Skip to main content

109 One-Syllable Boy Names (Meanings & Origins)

Looking for short and sweet names for your baby boy? Check out our list of one-syllable baby boy names, perfect for any little bundle of joy!
One Syllable Boy Names
Updated: June 28, 2023

Sometimes a short name makes the most impact. If you’re looking for a powerful and to-the-point moniker for your new baby boy, you might want to choose a one-syllable boy name!

These boy names are powerful and masculine-sounding. They are no-fluff and just cool to say out loud! Consider short names if you are looking for a boyish name that packs a punch.

Another benefit of one-syllable names is that they are simple and easy to pronounce. While there are many beautiful, long names out there, not everyone loves having to help others say their name correctly.

Related: 75 Classic Boy Names That Will Stand the Test of Time

Why Choose a Single-Syllable Boy Name?

If your name is considered hard to pronounce, you can probably relate. With a short name, your son is less likely to have to spend a ton of time teaching others how to pronounce his name.

Instead of shortening, you can actually lengthen a one-syllable name when making a nickname, such as Mickey-boo for Mick. You can also affectionately call your little boy by his first and middle names together, such as calling him Finn, Patrick, or Chase.

There are so many short and sweet names to choose from. Some single-syllable names are classic and well-used, while others are rare and unique sounding.

Whether you want a timeless name or a trendy and cool boy name, try on a few one-syllable boy name options, and learn their name origins and name meanings.

Traditional One-Syllable Boy Names and Meanings

Traditional One Syllable Boy Names

Sometimes tried and true classics make the perfect name. Our favorite is the Hebrew name, Gabe, but Brooks, an English name, comes in at a close second.

Check out our list of traditional one-syllable baby boy names:

  1. Abe- Hebrew, father of many
  2. Beau- French, beautiful
  3. Ben- Hebrew, son of the right hand
  4. Brent- Celtic, hill
  5. Brooks- English, one who lives near a brook
  6. Bruce- Scottish, meaning unknown
  7. Finn- Old Irish, fair, white
  8. Flynn- Irish, blood red
  9. Franz- German, Frenchman
  10. Gabe- Hebrew, God is my strong man
  11. Graham- Old English, gravelly homestead
  12. Hayes- Old English, enclosure, fence
  13. Hugh- English, mind, thought, spirit
  14. Jack- Greek, Yahweh is gracious
  15. Jacob- Greek, supplanter
  16. Jian- Chinese, to build
  17. Joel- Hebrew, Yahweh is God
  18. Kent- English, coastal district
  19. Lloyd- Welsh, grey
  20. Lot- Biblical, covering, veil
  21. Luke- Greek, from Luciana
  22. Mac- Irish, son
  23. Mack- Scottish, son
  24. Mark- Latin, warrior
  25. Paul- Latin, small, humble
  26. Pierce- Greek, pebble
  27. Price- Welsh, son of Ryce
  28. Royce- English, rose
  29. Sean- Irish, God is gracious
  30. Seth- Hebrew, appointed
  31. Scott- Scottish, from Scotland
  32. Trent- English, one who lives by the river Trent
  33. Troy- French, one living in the city of Troy
  34. Vince- Roman, to conquer
  35. Zane- Hebrew, God is gracious

Trendy One-Syllable Boy Names and Meanings

Single-syllable names for boys are trending! Although the top 10 boy names in 2023 remain two- and three-syllable monikers, one-syllable names have been seen in the top 100 names for boys.

Jack comes in at position 15, John at 26, and Luke at 34.

For those wanting a more modern name, these unique boy names are short and to the point:

  1. Art- Celtic, bear
  2. Ash- English, ash tree
  3. Bjorne- Norwegian, bear
  4. Brad- Old English, broad clearing
  5. Bran- Gaelic, raven
  6. Brooke- German, small stream
  7. Bryce- French, speckled
  8. Bryn- Wesh, hill
  9. Cade- Old English, round
  10. Cale- Hebrew, dog
  11. Dale- English, valley
  12. Dane- Danish, a person from Denmark
  13. Dean- Middle English, valley
  14. Dong- Chinese, pillar, beam
  15. Drake- Old Norse, dragon
  16. Duke- English, Duke, leader
  17. Earl- Old English, nobleman, warrior
  18. Fang- Chinese, virtuous
  19. Frey- Old Norse, lord; Norse Mythology, a god associated with fertility, sunlight, and rain
  20. Ford- Old English, ford
  21. Fox- Old English, fox
  22. Lear- literature, from Shakespeare’s King Lear 
  23. Ling- Chinese, spirit, soul
  24. Moss- Jewish, Moses
  25. Nash- Old English, at the ash tree
  26. Nils- Scandinavian, the victory of the people

Cool One-Syllable Boy Names and Meanings

Cool One Syllable Names

Short and to-the-point names just have a cool vibe! Whether you choose Ace, Cliff, or Rex, these names just have that main character energy.

Here is our list of awesome-sounding short names for boys:

  1. Ace- English, first
  2. Ahn- Chinese, peace, quiet
  3. Chuck- German, man
  4. Cliff- Old English, ford by a cliff
  5. Clint- English, meaning unknown
  6. Cole- Greek, victory of the people
  7. Colt- English, male baby horse
  8. Cruz- Spanish, cross
  9. Gian- Italian, God is gracious
  10. Giles- Latin, young goat
  11. Gio- Italian, God is gracious
  12. Grey- English, the color grey
  13. Hai- Vietnamese, sun, ocean
  14. Horst- German, wood thicket
  15. Huang- Chinese, bright, shining, luminous
  16. Jace- Greek, healer
  17. Jay- Greek, healer
  18. Jeb- Greek, healer
  19. Ra- Egyptian, sun, day; Egyptian Mythology, god of the sun
  20. Reid- Scottish, red
  21. Rick- Old German, brave ruler
  22. Rex- Latin, king
  23. Spike- English, spiky hairstyle
  24. Tate- Old English, meaning unknown
  25. Zayn- Arabic, beauty, grace

Gender-Neutral One-Syllable Names and Meanings

Some of the coolest one-syllable names for boys don’t always have to be used for boys. Names like Blaze, Quinn, and Saint can also work as one-syllable girl names as well.

If you prefer a unisex name, check out our gender-neutral single-syllable names:

  1. Blaze- Latin, lisping
  2. Chase- English, hunt
  3. Jem- Ancient Hebrew, Yahweh will exalt
  4. Jude- Biblical, praise
  5. Kai- Hawaiian, ocean
  6. Kip- English, male salmon
  7. Lake- English, lake
  8. Pam- Indo-European, shepherd, protect, Greek Mythology, god who is half-man, half-goat
  9. Pax- Latin, peace
  10. Quan- Vietnamese, army
  11. Quinn- Irish Gaelic, chief
  12. Saint- English, saint
  13. Sky- Old Norse, sky

First-Middle Combinations With One-Syllable Names

One-syllable first names sound amazing with a more complex middle name. Here are our favorite combinations:

  1. Beau Brixley
  2. Brad Abraham
  3. Cole Solomon
  4. Chase Elliot
  5. Dean Theodore
  6. Finn Jacob
  7. Fox Patrick
  8. Jay Robert
  9. Kai Kristopher
  10. Seth Bradley

Single Syllable Girl Names

Naming one kid is a big feat, but naming multiple kids can be even harder. Each child needs their own unique moniker, yet the names should fit together in a complementary way.

Consider choosing one-syllable first names for all your kids. If you want a one-syllable name for a sister, explore these great single-syllable girl names in our list of 150 Short and Sweet One-Syllable Girl Names!

Considering one of these names? Pin it to save it for later:

One Syllable Boy Names_Pinterest

Elisa Cinelli

About Elisa

Elisa is a well-known parenting writer who is passionate about providing research-based… Read more

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe