000 include Ali, Archie, Bo, Gus, Harry, Oscar, Theo, and Toby. Old-fashioned nicknames make for especially cute boy names — Albie, Ernie, Lenny, and Rudy are among the best, most usable options today.

If you're searching for a cute name for your son, consider one of the options below. For more information and many more names, check out our complete guide to cute names for boys and girls.

Milo

• Origin:

  Latin and Old German

• Meaning:

  "soldier or merciful"

• Description:

  Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles, meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the Slavic root milu, meaning "merciful." Milo predates brother name Miles, a variation that evolved when the name immigrated to the British Isles in the Middle Ages. Mylo is an alternate spelling.

Kai

• Origin:

  Hawaiian

• Meaning:

  "sea"

• Description:

  Kai has many origins and meanings. What does the name Kai mean? That depends on which Kai you're referring to.

Finn

• Origin:

  Irish

• Meaning:

  "fair or white"

• Description:

  Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity.

Jude

• Origin:

  Latin diminutive of Judah

• Meaning:

  "praised"

• Description:

  Jude is an example of a name whose image was turned on its head primarily by one appealing celebrity. So take a bow, Jude Law: You--in collaboration with the Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude"--have erased Jude's old connections to the traitorous Judas Iscariot and Thomas Hardy's tragic Jude the Obscure, and inspired a legion of new babies named Jude.

Oscar

• Origin:

  English or Irish

• Meaning:

  "God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"

• Description:

  Oscar has Irish and Norse roots—Norse Oscar comes from the Old English Osgar, a variation of the Old Norse name Ásgeirr. The Irish form was derived from the Gaelic elements os, meaning "deer," and car, "loving." In Irish legend, Oscar was one of the mightiest warriors of his generation, the son of Ossian and the grandson of Finn Mac Cumhaill (MacCool).

Theo

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Theodore

• Meaning:

  "gift of God"

• Description:

  Many modern parents use Theo as the short form for Theodore rather than the dated Ted--including some celebs, such as Dallas Bryce Howard-- but others bypass the Grandpa name Theodore entirely and skip right to the hip nickname Theo. Short and ultra-chic, Theo's a cool, contemporary baby name choice.

Otto

• Origin:

  German

• Meaning:

  "wealthy"

• Description:

  Cutting-edge parents have revived this German name a la Oscar.

Nico

• Origin:

  Italian diminutive of Nicholas, Greek

• Meaning:

  "people of victory"

• Description:

  Nico is one of the great nickname names, full of charm, energy and effortless cool -- a neo Nick.

Leo

• Origin:

  Latin

• Meaning:

  "lion"

• Description:

  Leo was derived from the Latin leo, meaning "lion." Thirteen popes have carried the name, including St. Leo the Great. In Germanic languages, Leo has historically been used as a nickname for names including Leon and Leopold. In Latinate languages, Leonardo is considered a full form for Leo.

Max

• Origin:

  English and German diminutive of Maximilian or Maxwell

• Meaning:

  "greatest"

• Description:

  Max was derived from Maximilian, a Latin name that originated from the Roman family name Maximus. The character name Max in the children's classic Where the Wild Things Are had an impact on baby namers. Max is a widely used name internationally.

Rory

• Origin:

  Irish

• Meaning:

  "red king"

• Description:

  This spirited Gaelic classic, which became popular in Ireland via the illustrious twelfth century king Rory O'Connor, makes a highly energetic choice, now used for either sex. Rory's gender split is still trending boyward; it's one of the coolest boys' names starting with R.

Remy

• Origin:

  French from Latin

• Meaning:

  "oarsman"

• Description:

  The name of a fifth century saint and one of a new generation of French names being discovered in the US, Remy sounds particularly modern and attractive. The name Remy is being revived for both boys and girls, sometimes as Remi. It entered the popularity list in 2009 and has quickly become one of the fastest-rising names on the list.

Luca

• Origin:

  Italian variation of Luke and Lucas

• Meaning:

  "man from Lucania"

• Description:

  If there was once a bias against this charming and venerable Italian name for possibly sounding too feminine, consider it gone. Since Luca entered the boys' names U.S. popularity list in 2000, it has shot up in popularity. It's one of the top Italian baby names in the US and a popular choice throughout Europe as well.

Micah

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "who is like the Lord"

• Description:

  Micah is a biblical name that growing numbers of parents are looking at as a more unusual alternative to Michael, projecting a shinier, more lively image.

Ari

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Ariel, Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "lion of God"

• Description:

  Ari, the short form of Ariel (or any other Ari- beginning name, such as Aristotle) stands up better as a boys' name than its progenitor does. It is also short for Aristotle, as in Onassis, and is a prominent character on TV's Entourage -- the uberagent Ari Gold.

Kit

• Origin:

  English, diminutive of Christopher

• Description:

  Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son. For girls, it's an updated diminutive of Katherine.

Archie

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Archibald, Teutonic

• Meaning:

  "truly brave"

• Description:

  Archie made global news as the surprise first name of the newborn royal baby, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aka Harry and Meghan. Archie has now officially transcended Archie Bunker and Riverdale's Archie to take the, um, throne as the quintessential retro nickname name.

Eli

• Origin:

  Hebrew

• Meaning:

  "ascended, uplifted, high"

• Description:

  Eli derives from the Hebrew 'aly, meaning "high." In the Old Testament, Eli was the high priest and last judge of Israel, who trained the prophet Samuel. While Eli is a full name on its own, it can be a shortened form of Elijah, Elias, Eliezer, or even Elliot. Eli is used as a feminine name—most often as a nickname for Elisabet or Elin—in some Scandinavian countries.

Ash

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Asher, English

• Meaning:

  "ash tree"

• Description:

  Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or any other "Ash" name.

Charlie

• Origin:

  English, diminutive of Charles

• Meaning:

  "free man"

• Description:

  Charlie derives, of course, from the classic name Charles which, in turn, comes from a German word meaning "free man." Charles became very popular in France during the Middle Ages due to the fame of Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne. Charley is an alternate spelling.

Cole

• Origin:

  English

• Meaning:

  "swarthy, coal black"

• Description:

  Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland.

Asa

• Origin:

  Hebrew; Japanese

• Meaning:

  "healer; born in the morning"

• Description:

  A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.

Bear

• Origin:

  Animal name

• Meaning:

  "bear"

• Description:

  Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape. Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his boy Buddy, and more recently Alicia Silverstone called her son Bear Blu., followed by Kate Winslet's Bear Blaize. It's part of a current trend normalizing once aggressive animal names like Wolf and Fox. Bear is now Number 218 on Nameberry and in the Top 900 in England.

Ace

• Origin:

  Latin

• Meaning:

  "one, unity"

• Description:

  No longer tied to the hapless Ace Ventura, this jaunty, high-flying nickname name is starting to take flight among celebrity and other parents, with its countless positive references to doing well in tests and poker games, on the tennis court and golf course, and in the air.

Gus

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Augustus, Angus, Gustave, Augustin, Augusten, Augustine, August

• Description:

  Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978 until 2016, when it squeaked in at Number 999.

Alfie

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Alfred, English

• Meaning:

  "wise counselor"

• Description:

  Alfie is a Top 20 name throughout the British Isles, where retro nickname names are mega-popular, but it hasn't really been picked up in the US yet. Both Alfie and rising star Archie are spunky nickname possibilities with a bit of an English accent.

Harry

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Henry

• Meaning:

  "estate ruler"

• Description:

  Harry is the medieval English form of Henry, which derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning "estate ruler." Harry was the nickname of all eight King Henrys; it is also a diminutive of Harold and Harrison.

Percy

• Origin:

  French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge

• Description:

  Percy is an adorable old name that is finally shedding its pampered Little Lord Fauntleroy image in this new era of boys with soft yet traditionally male names like Jasper and Elijah. Originating as an aristocratic Norman name, Percy became fairly widespread in England--and to some extent in the US--as an offshoot of the fame of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Cody

• Origin:

  English

• Meaning:

  "helpful, pillow"

• Description:

  In the early 1990s, Cody was in the Top 25 most popular boys' names in the USA; but it has been in decline since then. It retains a greater degree of popularity in the UK, however. Cody might be short for Dakota but despite its nickname feeling, it's a name of its own.

Ziggy

• Origin:

  German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund

• Description:

  The ultimate nicknamey name, à la Ziggy Stardust or the comic-strip character Ziggy. Then again, there's Ziggy Marley, and most anything Marley is cool. Originally named David, his father Bob Marley gave him the nickname "Ziggy" due to the soccer move of the same name.

Mac

• Origin:

  Scottish or Irish

• Meaning:

  "son of"

• Description:

  In Ireland and Scotland, Mac and Mc mean "son of"; here, Mac is a generic fella, or a short form cooler than either Matt or Max. Mac can be a nickname of any longer Mac or Mc starting name such as McCoy or Macalister. If you want to make it feel more complete, you can always spell it Mack.

Jace

• Origin:

  Hebrew, diminutive of Jason

• Meaning:

  "the Lord is salvation"

• Description:

  Jace may sound like only half a name -- it's usually pronounced like the first half of Jason though some may consider it a spelling-out of the initials J. C. -- but it's a popular choice for baby boys. Jace has been heard on such TV shows as Teen Mom 2 and Duck Dynasty.

Roscoe

• Origin:

  Norse

• Meaning:

  "deer forest"

• Description:

  Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of sight now, the quirky Roscoe deserves a place on every adventurous baby-namer's long list. It joins Rufus, Roman, Remy, Romulus, and Ray as one of the R names that sound fresh again after too many years of Robert, Richard, and Ronald.

Dax

• Origin:

  French place-name

• Description:

  The appealingly energetic Dax, with its trendy X-ending, re-entered the Top 1000 in 2007. Its somewhat sci-fi vibe emanates from his appearance as a fictional being in the Star Trek universe, seen on the TV show "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." The Power Rangers character Dax Lo was the Blue Ranger.

Teddy

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Theodore or Edward

• Description:

  Teddy is in some ways one of those midcentury boys' nicknames -- like Jimmy or Bobby or Billy -- yet because it was never that popular, it feels timeless too. The preferred short form of Theodore these days may be Theo and of Edward may be....Edward, but Teddy can work adorably for either and grows up to Ted.

Monty

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Montague, Montgomery

• Description:

  Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own. But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname name of the future.

Jax

• Origin:

  Modern invented name

• Description:

  Jax is the Dex-Jex-Pax type of x-ending cool -- possibly too cool -- variation of Jack or nickname for Jaxon or Jackson.

Zeke

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Ezekiel

• Meaning:

  "God strengthens"

• Description:

  Zeke is a casual form of the name Ezekiel, an important prophet from the Old Testament. How well Zeke holds up depends on the boy: it could be a cooler alternative of Zack, or it could prove too close to "geek." Both Zeke and Ezekiel lag behind in popularity on the UK charts.

Rudy

• Origin:

  German, diminutive of Rudolph

• Meaning:

  "famous wolf"

• Description:

  Rudy has a bit of style currency, thanks to the fact that Jude Law used it for his son. It has been consistently in the Top 1000 for as long as Social Security records have been tallied, as opposed to parent name Rudolph, which, perhaps due to the reindeer, hasn't been heard from in some time.

Sonny

• Origin:

  Nickname for "son"

• Meaning:

  "son"

• Description:

  Sonny is one of the generic boy nickname names making a surprise reappearance, and it was recently used by actor Jason Lee. Another surprise: It's been on the US Top 1000 list every year since 1927, reaching a peak in 1975, when it hit Number 428.

Gray

• Origin:

  Color name, also diminutive of Grayson

• Description:

  The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and evocative--if slightly somber-- choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney recently named their son Leo Grey.

Jules

• Origin:

  French form of Latin Julius

• Meaning:

  "youthful; soft, downy"

• Description:

  Though Jules hasn't been on the US popularity list in fifty years, it is a current hit in its native France—where it's currently in the Top 10—and we can definitely see it making a comeback here, being far more romantic than, say, Jim.

Jamie

• Origin:

  Diminutive of James

• Meaning:

  "supplanter"

• Description:

  The cool form of James in the 1970s and '80s for both sexes. Still a more stylish short form than Jimmy, though many parents will want to call James by his entire, not-very-long name.

Anders

• Origin:

  Scandinavian variation of Andrew

• Meaning:

  "strong and manly"

• Description:

  Friendly, unusual, but a decidedly Old Country version of Andrew and one of the classic Scandinavian names. It made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2006 and then reentered in 2010. Its rising popularity could be attributed to the interest in Anderson, which has been gaining steadily over the last fifteen years.

  Trivia tidbits: The patronymic Andersson is the second most popular surname in Sweden, and in Denmark, Donald Duck is called Anders.

Toby

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Tobias

• Description:

  This jaunty unisex nickname name has recently been given a shot of testosterone via actor Tobey Maguire and the gruff, erudite character on West Wing.

Ned

• Origin:

  English, diminutive of Edward

• Meaning:

  "wealthy guardian"

• Description:

  Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance.

Albie

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Albert, Alban or Albus

• Description:

  This cute masculine nickname -- with connections to princes, Hogwarts headmasters and the Manzo family of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" -- almost has enough heft to stand on its own. But all of its precursor names have merit.

Dash

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Dashiell, meaning unknown

• Description:

  Dash is a nickname that can stand on its own and sounds, well, dashing. Connected these days with Kardashian enterprises.

Bo

• Origin:

  Norse nickname

• Meaning:

  "to live"

• Description:

  A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".

Cal

• Origin:

  Diminutive of Calvin

• Description:

  A homey sitting-by-the fire-type nickname name.

Cute Baby Girl Names 2000

Source: https://nameberry.com/list/509/cute-baby-names-for-boys

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