109 One-Syllable Boy Names (Meanings & Origins)

Sometimes a short name makes the most impact. If you’re looking for a powerful and to-the-point moniker for your new baby boy, you might want to choose a one-syllable boy name!

These boy names are powerful and masculine-sounding. They are no-fluff and just cool to say out loud! Consider short names if you are looking for a boyish name that packs a punch.

Another benefit of one-syllable names is that they are simple and easy to pronounce. While there are many beautiful, long names out there, not everyone loves having to help others say their name correctly.

Related: 75 Classic Boy Names That Will Stand the Test of Time

Why Choose a Single-Syllable Boy Name?

If your name is considered hard to pronounce, you can probably relate. With a short name, your son is less likely to have to spend a ton of time teaching others how to pronounce his name.

Instead of shortening, you can actually lengthen a one-syllable name when making a nickname, such as Mickey-boo for Mick. You can also affectionately call your little boy by his first and middle names together, such as calling him Finn, Patrick, or Chase.

There are so many short and sweet names to choose from. Some single-syllable names are classic and well-used, while others are rare and unique sounding.

Whether you want a timeless name or a trendy and cool boy name, try on a few one-syllable boy name options, and learn their name origins and name meanings.

Traditional One-Syllable Boy Names and Meanings

Sometimes tried and true classics make the perfect name. Our favorite is the Hebrew name, Gabe, but Brooks, an English name, comes in at a close second.

Check out our list of traditional one-syllable baby boy names:

1. Abe- Hebrew, father of many
2. Beau- French, beautiful
3. Ben- Hebrew, son of the right hand
4. Brent- Celtic, hill
5. Brooks- English, one who lives near a brook
6. Bruce- Scottish, meaning unknown
7. Finn- Old Irish, fair, white
8. Flynn- Irish, blood red
9. Franz- German, Frenchman
10. Gabe- Hebrew, God is my strong man
11. Graham- Old English, gravelly homestead
12. Hayes- Old English, enclosure, fence
13. Hugh- English, mind, thought, spirit
14. Jack- Greek, Yahweh is gracious
15. Jacob- Greek, supplanter
16. Jian- Chinese, to build
17. Joel- Hebrew, Yahweh is God
18. Kent- English, coastal district
19. Lloyd- Welsh, grey
20. Lot- Biblical, covering, veil
21. Luke- Greek, from Luciana
22. Mac- Irish, son
23. Mack- Scottish, son
24. Mark- Latin, warrior
25. Paul- Latin, small, humble
26. Pierce- Greek, pebble
27. Price- Welsh, son of Ryce
28. Royce- English, rose
29. Sean- Irish, God is gracious
30. Seth- Hebrew, appointed
31. Scott- Scottish, from Scotland
32. Trent- English, one who lives by the river Trent
33. Troy- French, one living in the city of Troy
34. Vince- Roman, to conquer
35. Zane- Hebrew, God is gracious

Trendy One-Syllable Boy Names and Meanings

Single-syllable names for boys are trending! Although the top 10 boy names in 2023 remain two- and three-syllable monikers, one-syllable names have been seen in the top 100 names for boys.

Jack comes in at position 15, John at 26, and Luke at 34.

For those wanting a more modern name, these unique boy names are short and to the point:

36. Art- Celtic, bear
37. Ash- English, ash tree
38. Bjorne- Norwegian, bear
39. Brad- Old English, broad clearing
40. Bran- Gaelic, raven
41. Brooke- German, small stream
42. Bryce- French, speckled
43. Bryn- Wesh, hill
44. Cade- Old English, round
45. Cale- Hebrew, dog
46. Dale- English, valley
47. Dane- Danish, a person from Denmark
48. Dean- Middle English, valley
49. Dong- Chinese, pillar, beam
50. Drake- Old Norse, dragon
51. Duke- English, Duke, leader
52. Earl- Old English, nobleman, warrior
53. Fang- Chinese, virtuous
54. Frey- Old Norse, lord; Norse Mythology, a god associated with fertility, sunlight, and rain
55. Ford- Old English, ford
56. Fox- Old English, fox
57. Lear- literature, from Shakespeare’s King Lear 
58. Ling- Chinese, spirit, soul
59. Moss- Jewish, Moses
60. Nash- Old English, at the ash tree
61. Nils- Scandinavian, the victory of the people

Cool One-Syllable Boy Names and Meanings

Short and to-the-point names just have a cool vibe! Whether you choose Ace, Cliff, or Rex, these names just have that main character energy.

Here is our list of awesome-sounding short names for boys:

62. Ace- English, first
63. Ahn- Chinese, peace, quiet
64. Chuck- German, man
65. Cliff- Old English, ford by a cliff
66. Clint- English, meaning unknown
67. Cole- Greek, victory of the people
68. Colt- English, male baby horse
69. Cruz- Spanish, cross
70. Gian- Italian, God is gracious
71. Giles- Latin, young goat
72. Gio- Italian, God is gracious
73. Grey- English, the color grey
74. Hai- Vietnamese, sun, ocean
75. Horst- German, wood thicket
76. Huang- Chinese, bright, shining, luminous
77. Jace- Greek, healer
78. Jay- Greek, healer
79. Jeb- Greek, healer
80. Ra- Egyptian, sun, day; Egyptian Mythology, god of the sun
81. Reid- Scottish, red
82. Rick- Old German, brave ruler
83. Rex- Latin, king
84. Spike- English, spiky hairstyle
85. Tate- Old English, meaning unknown
86. Zayn- Arabic, beauty, grace

Gender-Neutral One-Syllable Names and Meanings

Some of the coolest one-syllable names for boys don’t always have to be used for boys. Names like Blaze, Quinn, and Saint can also work as one-syllable girl names as well.

If you prefer a unisex name, check out our gender-neutral single-syllable names:

87. Blaze- Latin, lisping
88. Chase- English, hunt
89. Jem- Ancient Hebrew, Yahweh will exalt
90. Jude- Biblical, praise
91. Kai- Hawaiian, ocean
92. Kip- English, male salmon
93. Lake- English, lake
94. Pam- Indo-European, shepherd, protect, Greek Mythology, god who is half-man, half-goat
95. Pax- Latin, peace
96. Quan- Vietnamese, army
97. Quinn- Irish Gaelic, chief
98. Saint- English, saint
99. Sky- Old Norse, sky

First-Middle Combinations With One-Syllable Names

One-syllable first names sound amazing with a more complex middle name. Here are our favorite combinations:

100. Beau Brixley
101. Brad Abraham
102. Cole Solomon
103. Chase Elliot
104. Dean Theodore
105. Finn Jacob
106. Fox Patrick
107. Jay Robert
108. Kai Kristopher
109. Seth Bradley

Single Syllable Girl Names

Naming one kid is a big feat, but naming multiple kids can be even harder. Each child needs their own unique moniker, yet the names should fit together in a complementary way.

Consider choosing one-syllable first names for all your kids. If you want a one-syllable name for a sister, explore these great single-syllable girl names in our list of 150 Short and Sweet One-Syllable Girl Names!

Considering one of these names? Pin it to save it for later: