100 traditional English names for boys

Meaning 'resolute protector', the name William has been popular in England since 1066, when William the Conqueror led the Norman conquest.

The name of the future king of England, William can be shortened to Will, Billy, Wills and more.

Derived from Hebrew, John means 'God is gracious' or 'gift of God'.

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A biblical name, John has dropped out of the top 100 most popular boys' names in recent years, meaning your little Johnny will stand out from the crowd.

Originally from Greek origin, George means 'farmer' and is the name of the patron saint of England.

The name George is just as popular now as it was in 1904 – it's currently the second most popular boys' name in England and Wales.

Famous Georges include, Prince George, George Clooney, George Michael and George Best.

Meaning 'twin', the English name Thomas is thought to be from Aramaic or Hebrew origin.

Thomas can be shortened to Tom or Tommy and is still popular today. It was the 13th most popular boys' name in 2019, the most recent year statistics are available for.

Meaning 'strong as a bear', the name Arthur is thought to be of Celtic origin. It has mythical connections to King Arthur and the knights of the round table.

Arthur can be shortened to Art or Artie. It was the fourth most popular boys' name in England and Wales in 2019.

Derived from Hebrew, the name James means 'supplanter' – one who follows.

Popular throughout the ages, former king of Scotland King James I became king of the UK in 1603.

Often shortened to Jim, Jimmy or Jamie, James was the 22nd most popular boys' name in 2019.

The name Charles is derived from the German Karl, meaning 'man' or 'free man'.

A popular name among royal families, there have been two kings of England named Charles. Charlie is a popular nickname for Charles.

Discover more popular names with a royal link here .

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Meaning 'peaceful ruler', Frederick is of German origin. It's often shortened to Fred, Freddie or Freddy.

While Frederick was the 65th most popular name in England and Wales in 2019, the shorter version, Freddie was much more popular, coming in at14th.

Thought to derive from the Germanic name Adalbert, Albert means 'noble and bright'.

Popular shortenings of the name include Albie, Bertie, Al and Bert.

Meaning 'serious' and 'determined', Ernest is an English name thought to derive from the Germanic word 'ernst', meaning serious.

The name Ernest isn't as common today as the early 1900s, but we think the shortened version, Ernie is a really cute option.

Often shortened to Alfie, Alf, Fred or Freddie, Alfred is an Anglo-Saxon name.

It was the name of Alfred the Great, king of the Anglo Saxons, and is thought to mean 'elf counsel' or 'wise counsel'.

From the Anglo-Saxon name Éadweard, Edward means 'wealthy guardian'. It's an ancient name name favoured by royals – there have been 11 English kings with the name Edward.

Ed and Eddie are popular shortenings of Edward.

From Hebrew, Joseph means 'God will multiply'.

A classic name choice, Joseph can be shortened to Joe or Joey.

Derived from the Old English Hereweald, Harold means 'army commander'.

While popular in the early 1900s, Harold no longer features in the top 100 boys' names. However, the shorter version, Harry, was the fifth most popular boys' name in England and Wales in 2019.

See all 100 most popular boys' names from 2019 here.

Meaning 'bright', 'famed' and 'shining', Robert is the perfect name for your little star.

Of Old English origin, Robert can be shortened to Rob, Robbie, Bob and Bobby.

The Old English name Frank means 'free man'.

Famous Franks include Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Frank Lampard and Frank Bruno.

It's a name that can't really be shortened, perfect if you're not a fan of nicknames.

Find more baby names that can't be shortened here.

An English name derived from the German Haimirich, Henry means 'rules his household'.

Henry is the real name of Prince Harry, and there have been eight kings of England named Henry.

The name is even more popular today than it was in the early 1900s. Henry was the 12th most popular boys' name in England and Wales in 2019.

A shortened version of Harold or Henry, Harry can mean 'army commander' or 'rules his household'. Either way, it's a strong name for your baby boy.

Famous Harrys include, Prince Harry, Harry Styles, Harry Connick Jr, Harry Houdini and Harry Kane.

From German origin, Walter means 'powerful ruler'. If you're looking for an unusual retro name, Walter is a cute choice.

Famous people with the name Walter include, Walt Disney, Sir Walter Raleigh and Bruce Willis – yes, his real first name is Walter.

The Old English name Reginald means 'strong', 'counsellor', 'ruler'.

The shortened version, Reggie, is more popular than the longer form today and it's growing in popularity. Reggie has leaped around 850 places since 1996 and is now the 51st most popular boys' name in England and Wales.

The name Herbert is thought to originate in Germanic countries and means 'bright army'.

Shortened versions include Herbie, Herb and Bertie.

From German origin, Leonard means 'lion bold'. The name is thought to have been brought to the UK by the Normans.

Popular variants include Leo, Lenny, Lenny and Leonardo.

Discover more animal-inspired baby names here.

Meaning 'lives by the stony grove', or 'near the stony meadow', Stanley is an Old English name. 'Stan ' means stone and 'leigh' means meadow or clearing.

It's a classic name that's rising in popularity again. Over the past 25 years, Stanley has risen more than 200 places in the top name charts and is now the 67th most popular boys' name in England and Wales.

Discover more retro names ready for a comeback here.

From Celtic origin, the name Leslie is thought to mean 'from the grey fortress' or 'holly garden'.

Leslie is a unisex name, although the girls' version is often spelled Lesley.

No boys called Leslie were born in England or Wales in 2019, meaning it's a name that no one else in the class will have!

Find more uncommon baby names here.

The English name Richard is originally derived from Old German and came to these shores via the Normans.

Richard means 'strong ruler' and has been the name of three English kings.

Nicknames for Richard include Rick, Rich and Ricky.

The name Cyril is of Greek origin and means 'lordly' and 'masterful'.

Cyril has been the name of a number of saints, including the ninth-century Greek missionary who invented the Cyrillic alphabet with his brother.

From Old English, Sidney is taken from a Norse surname. It means 'from Saint-Denis', an area of France where kings were traditionally buried.

An alternative spelling of Sidney is Sydney, like the Australian city. While originally a boys' name, it is now unisex.

Of Latin origin, the name Francis means 'Frenchman' or 'free man'. Perfect for animal lovers, it's also the name of the patron saint of animals and the environment, St Francis of Assisi.

The female version of the name is usually spelt Frances.

Percy is a shorter version of the name Percival, which is of French origin and means 'pierces the valley'.

It's a vintage name that's undergoing a bit of a revival. While no baby boys were called Percy in 2001, there were 128 born in 2019.

The name David is of Hebrew origin and means 'dearly loved' or 'beloved'.

Nicknames for the name David include Dave and Davey. There are loads of famous Davids, including actor David Jason, footballer David Beckham, broadcaster David Attenborough and musician David Bowie.

An Old English name with Germanic roots, Wilfred means 'desire peace'. Possibley the most famous Wilfred is war poet Wilfred Owen.

Wilfred can be shortened to Wilf, Will and Fred. There were 405 babies named Wilfred born in 2019.

From Hebrew, Samuel means 'asked of God' or 'name of God'.

Shortened versions of the name include Sam and Sammy. Famous Samuels include actor Samuel L Jackson, and singers Sam Smith and Sammy Davis Jr.

Norman is an Old English name meaning 'man from the north' or 'northerner'.

Only four babies were named Norman in 2019, so your little Norm will enjoy a relatively unusual retro name.

The name Cecil is thought to be derived from Latin or Old Welsh. In Welsh it was originally a surname, Seissylt, meaning 'sixth'.

It could also be taken from the Roman name Caecilius, meaning 'blind'.

Female versions of the name include Cecily and Cecile.

Find more Welsh baby names here.

Derived from Norse, Eric means 'eternal ruler'.

It's the name Simon Cowell chose for his son, after his late father.

Famous Erics include footballer Eric Cantona and singer Eric Clapton. Eric is also the given first name of author George Orwell and actor Jamie Foxx.

An alternative spelling of Sidney, Sydney is also the name of an Australian city.

Originally from Old English, Sidney or Sydney means 'from Saint-Denis', an area of France where kings were traditionally buried.

From the Latin name Horatius, Horace means 'man of time' or 'time keeper'.

It's a name that's fallen out of fashion recently, but we think it's due for a revival.

Discover more baby names no one loves anymore here.

A shortened form of Frederick, the name Fred is of German origin and means 'peaceful ruler'.

There were 54 baby Freds born in England and Wales in 2019.

Of English origin, the name Jack is derived from John and means 'God is gracious'.

The name became popular in the Middle Ages and often features in fairytales and nursery rhymes, such as Jack and Jill, and Jack and the Beanstalk.

From Old English, Edwin means 'rich in friendship' or 'wealthy friend'

The name of a number of Anglo Saxon kings, including Edwin of Northumbria and Eadwine of Sussex, Edwin can be shortened to Ed or Eddie.

The female form is Edwina.

Thought to be from Old English or Norse origin, Ronald means 'powerful' or 'ruler'.

While the name Ronald isn't as popular nowadays, the shortened version, Ronnie, is growing in popularity. There were 992 baby boys called Ronnie born in England and Wales in 2019 and 38 baby girls.

Influencer Mrs Hinch and model Danielle Lloyd both have sons called Ronnie.

Alexander is from Greek origin. It's derived from the Greek name Alexandros, meaning 'defender of men'.

Shortened forms of the name include Alex and Xander. The name Alexander is even more popular today than it was in the 1900s, it was the 21st most popular boys' name in 2019.

From Old English, the name Clifford means 'ford by a cliff'.

The shortened version of Clifford is Cliff. Probably the most famous person named Clifford is singer Cliff Richard.

There were just six babies named Cliff born in 2019, making it a great choice if you're looking for a name that's a bit more unusual.

From the Latin name Patricius, Patrick means nobleman. It's the name of the patron saint of Ireland.

Irish versions of the name include Pádraig and Pádraic. Nicknames for Patrick include Pat, Paddy, Rick and Ricky.

Discover more Irish-inspired baby names here.

From Old English and German origin, Bernard means 'strong as a bear'. The word 'bern' means bear in German.

Bernard can be shortened to Bern or Bernie.

Famous Bernards include Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and American politician Bernie Sanders.

Of Hebrew origin, Michael means 'who is like God' or 'gift of God'.

Often shortened to Mick, Micky, Mike or Mikey, the female version of Michael is Michaela.

Michael was the 70th most popular boys' name in 2019.

From Latin, Victor means 'victor' or 'conqueror'.

The Italian version is Vittorio.

The name Victor has been rising in popularity again since the mid 90s, more than 200 baby Victors were born in England and Wales in 2019.

Derived from the Greek name Philippos, Philip means 'fond of horses'.

The name has royal connections, being the name of the queen's husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh .

Princess Eugenie and Zara Phillips both honoured their grandfather by giving their sons the middle name Philip. Augustus Philip Hawke Brooksbank and Lucas Philip Tindall were both born in early 2021.

From the Old English name Eadgar, Edgar means 'fortunate and powerful'.

It was the name of 10th century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. Other famous Edgars include the poet Edgar Allen Poe and J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI.

Of French and Latin origin, Maurice means 'one from Mauritania'. Morris is an alternative spelling.

Throughout history, Maurice has been the name of a number of bishops, princes and noblemen, including Maurice of Battenberg, who was a member of the British Royal Family.

Scottish in origin, Donald comes from the Gaelic name Dòmhnall and means 'leader'.

Shortened versions include Donny, Donnie and Don.

Famous Donalds include actors Donald Glover and Donald Sutherland, and former US president Donald Trump.

Discover more Scottish baby names here.

English in origin, Kenneth means 'good looking' or 'fair'. An Anglicised version of the Gaelic names, Cainnech and Cináed, there were three ancient kings of the Scots named Kenneth.

Famous Kenneths include composer Kenneth Alwyn, politician Ken Livingston and, of course, Barbie's boyfriend Ken and Ken Barlow from Coronation Street.

From Hebrew, Benjamin means 'son of the right hand'.

It can be shortened to Ben, Benny, Bennie, Benji, Benjy or Benj.

Benjamin was the 33rd most popular boys' name in 2019. Famous people called Benjamin include the actor Ben Affleck, composer Benjamin Britten and poet Benjamin Zephaniah.

Of Scottish origin, Douglas comes from the Gaelic words 'dubh' and 'glas', meaning 'dark glass' or 'dark river'.

Douglas can be shortened to Doug, Dougie or Duggie. The Irish form of the name is, Dubhghlas.

An English name with Germanic roots, Hugh means 'intelligent' or 'mind, spirit'.

There are plenty of famous Hughs to take name inspiration from, including actors Hugh Laurie, Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Jackman and Hugh Grant, and chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Lawrence is a modern English spelling of the name Laurence. It's thought to derive from the Latin name Laurentius, meaning from Laurentium, an ancient city.

Shorter forms of Lawrence include Larrie, Larry, Laurie and Lawrie.

The name Daniel is of Hebrew origin and means 'God is my judge'.

In the bible, Daniel was thrown into a lion's den for refusing to worship the king but he was protected by God.

Nicknames for Daniel include Dan and Danny.

An English name, thought to derive from Norman-French, Geoffrey mean's 'peace' or 'God peace'. It can also be spelt Jeffrey and is often shortened to Geoff.

Eleven babies named Geoffrey were born in England and Wales in 2019.

Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning 'rock' or 'stone'.

Saint Peter is the keeper of the gates of heaven. He was given the name Peter by Jesus, who said he was the rock on which Christianity would be built.

Famous Peters include Russian emperor Peter the Great, and in fiction, Peter Pan and Peter Rabbit.

A Scottish name, Archibald is derived from Old German and means 'bold' or 'strong'.

The shortened form of Archibald, Archie, was the 19th most boys' popular name in England and Wales in 2019 and is the name of Prince Harry and Meghan's son.

Derived from the Greek name Christóforos, Christopher means 'one who holds Christ in his heart'.

It's often shortened to Chris or Chrissy.

Famous Christophers include architect Sir Christopher Wren, actors Chris Hemsworth and Christopher Eccleston and, in fiction, Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh.

Thought to be Celtic in origin, the name Alan means 'handsome'.

Alternative spellings include Allan, Allen and the Welsh name Alun.

Famous Alan's include comedian Alan Carr, business person Sir Alan Sugar and late actor, Alan Rickman.

A shorter version of the English name Thomas, Tom is thought to be from Aramaic or Hebrew origin and means 'twin'.

Famous Toms include actors Tom Hardy and Tom Hanks, and Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones.

An English name of Norman French and German origin, Gilbert means 'bright pledge'.

Just 21 babies were named Gilbert in England and Wales in 2019, making it a rare retro name choice.

Find more rare and unusual baby name s here.

Of German origin, Hubert means 'bright' or 'intelligent'.

There are some great nicknames for Hubert, including Bert, Bertie, Hubie and Hugh.

Of Old English origin, the name Ralph means 'wolf counsel'.

A cute retro choice, Ralph has been steadily growing in popularity since the early 2000s. 748 boys were given the name in 2019 compared to just 40 in 2000.

Ralphie makes a great nickname.

Derived from the Greek name Stephanos, Stephen means 'crown' or 'wreath'.

It can also be spelt Steven and is often shortened to Steve or Stevie.

Saint Stephen is the patron saint of bricklayers and stonemasons. Famous Stevens include physicist Stephen Hawking, director Steven Spielberg and author Stephen King.

Of English origin, Gerald means 'rules with a spear'. Gerald can be shortened to Gerry or Jerry.

There were only eight Geralds born in England and Wales in 2019, so this is the perfect name for a unique baby boy.

Although a name in its own right, Bertie is often used as a shortened version of Albert, Gilbert or Hubert. It comes from the Old German word beraht, meaning 'bright'

Bertie was the nickname of King Edward VIII and King George VI, and actor Bertie Carvel uses it as a nickname for his given name, Robert.

Of English origin, the name Lewis means 'renowned fighter'. It can be shortened to Lew and Lewy.

Famous people called Lewis include racing driver Lewis Hamilton, singer Lewis Capaldi and author Lewis Carroll (whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson).

Derived from the Greek name Andreas, Andrew means 'manly', 'strong' or 'brave'.

Andrew was one of Jesus' disciples in the bible and St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and Russia.

The name Andrew can be shortened to Drew or Andy and is shared by lots of famous people including tennis player Andy Murray, actor Andrew Garfield and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Percival is of French origin and means 'pierces the valley'.

Percival was the name of one of King Arthur's knights of the round table. It's often shortened to Percy or Perce.

Thought to have come into English from Norman French, Raymond is originally of German origin. It means 'wise protector' or 'guards wisely'.

The shortened version of Raymond, Ray is often used as a unisex name.

Of German origin, the name Bertram means 'bright raven'.

It can be shortened to Bert or Bertie.

Of English and German origin, the name Arnold means 'eagle power'.

It can be shortened to Arnie.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is probably the world's best-known Arnold.

An Old English name meaning 'protector of riches' or 'wealthy protector', Edmund can be shortened to Ed or Eddie.

It's fairly unusual these days, with just 58 babies called Edmund born in 2019.

Of Latin origin, Clarence means 'bright'.

Clarence is the name of the guardian angel in the classic festive film It's a Wonderful Life. There were 15 baby Clarences born in 2019.

The French form of the English name Lewis, Louis means 'renowned fighter' or 'renowned warrior'.

It's the name of Prince William and Kate's youngest son, Prince Louis Arthur Charles.

Louis was a particularly popular choice in the early 2000s when it was the 38th most popular boys' name. It's still the 53rd most popular boys' name today.

Discover more French-inspired baby names here.

Derived from the Welsh name Ifor, Ivor means 'archer' or 'yew'. It may also be connected to the Scandinavian name Ivaar.

It's the name of the Welsh composer and entertainer Ivor Novello, who the Ivor Novello songwriting awards are named after.

Originally from Old German, Roland means 'renowned in the land' or 'famous throughout the land'.

Nicknames for Roland include Rollie and Rollo.

An English name derived from Latin, Mark means 'of Mars, the god of war'.

Mark can also be spelt Marc.

Famous Marks include writer Mark Twain (whose given name was Samuel), actor Mark Wahlberg and musicians Marc Bolan and Mark Ronson. Actor Vin Diesel's first name is also Mark.

Thought to be Scottish in origin, Gordon means 'great hill', 'from the three-cornered hill' or 'from the marshes'.

It can be shortened to Gord or Gordy.

Just 13 babies were named Gordon in 2019.

Probably the most famous Gordon is chef Gordon Ramsay. It's also the real name of Sting, aka Gordon Sumner.

A French name, Claude comes from the Latin Claudius and means 'lame' or 'limping'.

There were just five baby Claudes born in England and Wales in 2019.

Hebrew in origin, Matthew means 'Gift of God'.

In the bible Matthew was one of Jesus' apostles and the writer of the first gospel.

Famous Matthews include the actors Matthew McConaughey, Matt Dillon and Matt Damon.

From the Latin name Martinus, Martin means 'warrior or Mars'.

It can also be spelt Martyn and is sometimes shortened to Marti or Marty.

Famous Martins include Martin Luther King Jr and Martin Scorcese. Martin is also a relatively common surname.

Discover more surnames that make cool first names here.

Of Latin origin, Lionel means 'young lion'.

Famous Lionels include singer Lionel Ritchie, footballer Lionel Messi and TV personality Lionel Blair.

Of Greek origin, the name Dennis means 'follower of Dionysus', the Greek god of wine.

Dennis can be shortened to Den, Denny or Dennie and is sometimes spelt Denis or Denys.

Welsh in origin, Evan comes from the 'Iefan' the Welsh form of John. It means 'God is gracious'.

Traditionally a male name, Evan makes a great choice for girls too, like the actress Evan Rachel Wood.

Discover more gender neutral baby names here.

Of Greek origin, Hector means 'holding fast'.

Hektor was one of the heroes of the Trojan war who was killed by Achilles.

Hector is a popular name in Spain and South America.

Discover more baby names from around the world here.

Of Greek and Scottish origin, Alec means 'defender of mankind'. It's originally a Scottish nickname for Alexander.

Famous Alecs include the actor Alec Baldwin, actor Sir Alec Guinness and novelist Alec Waugh.

Of Latin origin, Anthony means 'priceless one' or 'highly praiseworthy'.

It can also be spelt Antony – the form used in Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra.

Nicknames for Anthony include Ant and Tony.

Famous Anthonys include TV presenter Ant McPartlin, actor Sir Anthony Hopkins and Red Hot Chilli Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis.

An alternative spelling of Alan, Allan is thought to be Celtic in origin, and means 'handsome'.

It can also be spelt Allen and Alun.

Just nine baby Allans were born in England and Wales in 2019.

Of Old French and Medieval English origin, Oliver is often associated with the Latin term 'olivarius' and means 'olive tree planter'.

Oliver is often shortened to Ollie or Olly.

Famous Olivers include Dickens' Oliver Twist, actor Oliver Reed, comedian Oliver Hardy and singer Olly Murrs.

While the name Oliver only just made it into the top 100 most popular names in 1904, it's now the number one name in England and Wales. Nearly 5,000 baby Olivers were born in 2019.

Of Welsh origin, Owen means 'young warrior' or 'well born'.

In Welsh it's often spelt Owain. Owain Glyndwr was the last native Welsh person to hold the title Prince of Wales and led a revolt against the English in the early 1400s.

Famous people called Owen include actor Owen Wilson and rugby player Owen Farrell.

Derived from the Old English name Hereward, Howard means 'army guard'.

Howard can be shortened to Howie or How.

Just eight babies in England and Wales were named Howard in 2019.

The name Colin is thought to be from Gaelic origin and means 'pup' or 'young creature'.

It can also be spelt Collin.

Famous Colins include actors Colin Farrell and Colin Firth, and athlete Colin Jackson.

An alternative spelling of Maurice, the name Morris is of French and Latin origin, It means 'one from Mauritania'.

Morris is also a common surname.

Of Greek origin, the name Denis means 'follower of Dionysus', the Greek god of wine.

Denis can also be spelt Dennis or Denys. It's often shortened to Den, Denny or Dennie.

Laurence is thought to derive from the Latin name Laurentius, meaning from Laurentium, an ancient city.

It can also be spelt Lawrence.

Shorter forms of Laurence include Larrie, Larry and Laurie. Famous Laurences include actors Laurence Fishbourne and Laurence Olivier and writer Lawrence Durrell.

Of Hebrew origin, the name Jesse means 'gift'.

It's a unisex name that's also popular for girls. The name Jesse has risen in popularity in England and Wales in recent years and is now the 69th most popular boys' name.

Famous Jesses include footballer Jesse Lingard, and one of the most successful track and field athletes of all time Jesse Owens.

Discover more football-inspired baby name s here.