Finding Handsome Boy Names For A First Son

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

WE AGREE ON THE TYPE OF NAME … JUST NOT AN ACTUAL NAME!

Megan writes:

Our first son will be here in a few weeks and our list of names keeps getting longer! Can you help narrow it down, or maybe suggest a name we’ve missed?

My husband’s name is Riley. He likes it now, but he did not like growing up being “boy Riley” when there was always a “girl Riley.” So he wants a name that is all boy.

I don’t like the most traditional names like John, but I also don’t want a name like Jayden. Our last name starts with a W and ends with LO, so some of my favorite names, like Wyatt, really don’t sound great together.

I keep coming back to “handsome.” By that I mean, a little bit traditional and masculine, not new or invented or creative. I don’t want anything that’s hard to spell/has six different spellings. It should sound good for a boy and a grown man, to be the kind of name that makes a good impression, that sounds strong but also kind.

Here is our list, none of which we really agree on:

• Adam – my husband likes, I think it’s just okay
• Bennett – my husband really doesn’t like Ben
• Cade – breaks some of my rules but I like it anyway, I just think I might regret it
• Hudson – I’m from New Jersey originally this just feels too much like the river
• Knox – my husband likes, I think it’s a little too modern
• Luke – kind of like it, but also kind of feel like we hear this name a lot
• Matthew – we know so many Matts
• Max – it’s so short, and Maxwell isn’t great with our last name
• Milo – not with our last name
• Nathaniel – just too long for me
• Myles – not with our last name
• Sawyer – maybe but feel like this is unisex which we want to avoid
• Tate – Tate McRae makes me think this is unisex
• Wyatt – not good with our last name

Besides Wyatt, we also both like the name Theo, but it’s my nephew’s name.

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

ADDING TO A LONG LIST OF HANDSOME BOY NAMES

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your son!

Whenever I see a long list, my first impulse is to really dig in. Quite often, the right name is already there.

This time, though? I think you’ve done a great job making a list, but there’s still an opportunity to refine your choices. Where’s the middle ground between a name your husband likes and one that you’d pick? Is there a way to take the sounds that speak to you and tweak the name so it fits your requirements even more?

My eye keeps coming back to Luke. It’s a traditional favorite, a New Testament name worn by generation-defining hero Luke Skywalker. What’s not to love about it? It seems to check every box on your list, and yet – do you actually know too many Lukes? Or does it feel like you ought to choose something newer, more in the Milo/Cade category of 21st century favorites?

Let’s find some new possibilities, too, because I think that might help refine your list.

MORE HANDSOME BOY NAMES TO CONSIDER

ALEX

Knox appeals, but feels too modern. Theo is a favorite, except it’s already in use. Would Alex – rather than Alexander – be the perfect compromise? It’s popular, maybe more similar to Luke in that way. But that X ending is sparky and fun, and it’s a solid choice with history to spare.

ARCHER

Sawyer is vaguely unisex, but Archer? Used almost exclusively for boys. So are plenty of choices ending with R. I like Archer for you because it feels connected to more traditional names (Archibald and Archie) as well as literary choices (Newland Archer in Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence) which makes this name feel slightly more rooted than some we’re hearing now.

EVERETT

If Wyatt and Bennett are out, how about Everett? It ranks in the US Top 100, but it’s hovering comfortably in the 80s. Familiar, not too common, and fits with handsome boy names.

GRAHAM

There’s an appealing, understated quality about Graham. It’s not tied to any particular generation. Visually, there’s a lot to Graham, but it’s a straightforward sound. I think it’s a great substitute for Max.

JULIAN

Ask me for handsome boy names, and I’ll probably always say Julian first. It’s the kind of name that feels old world and at-home in the 21st century. It’s fun to say, a mix of strength – think Julius Caesar – as well as current sounds.

NATE

Just like I suggested Alex instead of Alexander, what about Nate instead of Nathan or Nathaniel? It’s similar to Cade, but far more established. And while Tate reads unisex, Nate is exclusively masculine.

REID

Another brief, complete name with a strong sound.

SAM, SAMUEL

I think of Sam as a brother for Luke. If you just happen to know a few too many Lukes, I think Sam might be the logical alternative.

Overall, I think a name that feels more traditional, but has the single-syllable impact of Luke, Cade, or Knox might be the perfect choice for your family.

Graham Bennett or Nate Hudson, maybe? I think they’re handsome boy names that blend traditional elements with a more current style – which could be exactly what you’re after. I still think Luke works – possibly even Luke Nathaniel – from your existing list.

Readers, over to you. Can you suggest some handsome boy names for Megan and Riley’s son?