This article was co-authored by Sonya Prior and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Sonya Prior is a name consultant known as the BB Namer based in Auckland, New Zealand. With a lifelong interest in names and a background in brand strategy, marketing, and copywriting, Sonya has grown her passion for names into a baby naming consulting business and shares name content on social media to over 30k followers across Instagram and TikTok. Sonya has worked with families around the world and has been featured in The Cut, The New Zealand Herald, The Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, and more.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 6,524 times.
British names have a sense of elegance and sophistication. Whether you’re looking to embrace your British heritage or simply looking for a classic name for your baby boy, there are plenty of modern and traditional British names to choose from. In this article, we’ve gathered all the best popular, cute, and classic British boy names, as well as names with English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh origins, so you can find the perfect name for your baby boy or fictional character.
Choose a trendy name to get plenty of compliments. Some names are popular for a reason, so there’s nothing wrong with choosing a trendy British name for your baby boy. Many of these names are popular in the United States as well as the UK, so just make sure you’re okay with your baby having the same name as many other kids his age. Here are some examples:[2]XResearch source
Give your baby a classic name fit for a king. Many British names are steeped in history and associated with kings and nobility, so it’s no surprise they’ve stood the test of time. If you’re looking for a name that will never go out of style, opt for something distinguished and traditional. Here are some examples:[4]XResearch source
Albert (meaning: noble, bright, famous)
Clarence (meaning: clear, bright, brilliant)
Edward (meaning: wealthy guard)
Edmund (meaning: wealthy protector)
Fitzroy (meaning: son of the king)
Howard (meaning: high guardian, heart-brave)
Philip (meaning: horse lover)
Richard (meaning: powerful, hardy, brave, strong ruler)
Charles (meaning: free man)
Cecil (meaning: blind, sixth)
Dudley (meaning: people’s field)
Duke (meaning: leader)
James (meaning: supplanter, holder of the heel)
Kingston (meaning: king’s town, royal stone)
Laurence (meaning: from Laurentum)
Jonathan (meaning: gift of God, God has given)
Norman (meaning: northman, from Normandy)
William (meaning: resolute protector, will, desire)
Alfred (meaning: elf counsel)
Cuthbert (meaning: bright, brilliant, famous)
Hamilton (meaning: mutilated mountain, proud estate)
Opt for a refined name if you want to be sophisticated. Whether you’re a part of the English upper class or not, choosing a posh name for your baby boy is a great way to make your family seem sophisticated. Consider picking a name that has been in your family for generations or simply select a name that sounds smart and fashionable. Here are some examples:[6]XResearch source
Andrew (meaning: strong, manly)
Barnaby (meaning: son of consolation)
Lochlan (meaning: land of the lakes, one who dwells at the fjord-land, norseman)
Choose an old-fashioned name for your son. If you’re fascinated by Victorian England, pick a name that comes from your favorite era. These names may have been popular in the 1800s, but many are timeless and are still appropriate for boys today. Here are a few popular vintage names to choose from:[7]XResearch source
Felix (meaning: happy, fortunate)
Theodore (meaning: God’s gift)
Silas (meaning: forest, woods)
Ezra (meaning: Yah helps, help)
Miles (meaning: soldier, who is like God, merciful)
Go for something modern if you want to break from tradition. Though traditional British names have been used for centuries, some people think they sound stuffy and old-fashioned. If that’s how you feel, there are still plenty of names that sound more modern while still holding onto that British charm. Here are some examples:
Oakley (meaning: meadow of oak trees)
Beckham (meaning: place name, homestead)
Jones (meaning: John’s son, God is gracious)
Camden (meaning: enclosed valley)
Darwin (meaning: dear friend)
Keaton (meaning: where hawks fly, place of hawks)
Presley (meaning: priest’s meadow)
Holden (meaning: deep valley)
Ayden (meaning: little fire)
Baxter (meaning: baker)
Beck (meaning: brook, stream)
Hudson (meaning: son of Hugh)
Jackson (meaning: son of Jack)
Wesley (meaning: western meadow)
Colton (meaning: swarthy person, coal town)
Greyson (meaning: son of the grey-haired man)
Blakely (meaning: dark woodland clearing)
Hayes (meaning: hedged area, enclosure, fire)
Reign (meaning: rule, sovereign)
Baylor (meaning: horse trainer, one who delivers goods)
Pick an uncommon boys’ name to stand out from the crowd. If you want your baby boy’s name to be one-of-a-kind just like him, look for unique names you don’t hear that often. By giving your baby a unique name, you’re also encouraging him to embrace his individuality and be himself. Here are some examples:[8]XResearch source
Kenelm (meaning: brave helmet)
Edric (meaning: prosperous and noble)
Linwood (meaning: linden tree valley)
Briggs (meaning: bridge)
Algar (meaning: elf spear)
Aldous (meaning: wealthy, old)
Balfour (meaning: village near the pasture)
Cavan (meaning: descendant of Caomhán, hollow, handsome)
Ebenezer (meaning: stone of help)
Edison (meaning: son of Edward)
Gallagher (meaning: foreign help)
Gladwin (meaning: shining, joyful friend)
Piers (meaning: rock)
Newton (meaning: new town)
Neville (meaning: new village)
Baker (meaning: one who bakes)
Dacre (meaning: trickling stream)
Carver (meaning: wood carver)
Lennon (meaning: lover, sweetheart, blackbird)
Raeburn (meaning: roe-deer brook)
Lorne (meaning: fox)
Anderson (meaning: son of Anders, son of Andrew)
Remington (meaning: settlement by the boundary stream)
Opt for a cool, edgy name for something more contemporary. Don’t be afraid to pick a name with some edge. Consider naming your baby boy after your favorite British musician, writer, or character. Or, simply pick a name that sounds cool to you. Feel free to think of words with British origins that haven’t traditionally been used as names. Here are some examples:[9]XResearch source
Pick a British name as adorable as your baby. With a cute name, your baby boy is sure to capture hearts everywhere. Opt for something sweet, gentle, or whimsical to match your baby’s charming personality. Consider choosing a classic name with a cute nickname so your baby can adapt to his name as he grows. Here are some examples:[10]XResearch source
Glenn (meaning: glen, valley)
Chester (meaning: fortress, camp, camp of soldiers)
Devon (meaning: black, bard, poet, divine person)
Todd (meaning: fox)
Ennis (meaning: island, one choice)
Blake (meaning: dark, black, white, pale)
Clark (meaning: cleric, clerk, scribe)
Elton (meaning: from the old town, Ella’s town)
Gary (meaning: spear)
Jameson (meaning: son of James, supplanter)
Marvin (meaning: lover of the sea, sea friend, famous friend)
Arden (meaning: great forest, high valley, eagle valley)
Blythe (meaning: happy, cheerful)
Bowen (meaning: son of Owen, son of the noble one, son of the young one)
Give your baby boy a powerful name to invoke strength. If you want your baby to grow up strong, give him a name to match. Britain’s history is full of powerful kings and warriors, so consider naming your child after one of them. Here are some other strong-sounding names:[11]XResearch source
Bruce (meaning: willowlands)
Kane (meaning: little battler, warrior, cane reed)
Keith (meaning: woodland, forest)
Stuart (meaning: steward)
Nelson (meaning: son of Neil, champion, hero, fury)
Logan (meaning: hollow)
Everest (meaning: dweller on the Eure River)
Graham (meaning: gravel area, gray homestead)
Grant (meaning: tall, big)
Dean (meaning: valley, church official)
Radcliff (meaning: red cliff)
Rex (meaning: king)
Hardy (meaning: bold, brave)
Wallace (meaning: Welshman, foreigner, Celt)
Ace (meaning: one, someone who excels, highest rank)
Archer (meaning: bowman)
Bear (meaning: bear, brown, the brown one, to carry)
Denzel (meaning: from the high stronghold, fertile land)
Pick an English name if you’re looking for a stereotypical British name. Many people automatically think of England when they hear the word “British,” but Great Britain is actually composed of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each of these countries has its own naming traditions. If you’re looking for English boy names specifically, try some of these examples:
Pay homage to Scotland’s history with a Scottish boy name. Whether you want to embrace your Scottish heritage or simply like Gaelic names, there are plenty of Scottish boy names to choose from. Go for something traditional, or choose a name that sounds more modern. Either way, these names are inspired by Scotland’s rich history. Here are some examples:[12]XResearch source
Alasdair (meaning: man’s defender)
Archie (meaning: genuinely bold, brave)
Barclay (meaning: birch tree meadow)
Dougal (meaning: dark stranger, black)
Gordon (meaning: spacious fort)
Fergus (meaning: man of vigour)
Colin (meaning: whelp, cub, victory of the people)
Evander (meaning: good man, bow warrior, strong man)
Hamish (meaning: supplanter, holder of the heel)
Jamie (meaning: he who supplants)
Duncan (meaning: brown or dark warrior, brown or dark-haired chief)
Keir (meaning: black, dark, thicket, marsh, ancient fortification)
Macaulay (meaning: son of the battle chief)
Murray (meaning: lord and master, sailor, seashore, coast)
Maxwell (meaning: Mack’s stream)
Stewart (meaning: steward)
Lyle (meaning: island, from the island)
Ross (meaning: headland)
Archibald (meaning: bold, brave, genuine)
Callen (meaning: powerful in battle)
Douglas (meaning: black river, dark stream, dark greenish-blue)
Blaine (meaning: yellow, thin)
Innes (meaning: island, from the river island, one choice)
Opt for a name inspired by Irish Gaelic. Many popular Irish boy names come from the Gaelic language, so they can sometimes be a bit hard to pronounce in English. Don’t let this deter you, however, as there are also plenty of Irish names that are easy to pronounce (and spell) for English speakers. Here are some examples:[13]XResearch source
Aidan (meaning: little fire, born of fire)
Cillian (meaning: bright-headed, war, strife, church)
Conor (meaning: lover of hounds, wolf, desiring)
Declan (meaning: man of prayer)
Finn (meaning: fair, from Finland, blessed)
Liam (meaning: helmet of Will, protection, strong-willed warrior)
Rian (meaning: king)
Seán (meaning: God is gracious)
Tadhg (meaning: poet, philosopher) (pronunciation: ti-gue, like “tiger”)
Abbán (meaning: little abbot) (pronunciation: AY-bahn)
Pick a Welsh-inspired name for something unique. Many Welsh boys’ names come from Gaelic or Old English words, so they’re sure to stand out (especially if you live outside of the UK). Keep in mind that a lot of these names aren’t spelled the way they’re pronounced, so it may take a bit of trial and error to find one you like. Here are some examples:[14]XResearch source
Osian (meaning: little deer) (pronunciation: ocean)
Elis (meaning: God is an oath)
Jac (meaning: God is gracious)
Rhys (meaning: ardent, enthusiasm) (pronunciation: reese)
Harri (meaning: home ruler, ruler of the estate) (pronunciation: Harry)
Choose a gender-neutral British name. Some names work well for boys and girls, so they can be a great option if you’re not sure what your baby’s gender is yet or if you want to raise them without traditional gender roles. Here is a great mix of modern and classic unisex names for you to choose from:[15]XResearch source
Addison (meaning: son of Adam)
Ainsley (meaning: hermitage, solitary woodland or clearing)
Jody (meaning: God will increase, God is gracious, praised)
Bailey (meaning: berry clearing, bailiff, city fortification)
Terry (meaning: ruler of the people, harvest, of Terence)
Jamie (meaning: he who supplants)
Sutton (meaning: southern homestead)
Sydney (meaning: dweller by the well-watered land, wide river island
Harper (meaning: harpist, minstrel)
Skyler (meaning: scholar, sky)
Sorrell (meaning: red hair, reddish-brown, chestnut color)
Gale (meaning: joy, wind, tranquility, gives joy, foreigner)
Raleigh (meaning: roe deer clearing)
Robin (meaning: bright, shining, famous)
Frankie (meaning: free man, truthful, sincere)
Ellis (meaning: kind, benevolent, Jehovah is God)
Morgan (meaning: circling sea, white sea dweller)
Charlie (meaning: free man)
Leslie (meaning: holly garden)
Blair (meaning: plain, field, battlefield)
Leighton (meaning: leek town, herb garden, meadow town)
Ashley (meaning: ash tree meadow)
Kendall (meaning: the Kent River valley)
British Name Generator
Classic and modern British names for boys and girls
Find a name with true British charm! From aristocratic classics to modern favorites, this generator will help you discover the perfect English name fit for a duke or a duchess.
This article was co-authored by Sonya Prior and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Sonya Prior is a name consultant known as the BB Namer based in Auckland, New Zealand. With a lifelong interest in names and a background in brand strategy, marketing, and copywriting, Sonya has grown her passion for names into a baby naming consulting business and shares name content on social media to over 30k followers across Instagram and TikTok. Sonya has worked with families around the world and has been featured in The Cut, The New Zealand Herald, The Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, and more. This article has been viewed 6,524 times.
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