330 Country Names for Boys with Southern or Western Charm

If you’re from the South, you probably know that Southerners have a lot of naming conventions that aren’t as popular in other parts of the United States. Whether you’re looking for a modern country name or something more vintage and rustic, we’ve got you covered. We gathered 330 of the best country and western boy names, and we spoke to baby naming expert and content creator Sonya Prior to help you decide on the best name for your little cowboy.

Our Favorite Country Boy Names

Baby naming expert Sonya Prior says that traditional and classic names are cornerstone names for a reason. Some established and well-liked country boy names include:

Popular names: Asher, Bentley, Colton, Jackson, Luke
Classic names: Beau, Carter, Dean, Emmett, Hunter
Vintage names: Beaufort, Clyde, Gideon, Lloyd, Samuel
Rustic names: Abner, Boone, Clifton, Dixon, Gilbert

Section 1 of 16:

Popular Country Boy Names

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Go for something modern and popular. Many popular Southern names put a modern twist on vintage names, while others are classic names that seem like they’ll never go out of style. Here are some fun ideas to get you started:
- Aiden (Irish and Scottish for “little fire”)
- Asher (Hebrew for “happy, blessed”)
- Bentley (English for “bent grass, woodland clearing”)
- Bradley (English for “broad clearing”)
- Braxton (English for “Brock’s town, badger”)
- Brodie (Scottish for “ditch, mire”)
- Bryce (Scottish for “freckled”)
- Colton (English for “charcoal”)^{[1]
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- Connor (Irish for “lover of hounds”)
- Cooper (English for “barrel maker”)
- Dalton (English for “from the valley town”)
- Elijah (Hebrew for “my God is Yahweh”)
- Jack (Hebrew for “Yahweh is gracious”)
- Jackson (English for “son of Jack”)
- James (Hebrew for “supplanter”)
- Levi (Hebrew for “joined, attached”)
- Luke (Greek for “form Lucania”)^{[2]
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- Mason (English for “stoneworker, bricklayer”)
- Oliver (Latin for “olive tree planter”)
- Weston (English for “western town”)
- Wyatt (English for “brave in war”)^{[3]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Sonya Prior is a name consultant known as the BB Namer based in Auckland, New Zealand. She shares name content on social media and has over 30k followers across platforms.

Section 2 of 16:

Classic Country Boy Names

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Pick a traditional country name. “Traditional [and] classic names are cornerstone names for a reason,” says Prior.^{[4]
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Expert Interview} Many of them have been popular for generations and simultaneously feel vintage and modern. If you want a name that screams “country,” try one of these:
- Beau (French for “beautiful”)
- Bennett (Latin for “blessed, well-spoken”)
- Bobby (English and German for “bright, fame”)
- Buddy (English for “friend, companion”)
- Caleb (Hebrew for “dog, whole”)
- Carter (English for “one who uses a cart”)
- Christian (Latin, Greek, and English for “follower of Christ”)
- Clarence (Latin for “clear, bright”)
- Cody (Irish and English for “helpful”)
- Daniel (Hebrew for “God is my judge”)
- Dean (English for “valley”)^{[5]
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- Earl (English and German for “nobleman, warrior”)
- Emmett (German for “universal”)^{[6]
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- George (Greek for “farmer”)
- Hunter (English for “one who hunts”)
- Jasper (Latin for “treasurer”)^{[7]
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- Jonah (Hebrew for “dove”)
- Junior (Latin for “the younger one”)
- Maddox (Welsh for “good, fortunate”)
- Sawyer (English for “woodcutter”)
- Shiloh (Hebrew for “tranquil”)
- Tucker (English for “cloth-softener”)
- Wesley (English for “west meadow”)

Section 3 of 16:

Tough & Rugged Country Boy Names

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Go for something rugged and masculine. In the Southern United States, many people appreciate traditional masculinity. Consider choosing a name that means protectiveness and ruggedness, like one of the following:
- Archer (English for “bowman”)
- Burke (English for “fortress”)
- Cain (Hebrew for “acquired”)
- Garrett (German for “spear, ruler, brave”)
- Gunner (German and Norse for “brave and bold warrior”)
- Hawk (English for “bird of prey”)
- Jett (English for “aircraft, dark color”)
- Ledger (French for “light”)
- Leon (Greek for “lion”)
- Major (German for “council”)
- Ranger (French and English for “forest guardian”)
- Ridge (English for “continuous elevated mountain crest”)
- Rocky (German for “rest”)
- Russell (French for “little red”)
- Slate (American for “gray-green rock”)
- Strider (English for “one who strides, walker”)
- Talon (British and Greek for “bird claw”)
- Tanner (English for “leather worker”)
- Travis (English and French for “to cross”)
- Warner (English and German for “army guard”)

Section 4 of 16:

Unique & Rare Country Boy Names

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Choose a unique name that will grow with your child. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to stand out, but Prior reminds us, “Don’t be unique for the sake of being unique. You are naming a person.”^{[8]
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Expert Interview} In other words, make sure you really like the name you pick and that you can envision your child using the name as an adult. Here are some cute and unique names that will grow with your child:
- Alden (English for “old friend”)
- Anders (Scandinavian for “masculine”
- Axel (Hebrew for “my father is peace”)
- Barrett (English and Irish for “strife, bear strength”)
- Brycen (English for “son of Brice”)
- Dutton (English for “hill settlement”)
- Gatlin (English and German for “companion, cousin”)
- Gentry (English for “nobility of birth or character”)
- Isaias (Hebrew for “Yahweh is salvation”)
- Jax (Hebrew for “Yahweh is gracious”)
- Jaylen (American, derived from the Greek “Galen,” meaning “tranquil”)
- Kaiden (Arabic and Celtic for “companion” or “warrior”)
- Kaison (American, derived from Greek and Irish names for “warrior” or “healer”)
- Kamden (American and Scottish for “winding valley”)
- Kayce (Irish and American for “vigilant, watchful”)
- Landon (English for “long hill, ridge”)
- Malakai (Hebrew for “my angel, my messenger”)
- Nehemiah (Hebrew for “Yahweh comforts”)
- Rowen (Irish and Norse for “red”)
- Zachariah (Hebrew for “Yahweh remembers”)

Section 5 of 16:

Nature-Inspired Country Boy Names

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Name your child after the natural world around you. Most country folks appreciate the great outdoors. Whether you enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, or anything else, consider naming your child after the natural world. It may even encourage them to get active and enjoy being outside when they’re older! Here are some examples:
- August (Latin for “exalted;” the fall season)
- Banks (English for “someone who lives near a bank)
- Bear (German and English for “the brown one”)
- Brent (English for “hill, high place”)
- Brooks (English for “someone who lives near a brook”)^{[9]
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- Clay (English for “clay settlement”)
- Dylan (Welsh for “son of the sea, born from the ocean”)
- Falcon (Latin for “bird of prey”)
- Finch (English for “small bird”)
- Flint (English for “flint stone, stream”)
- Forrest (English and Scottish for “woodland”)
- Oakley (English for “oak clearing”)^{[10]
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- Parker (English for “keeper of a park”)
- Rayen (English for “raven”)
- Reed (English for “red,” a tall plant that grows in water and marshy areas)
- River (English for “flowing body of water”)
- Sterling (English and Scottish for “excellent, little star;” an alloy of silver)
- Stone (English for “rock”)
- Talako (Choctaw for “eagle”)
- Willow (English for “willow tree”)
- Woods (English for “woodland”)
- Wren (English for “small, brown songbird”)

Section 6 of 16:

Cute Country Boy Names

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Choose an adorable name for your favorite little cowboy. Many popular country names manage to be both cute and masculine. They’re adorable for a baby but mature enough for a grown man. Here are some of our favorites:
- Abbot (English for “priest”)
- Art (Welsh for “king”)
- Avery (Norman-French for “ruler, mighty”)
- Beckett (English for “brook, stream”)
- Cade (English for “round”)
- Calvin (Latin for “bald”)
- Chevy (French, a diminutive of “Chevalier,” which means “knight”)
- Darwin (English for “dear friend”)
- Duke (Latin for “leader”)
- Ezra (Hebrew for “help”)
- Finn (Irish and Norse for “fair, white”)
- Graham (Scottish and English for “gray homestead, gravel area”)
- Gus (Latin, a diminutive for Augustus, meaning “exalted”)
- Jamie (Hebrew for “supplanter”)
- Kit (English for “anointed”)
- Logan (Scottish for “little hollow tree”)
- Mitchell (English for “big, large”)
- Otis (German for “wealth, fortune”)
- Percy (English and Norman for “town of Perci”)
- Rhett (Dutch for “advice, counsel”)
- Ryder (English and Dutch for “horseman, messenger”)
- Skylar (Dutch for “scholar”)
- Wes (English for “west meadow”)
- Zayn (Arabic for “beauty, grace”)
- Zeke (Hebrew for “God will strengthen”)

Section 7 of 16:

Cool Country Boy Names

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Go for a name with a modern, edgy vibe. Not all country names sound old or stuffy. There are lots of popular names that have a bit of an edge while still maintaining that unique Southern charm. Here are some examples:
- Ace (English for “highest rank”)
- Brantley (German for “fire”)
- Brett (English for “a Breton”)
- Chase (English and French for “huntsman”)
- Colt (English for “young male horse”)
- Cyrus (Persian and Greek for “sun, throne”)
- Dane (British for “from Denmark”)
- Dustin (Norse for “Thor’s stone”)
- Easton (English for “east town”)
- Grady (Irish for “noble, renowned”)
- Greer (Scottish and Greek for “watchful, alert”)
- Heath (English for “someone who lives near a heath”)
- Holden (English for “deep valley”)
- Huck (English for “river bend”)
- Hudson (English for “son of Hudd/Hugh”)
- Hutch (English for “son of Hugh”)
- Jace (Greek and Hebrew for “healer”)
- Thatcher (English for “thatch”)
- Tyrell (English and French for “to draw, stubborn”)
- Wilder (English for “wild”)

Section 8 of 16:

Famous Country Boy Names

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Name your son after your favorite country singer. If you can’t get enough of that Southern twang, pay homage to one of your favorite classic or modern country singers. Who knows, maybe your child will grow up to sing country music, too! Here are some examples:
- Blake (English for “black;” after Blake Shelton)^{[11]
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- Brad (English for “broad clearing;” after Brad Paisley)
- Buck (English for “male deer;” after Buck Owens)^{[12]
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- Cash (Latin for “case;” after Johnny Cash)
- Charley (German for “free man;” after Charley Pride)
- Conway (Irish and Welsh for “son of Connmhach;” after Conway Twitty)
- Eddy (English for “wealthy friend;” after Eddy Arnold)
- Garth (Norse for “enclosure, yard;” after Garth Brooks)
- Hank (German for “home ruler;” after Hank Williams)^{[13]
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- Jimmie (English and Hebrew for “supplanter;” after Jimmie Rodgers)
- Jerry (Hebrew, English, and German for “mighty spearman;” after Jerry Reed)
- Johnny (Hebrew for “God is gracious;” after Johnny Cash)
- Keith (Scottish for “wood;” after Keith Urban)
- Kenny (Gaelic for “handsome, born of fire;” after Kenny Chesney)
- Marty (Latin for “descendant of Mars;” after Marty Robbins)
- Nelson (English for “son of Neil;” after Willie Nelson)
- Scotty (English for “from Scotland;” after Scotty McCreery)
- Tim (Greek for “one who honors God;” after Tim McGraw)
- Toby (Hebrew for “God is good;” after Toby Keith)
- Waylon (English and Norse for “land by the road;” after Waylon Jennings)
- Willie (German for “resolute protector;” after Willie Nelson)

Section 9 of 16:

Country Boy Names Inspired by Places

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Get inspiration from your favorite Southern (or Western) city. Each Southern city has its own unique charm. If you’re drawn to or have fond memories of a certain place, consider naming your son after it. Luckily, lots of popular cities already have names that work for people, too! Here are some examples:
- Arlington (English for “settlement of the earl’s people;” after Arlington, Texas)
- Austin (Latin for “great, magnificent;” after Austin, Texas)
- Branson (English for “son of Brant;” after Branson, Missouri)
- Casper (Persian for “treasurer;” after Casper, Wyoming)
- Dakota (Sioux for “friend;” after North or South Dakota)
- Dallas (Scottish for “form the dales;” after Dallas, Texas)
- Denver (English for “Dane ford;” after Denver, Colorado)
- Houston (Scottish for “Hugh’s town;” after Houston, Texas)
- Ketchum (English for “to catch;” after Ketchum, Idaho)
- Knox (Scottish and English for “round hill;” after Knoxville, Tennessee)
- Lincoln (English for “lake colony;” after Lincoln, Nebraska)
- Memphis (Greek for “established and beautiful;” after Memphis, Tennessee)
- Monroe (Scottish for “mouth of the River Roe;” after Monroe, Louisiana)
- Montgomery (French for “Gumarich’s mountain;” after Montgomery, Alabama)
- Nash (English for “at the ash tree;” after Nashville, Tennessee)
- Orlando (Spanish and Italian for “famous land;” after Orlando, Florida)
- Phoenix (Greek for “dark red;” after Phoenix, Arizona)
- Prescott (English for “priest’s cottage;” after Prescott, Arizona)
- Richmond (French and German for “powerful protector;” after Richmond, Virginia)
- Tyler (English for “tile maker;” after Tyler, Texas)

Section 10 of 16:

Fancy Southern Boy Names

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Choose a name that’s sophisticated and classy. The term “country” is often associated with the working class, but lots of Southern families are actually old money. If you prefer a name that sounds a bit fancy, go for something that sounds like it’s been passed down for generations. Here are some examples of old money names:
- Andrew (Greek for “strong, brave”)
- Cillian (Irish for “little church, bright-headed”)
- Clement (Latin and French for “merciful”)
- Crawford (Scottish for “ford of the crows”
- Declan (Irish for “full of goodness, man of prayer”)
- Ellis (Welsh for “kind, benevolent”)
- Franklin (English for “free man”)
- Granger (English and French for “granary, grain-dealer”)
- Grayson (English for “son of the gray-haired man”)
- Harper (English for “harpist”)
- Hollis (English for “holly trees”)
- Jameson (English for “son of James”)
- Jennings (English for “son of John”)
- Jenson (Scandinavian and English for “son of Jens”)
- Kingston (English for “king’s town”)
- Langston (English for “long stone”)
- Lawson (English and Scottish for “son of Lawrence”)
- Loudon (German for “from the low valley”)
- Preston (English for “priest’s town”)
- Reagan (Irish for “descendant of the little king”)

Section 11 of 16:

Creative Country Boy Names

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Choose a fun name that’s non-traditional. A lot of modern country names are actually “invented” names, meaning they were created recently rather than being a traditional name. Other creative names are traditional names but may typically be used as surnames, for example. Get creative to find a name that truly speaks to you.
- Ardy (Latin and English for “great forest, fiery, passionate”)
- Azriel (Hebrew for “God is my help”)
- Blaise (French for “lisping, stuttering”)
- Bowen (Welsh for “son of Owen”)
- Bronco (Spanish for “rough, wild horse”)
- Colby (Norse and English for “coal town”)
- Corbin (English for “raven”)
- Deacon (Greek for “messenger”)
- Edison (English for “son of Edward”)
- Emory (German for “home strength, brave ruler”)
- Everett (English for “brave, boar”)
- Holt (English and German for “woods, forest”)
- Karson (Scottish for “son of the marsh-dwellers”)
- Kyler (American for “archer, tiler maker”)
- Magnus (Latin for “great, big”)
- Marsden (English for “boundary valley, swamp valley”)
- Paxton (English for “peace town”)
- Presley (English for “priest’s meadow”)
- Stetson (English for “boxer, fighter”)
- Wylie (Scottish for “cunning”)

Section 12 of 16:

Vintage Country Names

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Choose an old-timey name for a bit of vintage flair. Vintage names are all the rage these days. Prior says, “We’re kind of shifting away from the modern back to how things were… It’s less of a time of being groundbreaking, and it’s more of a time that we want to set down some roots.”^{[14]
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Expert Interview} Consider naming your son after an older family member, or go for a name that reminds you of simpler times. Here are some examples:
- Alister (Scottish for “defender of the people”)
- Beaufort (French and English for “beautiful fort”)
- Clark (English for “cleric, clerk”)
- Cletus (Greek for “invoked”)
- Cliff (English for “steep rock face”)
- Clinton (English for “settlement on the hill”)
- Clyde (Scottish for “from the River Clyde”)^{[15]
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- Darius (Persian for “maintains possessions well”)
- Davis (Welsh for “son of David”)
- Elias (Hebrew for “the Lord is my God”)
- Elvis (Scandinavian for “all-wise”)
- Flanner (English and French for “one who flays or skins animals”)
- Floyd (Welsh for “gray-haired”)
- Garrison (English for “son of Gerard/Gerald”)
- Gideon (Hebrew for “hewer”)
- Gunther (German for “battle warrior”)
- Harlan (English for “hare’s land”)^{[16]
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- Hugh (German for “mind, thought, spirit”)
- Isaac (Hebrew for “one who laughs”)
- Jebediah (Hebrew for “friend of God”)
- Jedidiah (Hebrew for “beloved of Yahweh”)
- Lloyd (Welsh for “gray-haired”)
- Samuel (Hebrew for “God has heard”)
- Silas (Latin and Greek for “of the forest”)
- Simon (Hebrew for “he has heard”)
- Sullivan (Irish for “dark eyes”)^{[17]
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- Terry (Latin and German for “ruler of the people, harvest”)
- Todd (English for “fox”)

Section 13 of 16:

Rustic Country Boy Names

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Pick a name that will fit right in in rural areas. Many popular Southern boy names are rustic, evoking feelings of a simple, country lifestyle. If this is the type of life you lead (or want to lead), try one of these names:
- Abner (Hebrew for “father of light”)
- Alan (Gaelic for “little rock, harmony, deer”)
- Atticus (Latin for “from Attica”)
- Billy (German for “resolute protector”)
- Boone (French for “good, blessing”)
- Bradford (English for “broad ford”)
- Briggs (English and Scottish for “dweller by the bridge”)
- Brock (English for “badger”)
- Clifton (English for “settlement near a cliff”)
- Dexter (Latin for “right-handed”)
- Dixon (English and Scottish for “son of Dick/Richard”)
- Douglas (Scottish for “black river”)
- Dusty (German and Norse for “Thor’s stone”)^{[18]
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- Gilbert (German for “bright pledge”)
- Hayes (English for “hedged area”)
- Judson (English and American for “son of Jordan”)
- Ladd (English for “manservant, attendant”)
- Roscoe (Norse for “deer forest”)
- Walker (English for “to walk, tread”)
- Zachary (Hebrew for “remembered by God”)

Section 14 of 16:

Short Country Boy Names

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Opt for a name that’s one or two syllables. It’s common for Southerners to give each other nicknames, and because of this, parents sometimes use those nicknames as complete first names. If you don’t like the longer version of a name, you don’t have to use it! Here are some short names to choose from:
- Andy (Greek for “manly, brave”)
- Bart (Hebrew for “son of Talmai”)
- Bo (Scandinavian for “to live, dwell”)
- Bob (English and German for “bright, fame”)
- Case (Irish for “vigilant”)
- Crew (English and Latin for “weir, to grow”)
- Dale (English for “valley”)
- Flynn (Irish for “son of the red-haired man”)
- Ford (English for “river crossing”)
- Gabe (Hebrew for “God is my strength”)
- Gage (French and English for “pledge, measure”)
- Hal (German for “home leader”)
- Ian (Scottish for “gracious”)
- Jed (Hebrew for “beloved of Yahweh)
- Jem (English for “gem, dove”)
- Joe (Hebrew for “he will increase”)
- Lane (English for “pathway”)
- Lee (English for “clearing, meadow”)
- Mack (Scottish and Irish for “child of the handsome one”)
- Noah (Hebrew for “rest, comfort”)
- Rhys (Welsh for “ardent, enthusiasm”)
- Roy (Celtic for “red, king”)
- Ryan (Irish for “little king”)
- Tate (English for “cheerful”)
- Tex (American for “from Texas”)^{[19]
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Section 15 of 16:

Double Country Boy Names

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Combine two names for a unique option. Double names consist of two traditionally separate names used together as a single first name. This naming convention is common in the South and is often used as a way to honor multiple family members. Here are some ideas to get you started:^{[20]
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- Beau Alexander
- Billy Bob
- Bobby Jack
- Bobby Joe
- Colton James
- Gideon Boone
- Jacob Cole
- Jack David
- James Avery
- James Thomas
- Jim Bob
- Jim Boy
- Jimmy Dean
- John Dale
- John David
- John Everett
- John Henry
- John Paul
- Matthew David
- Noah Presley
- Rhys Douglas
- Roy Lee
- Russell Davis
- Sawyer Ford
- Tyler James

Section 16 of 16:

How to Choose a Name

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1
Determine what kind of names you like and dislike. If you’re having trouble deciding on a name, Prior recommends writing down five names you like and five names you don’t like. Then, determine what those names have in common so you know what themes to look for or avoid.^{[21]
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- Don’t feel like you have to stick to the first name you choose. Prior says, “You’re going to change your mind 100 times” before you decide on the right one.^{[22]
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  Expert Interview} Try to have fun with it!
2
Consider any possible nicknames. Even if you don’t give your child a nickname yourself, there’s a chance someone else could give them one down the line. “You have to come to terms with all the available nicknames because you could want to call [your child] Izzy, and then the first day of daycare, they start calling her Bella. As long as you can come to terms with all the nicknames, go for gold,” says Prior.^{[23]
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Say the name out loud. Once you’ve selected some potential names, say them out loud with your chosen middle name and last name. This will help you make sure the name is easy to say and that it flows well together. Try writing it down, too, to see if it’s easy to spell and to avoid any potentially embarrassing initials.
4
Consider honoring someone special to you. Lots of popular country names have been used for generations, so consider naming your baby boy after an important family member, friend, or even a celebrity who played a significant role in your life.
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Don’t worry about trends. The important thing is to choose a name that you like and that you can see your child using for their entire life. Don’t pick something just because it’s trending on social media. “The social media world and real-life data don’t often correlate,” explains Prior. She adds that naming trends are cyclical.^{[24]
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Expert Interview} Older names will come back into fashion, and names that are trendy right now will eventually become less popular. This is why it’s important to focus on your personal taste instead.