Dashingly handsome names for boys
by Ruth Fitzpatrick
All our boys are going to grow up to be dashingly handsome, right? Of course! And what better way to set them up for their futures as little heartbreakers than with one of these incredibly handsome names?
Harrison Unavoidably associated with the swashbuckling Indiana Jones and Hans Solo, played by Hollywood heartthrob, Harrison Ford. In its own right, Harrison sounds sophisticated and erudite. Harris and Harry are both very usable and friendly diminutives available, if Harrison is too weighty for a little boy.
Rhys This Welsh name packs a lot of punch for its diminutive stature. It means 'ardor' in Welsh, and is extremely popular still in its native land, England, Scotland and Ireland. It looks infinitely more refined than Reese, and though the spelling and pronunciation may require an initial explanation, it's unlikely to present any major difficulties here in the States.
Heath After the untimely death of actor Heath Ledger, this name completely plummeted in popularity, and has yet to recover. However, we think it might be time to bring it back. It is an extremely handsome and romantic option, and reminds us of Austen-esque encounters on heather-filled moorlands!
Andreas This variant of Andrew is massively popular in Northern Europe, and we think it should be come massively popular in North America soon too! Much more lyrical and mysterious than the original and it gives the classic an interesting and more unique twist.
Gregory A Greek name meaning 'vigilant, a watchman', Gregory is an upstanding choice which looks to be making somewhat of a comeback in recent years. The short form, Greg, is easy to use, but we much prefer the length and rhythm of Gregory.
Frederick Plain, simple and friendly Fred would be the most common manifestation of this name in the States, but we think Frederick doesn't deserve to be overlooked. Its origins are German, and it means 'peaceful ruler'. It has plenty of historically, culturally and politically significant namesakes which could make it a profound and personal choice.
Sebastian Sebastian has become really seen a massive jump in popularity in the last decade, and in 2016 was America's 24th most used baby name for boys. Also extremely popular across Europe and South America, it has great cross-cultural appeal. We particularly love the nickname Seb, which is a popular diminutive of the name in England and Germany.
Lionel We've made no secret on Nameslist of our love for the name Leo, but we are willing to admit that Lionel comes up on top for elegance and sophistication while losing nothing of its feline ferocity.
Holden A character from the novel, Catcher in the Rye, which quickly caught the eye of American parents, Holden is a forceful and durable name which definitely has an element of handsomeness to it.
Jude Unique sounding among boy's names and inescapably associated with the tall, handsome, English actor, Jude Law. It's the diminutive of the Latin, Judah, and means 'praised. It's popularity among prospective American parents continues to grow, and last year was #161 in America.
Grant Grant has some serious aristocratic pedigree. It's a Scottish name which is derived from the French for 'big', so it might be a good pick if you're expecting your son to grow tall! While undoubtedly attractive, it is quite a serious name which doesn't lend itself to many obvious nicknames.
Miles The very refined and elegant English variant of Milo, Miles means 'soldier' or 'merciful'. It almost made it into the top 100 last year, and we think it's Miles ahead of its competition!
Calvin Meaning 'bald, hairless', hopefully it won't be too much of a prophetic name! It's currently in the US top 150 and has a very serious, statesmanlike appeal, while also feeling fashionable and friendly.
Theo Theo means 'divine gift', and we here at Nameslist think it's much too underused. Short for Theodore, Theo is a truly sweet, chic, and dashingly handsome name for any little boy.
Everett An aristocratic sounding name with immense presence and gravitas, Everett has an equally commanding meaning: 'brave as a wild boar'. After a century of decline in popularity, Everett is staging a comeback, and last year jumped to #114 in America.
