When it comes to predicting what baby boy names will be popular in the coming year, the best way to do so is by looking at what names have been popular in the past few years because the truth is that once a name hits the top 100 list, it tends to stay there for a bit. I am referring to the list kept by the Social Security Administration, which records the names of US-born babies that apply for Social Security numbers ever year. I took a look at their most recent list so that I could give you a fairly accurate prediction of the top 20 most popular boy names for 2023.
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If you are looking at possible baby boy names, this information can be useful. For starters, you may find a name on the list that you absolutely fall head-over-heels for and that’s that. Or maybe you really don’t want to give your baby boy a name that is too popular. In that case, you will want to stay away from all of the names on this list, but because I’m a giver, I also included suggestions of other names with a similar sound or vibe that you could choose from. Check ‘em out!
Liam means gilded helmet.
Liam is a shortened form of William and is used for both boys and girls. If you like the name, you may also like Lyam, Leo, Loyal, or Elam. Outside of the US, the name is also popular in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, England, France, and Australia.
Noah means rest, comfort.
Noah is a biblical name. In the Bible, Noah was commanded by God to build an ark to save his family and two of every animal from a devastating flood. If you like the name, you may also like Noe or Neo.
Oliver means descendant of the ancestor.
You would think Oliver would somehow be related to the olive tree, but nope. If you like the name, you might also like Ollie, Octavio, Oscar, or Olivier. Outside of the US, the name is also popular in Australia, Sweden, England, Switzerland, Canada, and New Zealand.
Elijah means Jehovah is God.
In the Bible, Elijah was a Hebrew prophet who served for many years and was transported to heaven in a chariot of fire. If you like the name, you may also like Elias, Eli, Elsu, Enrique, or Ernesto.
James means the supplanter.
In the Bible, a supplanter is someone who seizes power wrongfully or illegally and takes the place of someone else. If you like the name James, you may also like Jaime, Jamie, Jim, Henry, or Santiago.
William means will, desire and helmet, protection.
Many historical and famous people are Williams. Think William the Conqueror, Prince William, and William Levy. If you like the name, you may also like Bill, Guillermo, Liam, Will, Willie, Wilmer, or Willis.
Benjamin means son of the right hand.
Famous Benjamins include Benjamin Franklin, Ben Affleck, and Benjamin Bratt. If you like the name, you may also like Barry, Benny, Benji, Bernardo, Jamie, or Jaime. Keep in mind that Benjamins often get called Ben or Benny for short.
Lucas means from Luciana.
Luciana is in the Tuscany region of Italy. Some sources also say that Lucas means bringer of light, luminous, and white. If you like the name, you may also like Luke, Luca, Luciano, Luis, or Leonardo.
Henry means ruler of an enclosure.
Henry can also mean ruler of the home. For some reason people named Henry often get nicknamed Hank. If you like the name, you may also like Enrico or Enrique. Outside of the US, the name is also popular in Australia, Sweden, England, Switzerland, and Germany.
Theodore means gift of God.
Keep in mind that common nicknames for Theodore are Ted, Teddy, and Theo. If you like the name, you may also like Teodoro, Teo, Terry, Thiago, Tadeo, Tito, Timoteo, or Theoberto.
Jack means God is gracious.
Jack started out as a nickname for John, which has always confused me because it’s not like it’s any shorter. If you like the name, you may also like Jax, Jackson, Jay, Jock, Julio, Jose, Josh, or Joey.
Levi means joined in harmony.
In the Old Testament, Levi was the son of Jacob and Leah. The man who created blue jeans in the US was named Levi Strauss. If you like the name, you may also like Liam, Lobo, Lauro, or Lavi.
Alexander means defender of the people.
If you like the name Alexander, you may also like Xander, Sasha, Alec, Alejandro, Alessandro, Sander, or Alex. Outside of the US, the name is also popular in Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, England, Iceland, and Canada.
Jackson means son of Jack.
Or son of John, since Jack can be a nickname for John. Jackson started off as a surname that caught on as a first name. If you like the name, you may also like Jaxon, Jax, Jack, Jake, Jay, Jim, Jimmy, or Jonah.
Mateo means gift of God.
Mateo is the Spanish version of Matthew. If you like the name, you may also like Teo, Theo, or Mateas. Outside of the US, the name is also popular in Switzerland, Sweden, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Spain, and Mexico.
Daniel means God is my judge.
In the Bible, Daniel was a prophet whose faith allowed him to survive while in den of famished lions. It’s a great name for bilingual families as it is easy to pronounce in both English and Spanish.
Michael has an interesting meaning.
Michael means who is like God—as in who could possibly be as great as God? If you like the name, you may also like Miguel, Martin, Michal, Mitch, Mickey, Mike, Mick, Marcus, or Marco.
Mason means one who works with stone.
A mason is a person who works with stone, hence the meaning of the name. If you like the name, you may also like Massimo, Maxim, Manuel, Mario, Maximiliano, Milan, Modesto, or Moises.
Sebastian means venerable.
Venerable, as in someone who is respected, honored, and held in high regard. If you like the name Sebastian, you may also like Serafín, Saul, Samuel, Santiago, Sergio, Silvestre, Silvano, or Salvador.
Ethan means firm, strong.
If you like the name Ethan, you may also like Edem, Edwin, Eytan, Eduardo, Evan, or Eddie. Outside of the US, the name is also popular in France, Australia, England, Switzerland, and Canada.
