Over a thousand names made their all-time debuts in the 2020 baby name statistics, meaning they were given to five or more American boys or girls for the first time ever. Together, they make up a cultural kaleidoscope. You’ll find names representing languages and faiths from around the world; popular movies, video games, and fashion; literature, music and history; and pure, made-in-America creativity.
Here are 26 of the noteworthy new boys’ names, one for each letter of the alphabet.
| Abaddon | In the Bible, Abaddon refers to both the Destroyer and the Place of Destruction; the Abyss of Death and the Angel of the Abyss. |
| Barley | No longer just a grain, Barley is the name of a big, blue teenage elf in the animated film Onward. |
| Currency | Currency joins synonyms Cash, Money and Dinero in the boys’ baby name stats. |
| Dominance | We have a new pacesetter in the realm of aggressive meaning names. |
| Exaucé | In French, exaucé means granted or fulfilled, as a wish or prayer. The word is used as a name in French-speaking areas of Africa. |
| Fjord | A fjord is a steep glacial inlet, a characteristic geographic feature (but not baby name) of Norway. |
| Givenchy | The classic French couture house Givenchy has been courting a new pop culture profile, with projects like outfitting a Beyoncé/Jay-Z tour. |
| Habakkuk | Of the Bible’s twelve “minor prophets,” all but Habakkuk had already appeared in the US baby name statistics. The set is now complete. |
| Iorek | Iorek Byrnison is a huge armored bear in The Golden Compass book and movie. |
| Jahkor | The protagonist of the film All Day and a Night, Jahkor Lincoln is an aspiring rapper serving a life sentence for murder. |
| Kendi | Author and activist Ibram X. Kendi’s book How to Be an Antiracist reached #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list in 2020. |
| Levius | The anime/manga series Levius chronicles the efforts of a young fighter named Levius Cromwell in the sport of “Metalboxing.” |
| Moncler | A coat from luxury outerwear brand Moncler can cost thousands of dollars, but the baby name is free. The company took its name from the town in the French Alps where it was founded, Monestier-de-Clermont. |
| Nipsey | This name honors the late hip-hop artist known as Nipsey Hussle, whose given name Ermias was the fastest-rising name of the previous year. |
| Odhran | Odhrán (OH-rawn) has been a top-100 name in Ireland for decades, but has been unknown in the US. |
| Phox | A phox is a phurry animal. Anecdotally, parents seem to choose this name to match older siblings with Ph- names. |
| Quantum | This physics term, familiar from terms like “quantum leap,” expands the realms of science names and Q names. |
| Raddix | Famous parents Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden named their new daughter Raddix, but the sound of the name appealed to parents of boys. |
| Suho | K-pop singing star Suho, previously of the boy-group Exo, launched a solo career in 2020. His stage name comes from the Korean for “guardian.” |
| Tormund | All things Nordic are hot in American baby names. The Norwegian name Tormund became familiar in the US via Game of Thrones character Tormund Giantsbane. |
| Ubayd | The Arabic name Ubayd Allah means “servant of God, ” just as the Hebrew name Obadiah does. |
| Viridian | Viridian is a green pigment. Its dramatic sound has led to occasional name use in science fiction, video games and weaponry. |
| Wyze | Wyze is one of many new creatively spelled baby names that have also been chosen for high-tech products or pharmaceuticals. Wyze Labs makes “smart” home goods. |
| Xyrus | This futuristic name has been most popular in the Philippines. Also new on the US list this year: Ocyrus. |
| Yefferson | A South American import, this name clarifies a preferred pronunciation of “Jefferson.” |
| Zeref | Zeref Dragneel is a poweful and deadly dark wizard in the anime and manga series Fairy Tail. |
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