Most Popular Boy Names 2026

Boy names ranked 1-100 by SSA data for 2026. Each name links to its full page with meaning, origin, historical rank chart, and similar names. Rankings reflect the latest SSA release.

100 names — data from the U.S. Social Security Administration

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#1

Liam

strong-willed warrior

Irish
#2

Noah

wandering

Hebrew
#3

Oliver

olive tree

English
#4

Theodore

gift of God

English
#5

James

supplanter, one who follows at the heel

English
#6

Henry

home ruler, estate ruler

English
#7

Mateo

gift of Yahweh

Spanish
#8

Elijah

strength of the Lord

Hebrew
#9

Lucas

light, luminous

English
#10

William

determined helmet-wearer, warrior protector

English
#11

Benjamin

son of the right hand

Hebrew
#12

Levi

associated with, united

Hebrew
#13

Ezra

strong, powerful

Jewish
#14

Sebastian

man from Sebaste

English
#15

Jack

God is gracious

English
#16

Daniel

God judges

English
#17

Samuel

name of God

English
#18

Michael

who resembles God

English
#19

Ethan

permanent, long-lived

English
#20

Asher

fortunate, prosperous

Jewish
#21

John

Yahweh is gracious

English
#22

Hudson

son of the hood/hooded man

American
#23

Luca

light, illumination

Italian
#24

Leo

lion-hearted, brave

English
#25

Elias

the Lord is my God

Greek
#26

Owen

young warrior

Welsh
#27

Alexander

defender of men

Greek
#28

Dylan

great tide, wave

Welsh
#29

Santiago

Saint James

Spanish
#30

Julian

of the Julius family

Latin
#31

David

friend, darling

Hebrew
#32

Joseph

God will increase, he will add

Hebrew
#33

Matthew

gift of God

Hebrew
#34

Luke

light, bringer of light

Greek
#35

Jackson

God is gracious

English
#36

Maverick

independent thinker, non-conformist

American
#37

Miles

servant of Jesus

English
#38

Wyatt

brave in war

English
#39

Thomas

Twin

English
#40

Isaac

He will laugh; laughter

English
#41

Jacob

holder of the heel

English
#42

Mason

one who builds with stone

English
#43

Gabriel

hero of God, man of God

English
#44

Anthony

priceless one, of inestimable worth

English
#45

Carter

From the Old Norse 'kartr' meaning cart; an occ...

English
#46

Logan

from the hollow

Scottish
#47

Aiden

From the Irish 'Aodhan', a diminutive of Aodh, ...

Irish
#48

Grayson

son of the steward

English
#49

Caleb

whole-hearted, faithful

English
#50

Cooper

From the Middle English 'couper' or Middle Low ...

English
#51

Charles

free man

English
#52

Roman

citizen of Rome, Roman

Latin
#53

Josiah

God supports, Yahweh heals

Hebrew
#54

Ezekiel

may God strengthen him

Hebrew
#55

Thiago

Saint James

Brazilian Portuguese
#56

Isaiah

the Lord saves

Hebrew
#57

Joshua

God is salvation, the Lord saves

Hebrew
#58

Wesley

from the western farmstead

English
#59

Jayden

God has heard, thankful to God

American
#60

Bennett

blessed

English
#61

Christopher

bearer of Christ, Christ-carrier

Greek
#62

Nathan

he gave, gift from God

Hebrew
#63

Angel

heavenly being, celestial guardian

Spanish
#64

Nolan

descendant of Nuallán

Irish
#65

Waylon

wayside land, roadside settlement

American
#66

Cameron

crooked river, winding stream

Scottish
#67

Brooks

one who lives near a brook

American
#68

Andrew

manly, brave

Greek
#69

Beau

fine, lovely

American
#70

Weston

western farmstead, western settlement

American
#71

Rowan

rowan tree (mountain ash)

Irish
#72

Adrian

from Hadria, of the Adriatic

Latin
#73

Lincoln

lake colony, settlement by the pool

American
#74

Enzo

Italian form of Henry, home ruler

Italian
#75

Ian

God is gracious

Scottish
#76

Kai

earth

Hawaiian
#77

Christian

follower of Christ

English
#78

Axel

divine reward

Swedish
#79

Aaron

high, elevated

English
#80

Theo

gift of God

English
#81

Silas

of the forest

English
#82

Walker

cloth walker; fuller of cloth

English
#83

Jonathan

God has given

English
#84

Leonardo

strong as a lion

Italian
#85

Everett

strong and brave

English
#86

Micah

who is like God?

English
#87

Ryan

little king; descendant of the king

Irish
#88

August

consecrated; worthy of reverence

English
#89

Gael

Gaelic speaker

Irish
#90

Robert

bright fame

English
#91

Jose

God will increase, God will add

Spanish
#92

Eli

ascended, high

Hebrew
#93

Jeremiah

God will uplift

Hebrew
#94

Luka

light, illumination

Croatian
#95

Amir

prince, commander

Arabic
#96

Jaxon

son of Jack

American
#97

Parker

keeper of the park, park ranger

English
#98

Colton

settlement by the charcoal burners

English
#99

Myles

soldier

English
#100

Adam

man, human being

Hebrew

More popular name lists

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular boy name in 2026?

Liam has been #1 on the SSA boys list every year since 2017. Noah, Oliver, James, and Elijah consistently round out the top five.

Are classic boy names making a comeback?

Yes. James, Henry, and Theodore have all climbed in the last decade. Short, strong names with history behind them are outperforming invented names right now.

What boy names are falling out of fashion?

Names that peaked in the 1980s and 1990s — Jason, Brandon, Tyler, Justin — have dropped significantly. They'll likely have retro appeal again in 15-20 years.

Looking for something more specific?

Browse by origin, meaning, syllables, or decade. Or run a tournament and let head-to-head matchups find your favorite.

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