209+ One Syllable Boy Names (That You Didn’t Know Are In) – 2023

On the hunt for some cute, short one syllable boy names to add to your baby name list?  *These* are the best one syllable boys names for 2023.

Originally Published Jan 21, 2022 ・ Updated August 14, 2023

From short, old-fashioned boy names, one syllable country boy names, whimsical boy names and cool names for boys, too – we’ve rounded up the best picks for 2023 right here.

Here’s what’s in store – 

Before we kick off our list, I want to take a minute to share some super interesting, kinda shocking, trends in one syllable baby boy names with you.

The Best One Syllable Boy Names

Here are my favorite short and sweet one syllable boy names that are hand-picked for 2023:

Modern One Syllable Boy Names

Love the cool edge of modern baby boy names?

There are so many ways to really make these modern one syllable boy names shine. 

For a super interesting juxtaposition, try pairing one of these modern one syllable boy names with a super classic, old fashioned or Biblical boy’s name, like William Beau, Lane Theodore, or Cole Charles.

For a super cool, contemporary first and middle name combo, try mixing one of these modern one syllable boy names with another modern name, like Zealand Ace, Rhett Wyatt or Sawyer Dean.

Miles

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: soldier; one who is meriful
• Popularity: #55

Kai

• Origin: Hawaiin, Welsh, Greek
• Meaning: of the sea; keeper of the keys; of the earth
• Popularity: #59

Beau

• Origin: French
• Meaning: beautiful
• Popularity: #89

Jace

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: God is my salvation
• Popularity: #103

Cole

• Origin: Greek, English
• Meaning: victorious people, or swarthy, black coal
• Popularity: #143

Rhett

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: to speak
• Popularity: #151

Jude

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: praised
• Popularity: #161

Ace

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: one, unity
• Rank: #153

Dean

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the valley, a church leader
• Popularity: #163

Finn

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: fair
• Popularity: #176

King

• Origin: English
• Meaning: the royal ruler
• Popularity: #222

Colt

• Origin English
• Meaning: a young horse
• Popularity: #240

Hayes

• Origin: English
• Meaning: hedged area
• Rank: #209

Nash

• Origin: English
• Meaning: by the ash tree
• Popularity: #251

Jett

• Origin: British, English
• Meaning: a type of black gemstone similar to onyx, or referring to an airplane, also known as a jet
• Rank: #210

Cash

• Origin: English
• Meaning: maker of chests, money case, or hollow, but could also be a tribute to Johnny Cash
• Popularity: #263

Lane

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one who takes the narrow path
• Popularity: #260

Zayn

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: God is gracious
• Popularity: #275

Reid

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a red haired man; a reed is a tall type of grass that grows in marshlands
• Popularity: #325

Tate

• Origin: English
• Meaning: cheerful
• Popularity: #234

Wade

• Origin: English
• Meaning: to cross the river ford
• Popularity: #346

Kane

• Origin: Celtic
• Meaning: warrior
• Rank: #360

Cade

• Origin: English
• Meaning: round or barrel, but also a type of juniper tree
• Popularity: #292

Clark

• Origin English
• Meaning: a cleric; a clerk
• Popularity: #427

Quinn

• Origin Gaelic
• Meaning: one who provides counsel; an intelligent man
• Popularity: #405

Sage

• Origin English
• Meaning: a storyteller
• Popularity: #443

Hank

• Origin: German
• Meaning: home ruler
• Popularity: #445

Ford

• Origin: American
• Meaning: an iconic auto brand, but could also be an Anglicized version of the Norwegian word fjord, which is a breathtaking long, deep canyon found in Norway
• Rank: #473

Tripp

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a traveler
• Popularity: #437

Dane

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a person from Denmark
• Popularity: #875

Saint

• Origin Latin
• Meaning: a holy man
• Popularity: #361

Dax

• Origin: French
• Meaning: from the French town of Dax
• Popularity: #444

Mack

• Origin: Scottish, Irish
• Meaning: son of or greatest
• Popularity: #505

Wells

• Origin: English, Welsh, Scottish
• Meaning: from the well, or spring
• Popularity: #466

Banks

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one who lives near the edge of the river
• Popularity: #404

Reign

• Origin: American
• Meaning: to rule
• Rank: #650

Flynn

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: son of a red-haired man
• Popularity: #712

Bjorn

• Origin: Scandinavian
• Meaning: bear
• Rank: #776

Fox

• Origin: English
• Meaning: resembling the animal
• Popularity: > 1000

Zev

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: wolf
• Popularity: #956

Cool One Syllable Boy Names

Searching for a name that’s totally on trend?

From Hart to Wilde to Grey, many of these names would be considered ‘word’ baby names – so keep that in mind if you find something you like (it’s great to try to seek out more baby names in the same genre to come up with more ideas).

Then these stylish, cool one syllable boy names could be exactly what you’re looking for:

Crew

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a group of people
• Popularity: #254

Hart

• Origin: British, Gaelic
• Meaning: bear, hero or stag
• Rank: > 1000

Quade

Wilde

• Origin: old German
• Meaning: hunter
• Rank: > 1000

Van

• Origin: Welsh, Russian
• Meaning: God is gracious
• Rank: #949

Locke

• Origin: English, German
• Meaning: man of the forest
• Rank: > 1000

Jax

• Origin: English
• Meaning: God has been gracious
• Popularity: #273

Jag

• Origin: Urdu
• Meaning: the universe
• Popularity: > 1000

Cruz

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: brave or fierce person
• Rank: #317

Duke

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: leader
• Popularity: #679

North

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one from the north
• Popularity: > 1000

Grey

• Origin: English
• Meaning: river crossing
• Popularity: #758

Rome

• Origin: Italian
• Meaning: one from the Italian city of Rome
• Popularity: #656

Bear

• Origin: English
• Meaning: strong, brave
• Popularity: #767

Vance

• Origin: British
• Meaning: one from near the marshland
• Popularity: #978

Scout

• Origin: French
• Meaning: to listen, sent to discover
• Popularity: > 1000 (#829 for girls)

Steele

• Origin: English, Scottish
• Meaning: like steele
• Popularity: > 1000

Briggs

• Origin: Old Norse (Norwegian)
• Meaning: bridge
• Popularity: #386

Unique One Syllable Boy Names

Love when a name is totally unique? These unique one syllable boy names are all outside of the ranks of the top 500 on the baby names charts.

Or, maybe you’re looking for something even more uncommon? Then don’t miss the list of rare one syllable boy names — up next!

Rhodes

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: where the roses grow; also, a Greek island
• Popularity: #922

Bray

• Origin English
• Meaning: one who cries out
• Popularity: > 1000

Cale

• Origin English
• Meaning: one who is manly; a free man
• Popularity: > 1000

Byrne

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: ravens, or brook (a small body of water)
• Popularity: > 1000

Holt

• Origin English
• Meaning: from the forest
• Popularity: > 1000

Vaughn

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: little
• Popularity: > 1000

True

• Origin: English
• Meaning: real, genuine
• Popularity: #644

Cairn

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: mound of rocks
• Popularity: > 1000

Day

• Origin: English
• Meaning: an occupational name meaning dairyman
• Popularity: > 1000

Deke

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a shortened form of decoy, which means to entice away from an intended course
• Popularity: > 1000

Kace

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: a shortened form of Casey, meaning vigilant or watchful
• Popularity: > 1000

Foy

• Origin: French
• Meaning: faith
• Popularity: > 1000

Jones

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the family of John
• Popularity: #913

Giles

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: small goat
• Popularity: > 1000

Jens

• Origin: Scandinavian
• Meaning: God is gracious
• Popularity: > 1000

Mick

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: a form of Micheal; who is like God?
• Popularity: > 1000

Rand

• Origin: German, English
• Meaning: shield, from the riverbank
• Popularity: > 1000

Zeke

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a shortened form of Ezekiel; meaning God strengthens
• Popularity: #610

Hugh

• Origin: German, English, Irish
• Meaning: bright mind
• Popularity: #811

Zayd

• Popularity: #731

Roth

• Origin: German, Jewish
• Meaning: red hair
• Popularity: > 1000

Brock

• Origin: British
• Meaning: badger
• Popularity: #783

Reeves

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a representative or steward
• Popularity: > 1000

Perth

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the thorn bush; also a place in Australia as well as Scotland
• Popularity: > 1000

Kyle

• Origin Gaelic
• Meaning: from the narrow channel
• Popularity: #393

Mills

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one who lived by the mill
• Popularity: > 1000

Roark

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: mighty
• Popularity: > 1000

Stone

• Origin: British
• Meaning: dweller by the rocks
• Popularity: #982

Tage

• Origin: Scandinavian
• Meaning: to take
• Popularity: > 1000

Wald

• Origin: German
• Meaning: forest
• Popularity: > 1000

Rare One Syllable Boy Names

Want a name that screams “I am one in a million“?

These rare one syllable boy names are – statistically – uncommon; every one of them are ranked outside of the top 1000 baby names in the United States, as per Social Security Administration data for 2021. 

This means you can be *just about* certain your little one will be the only one in his class with one of these names, right?

Hart

• Origin: British, Gaelic
• Meaning: bear, hero or stag
• Rank: > 1000

Lake

• Origin: British
• Meaning: body of water
• Popularity: > 1000

York

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the city of York in Northern England
• Popularity: > 1000

Blythe

• Origin: English
• Meaning: cheerful, joyous
• Popularity: > 1000

Bourne

• Origin: British
• Meaning: one who lives near a spring or stream
• Popularity: > 1000

Oakes

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the oak tree grove
• Popularity: > 1000

Bram

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: father of multitudes
• Popularity: > 1000

Keats

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one who works with cattle or sheep
• Popularity: > 1000

Rook

• Origin: English
• Meaning: crow; charriot
• Popularity: > 1000

Burke

• Origin: English, German
• Meaning: from the fortress
• Popularity: > 1000

Clove

• Origin: French, Latin, English
• Meaning: nail, but also a warming spice
• Popularity: > 1000

Rune

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: secret
• Rank: > 1000

Elm

• Origin: English
• Meaning: red, brown; but also a type of tree
• Popularity: > 1000

Finch

• Origin: British
• Meaning: to swindle, or, a songbird
• Popularity: > 1000

Fitz

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: son of
• Popularity: > 1000

Birch

• Origin: Engilsh
• Meaning: bright, shining; also a type of tree
• Popularity: > 1000

Fyfe

• Origin: Scottish, Gaelic
• Meaning: from Fifeshire, a country in Scotland
• Popularity: > 1000

Bay

• Origin: English, Latin, French
• Meaning: an inlet from the sea, or berry
• Popularity: > 1000

Hans

• Origin: German, Dutch, Scandianavian
• Meaning: God has been gracious
• Popularity: > 1000

Witt

• Origin: English, Dutch, German
• Meaning: white-haired or pale
• Popularity: > 1000

Reef

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a partly submerged ledge underwater
• Popularity: > 1000

Huck

• Origin: German, English
• Meaning: a short form of either Hugo or Huckleberry; in German, Hugo means mind, in English, Huckleberry is group of small, dark berries similar to a blueberry
• Popularity: > 1000

Flint

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a small piece of rock from quartz, often used to start a fire
• Popularity: > 1000

Lev

• Origin: Hebrew, Russian
• Meaning: lion, heart
• Popularity: > 1000

Mayes

• Origin: English
• Meaning: child of matthew
• Popularity: > 1000

Byrd

• Origin: British
• Meaning: birdlike
• Popularity: > 1000

Frye

• Origin: British
• Meaning: seedling
• Popularity: > 1000

Zeus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: sky or shine
• Popularity: > 1000

Oak

• Origin: English
• Meaning: meadow of oak trees
• Popularity: > 1000

Penn

• Origin: Celtic
• Meaning: enclosure, hill
• Popularity: > 1000

Sven

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: youth or boy
• Popularity: > 1000

Thor

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: thunder
• Popularity: > 1000

Tradd

• Origin: English
• Meaning: unknown; possibly short for traditional
• Popularity: > 1000

Yale

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: from the fertile land
• Popularity: > 1000

Country One Syllable Boy Names

These southern-inspired country one syllable boy names are full of rustic charm, and are as sweet as they are rugged:

Knox

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: from the small hill
• Rank: #200

Brown

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a descriptive name, traditionally used to refer to someone’s hair, complexion or clothing
• Popularity: > 1000

Luke

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: light-giving
• Popularity: #34

Rhett

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: to speak
• Popularity: #151

Dunn

• Origin: English
• Meaning: dark
• Popularity: > 1000

Wade

• Origin: English
• Meaning: to cross the river ford
• Popularity: #346

Brooks

• Origin: English, German
• Meaning: water, small stream
• Popularity: #76

Ridge

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one who lives by the ridge or cliff
• Popularity: #532

Gage

• Origin: French
• Meaning: oath
• Popularity: #649

Redd

• Origin: British, Scottish
• Meaning: red
• Popularity: > 1000

Chase

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: to hunt
• Rank: #136

Kipp

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the small pointed hill
• Popularity: > 1000

Colt

• Origin: British
• Meaning: young male horse
• Popularity: #240

Jake

• Origin: English
• Meaning: form of Jacob; meaning the one who supplants
• Popularity: #407

Brice

• Origin: Scottish, Celtic
• Meaning: freckled
• Popularity: > 1000

Chet

• Origin: English
• Meaning: camp of soldiers, or fortress
• Popularity: > 1000

Briggs

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: bridge
• Popularity: #386

Tex

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from Texas
• Popularity: > 1000

Troy

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: foot soldier
• Popularity: #477

Wells

• Origin: English, Welsh, Scottish
• Meaning: from the well, or spring
• Popularity: #466

Braun

• Origin: German
• Meaning: the color brown
• Popularity: > 1000

Clay

• Origin: English
• Meaning: of the earth’s clay
• Popularity: #615

Ty

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a diminutive form of Tyler
• Popularity: #718

Lee

• Origin: English
• Meaning: meadow
• Popularity: #697

Trace

• Origin: English
• Meaning: find or discover
• Popularity: #703

Wes

• Origin: English
• Meaning: western meadow
• Popularity: #798

Heath

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the untended land of flowering shrubs
• Popularity: #861

Ames

• Origin: French
• Meaning: friend
• Popularity: > 1000

Barnes

• Origin: Old Norse, Old English
• Meaning: spear, warrior or one who works in a barn
• Popularity: > 1000

Beck

• Origin: German
• Meaning: brook or stream
• Popularity: > 1000

Brandt

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: dweller on burnt land, or torch
• Popularity: > 1000

Cliff

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: one who lives near the steep slope
• Popularity: > 1000

Wright

• Origin: English
• Meaning: shaper of wood
• Popularity: > 1000

Riggs

• Origin: British
• Meaning: one from the ridge
• Popularity: #705

Coy

• Origin: English
• Meaning: quiet and still
• Popularity: > 1000

Bud

• Origin: English, Scottish
• Meaning: friend or sprouting plant
• Popularity: > 1000

Dierks

• Origin: German
• Meaning: a born ruler
• Popularity: > 1000

Kye

• Origin: German, Scandinavian, Greek, Gaelic
• Meaning: keeper of the keys; earth; narrow
• Popularity: #866

Nate

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: gift of God (diminutive of Nathan)
• Popularity: > 1000

Ripp

• Origin: German, Dutch
• Meaning: power; bright and famous
• Popularity: > 1000

Ryle

• Origin: English
• Meaning: rye hill
• Popularity: > 1000

Buck

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: a deer, cowboy
• Popularity: > 1000

Trent

• Origin: British
• Meaning: the flooder
• Popularity: > 1000

Trigg

• Origin: English
• Meaning: trustworthy, faithful
• Popularity: > 1000

Feelin’ country? 165+ Wild and Strong Country Boy Names You Need to Hear

Classic and Old Fashioned One Syllable Boys Names

Next up, old fashioned one syllable boy names. This list of names includes both vintage one syllable boy names that have made a huge comeback and are currently topping the charts, as well some truly “old boy names” from the earlier decades in the 1900s.

James

• Origin: English
• Meaning: rye hill
• Popularity: #5

Jack

• Origin: English
• Meaning: God is gracious
• Popularity: #11

Grant

• Origin: English
• Meaning: a great man
• Popularity: #212

Dale

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the valley
• Popularity: > 1000

John

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: God is gracious
• Popularity: #27

George

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: earthworker
• Popularity: #134

Kit

• Origin: English
• Meaning:  pure
• Popularity: > 1000

Bert

• Origin: English
• Meaning: one who is illustrious
• Popularity: > 1000

Frank

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: one who is free
• Popularity: #444

Blair

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: from the field of battle
• Popularity: > 1000

Mack

• Origin: Scottish, Irish
• Meaning: son of or greatest
• Popularity: #470

Floyd

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: a gray-haired man
• Popularity: #333

Drew

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Strong, Manly
• Popularity: #509

Roy

• Origin: Scottish, English, Dutch
• Meaning: Red Haired, King
• Popularity: #551

Rex

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: King
• Popularity: #696

Neil

• Origin: Irish, Scottish, English
• Meaning: Hero, Cloud
• Popularity: #719

Fred

• Origin: English, German
• Meaning: Wise Counselor, Peaceful Ruler
• Popularity: > 1000

Clyde

• Origin: Scottish, English
• Meaning: A Scottish river name
• Popularity: #733

Ben

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: Son of, Son
• Popularity: #763

Kane

• Origin: Celtic
• Meaning: Warrior
• Popularity: #956

Fritz

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Peaceful Ruler
• Popularity: > 1000

Gus

• Origin: Latin, Dutch, Irish
• Meaning: Strength, Exalted, Increase
• Popularity: > 1000

Park

• Origin: Korean, Chinese
• Meaning: Bright, Cypress Tree, Gourd
• Popularity: > 1000

Boyd

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: Yellow, Blonde
• Popularity: > 1000

Pete

• Origin: English, Hebrew
• Meaning: Rock, Stone
• Popularity: > 1000

Chip

• Origin: English
• Meaning: diminutive form of Christopher
• Popularity: > 1000

Rolf

• Origin: German, Scandinavian
• Meaning: Famous Wolf
• Popularity: > 1000

Ted

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Gift of God, Rich Guard
• Popularity: > 1000

Clive

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Cliff, Cliff Dweller
• Popularity: > 1000

West

• Origin: English
• Meaning: West direction, Directional name
• Popularity: > 1000

Love these vintage names? 175+ Vintage, Old Fashioned Boy Names That Are *Totally* Back In

Biblical One Syllable Boy Names

Set on a Biblical one syllable boy name for your little guy?

What a beautiful way to thank God for your little blessing, and honor your faith. 

Here they are:

Rhodes

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: where the roses grow; also, a Greek island
• Popularity: #922

Jude

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: praised
• Popularity: #161

James

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: supplanter
• Popularity: #4

Luke

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: light-giving
• Popularity: #34

John

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: God has been gracious
• Popularity: #26

Mark

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: warlike
• Popularity: #247

Looking for more Bible-based baby boy name inspo? Check out the full list here: 65+ Unique Biblical Boy Names with Meanings

Trends in One Syllable Boys Names

If there’s one thing I wish I had done a bit more reading on when choosing a name for my own baby boy, it’s baby name trends! 

My husband & I ended up naming our little one Hudson, thinking it was the most unique and uncommon hidden gem out there. To our *shock*, it was actually the 43rd most popular name for boys (that’s popular) in 2020 when he was born, and it continues to fly up the charts. 

While we love the name nonetheless, it would have been nice to know that we chose a name that was actually super popular, and not some rare find (who knows,  maybe we would have chosen something different!).

For that reason, I love including data on the popularity of the baby names I recommend, as well as some info on the trends that I find as I pore through the mountains and mountains of baby name lists that I do.

When referencing popularity, I am referring to baby name data from Social Security Administration database in the United States for 2022, which is the most current year of data available.

Let’s dive in – 

• It’s the wild, wild west in the world of baby names. Cowboy baby boy names like Tate, Wes, Bear, Trace, Jett, Kade, Stone, Ridge, Hayes, Wells, Tripp and Beau are all trending, and continue to fly up the baby name charts. 
• Grandpa-chic is a thing. With old school grandpa picks like Frank, Myles, Mac, Cal and Ray climbing the charts, it’s a fact that vintage one syllable boy names are en vogue in 2023. 
• But fresh, modern boy names are cool, too. These names are baby boy names that aren’t found on the charts in earlier years; they only begin to appear in the past decade or so. These names include Rome, Crew, Tripp, Banks, Kye/Kai/Khai.
• We still love being at one with nature… especially when we’re naming our babies. The names Kai, Bear, Stone, Sage, Ridge and Zen all climbed the baby boy name charts in 2023, proving that mamas really do love the idea of a baby name that brings the great outdoors, in. 
• It’s confirmed. The Kardashians still influence baby naming trends in the States, with the names Saint (Kim Kardashian & Kanye West’s son), and Tru (Khloe Kardashian & Tristan Thompson’s daughter) still popular picks that are on the rise.
• Move over J, Z is comin’ in hot. While J has long been the most popular letter for a baby boy’s name to start with, baby boy names that start with z are on the rise. The names Zeke, Zayd, Zev, Zen and Zayn/Zain all saw a big jump on the charts from 2021 to 2022. 

One Syllable Boy Names – TL;DR

At the end of the day, there’s no debating that choosing the baby name that’s *just right* for your little one is a tough task, but it’s our hope that you’ve found at least a few one syllable boy names on this mega-list to add to your pile. 

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