AHEAD: The ultimate list of B names for boys—plus their meanings and popularity.
If you’re looking for a cool boys’ name starting with the letter B, you’re in the right place!
Below, I’ve rounded up a variety of boy names that start with B ranging from trendy to traditional and long to short.
For each name, you’ll find its meaning and current popularity—which will hopefully help you narrow down your list of favorites.
As you’ll see, there are plenty of great choices. Not only are there 64 “B” names ranking in the top 1000, but there are a whole bunch of others that are more rare (without being too out there).
Feel free to use the Table of Contents to jump to a specific style, or keep on scrolling and view all of these badass boys’ names starting with the letter B.
Related: Girl Names that Start with B
Trendy boy names that start with B
Kicking off our list of “B” names with some cool monikers that are popular in the United States right now. All of these are in the top 500.
Barrett
- Name meaning: Bear strength.
- Popularity: #191
Baylor
- Name meaning: Person who delivers goods. Horse trainer. A university in Texas.
- Popularity: #460
Beckham
- Name meaning: An English surname that might mean ‘from the homestead.’
- Popularity: #248
Bennett
- Name meaning: Blessed.
- Popularity: #101
Bodhi or Bodie or Bowdie
- Name meaning: Enlightenment.
- Popularity: Bodhi ranks #295, Bodie is #611, and Bowdie isn’t ranking.
Bowen
- Name meaning: Son of Owen.
- Popularity: #394
Brady
- Name meaning: Broad meadow.
- Popularity: #305
Brantley
- Name meaning: Fire or sword.
- Popularity: #233
Braxton
- Name meaning: Brock’s settlement.
- Popularity: #132
Brayden or Braden
- Name meaning: Brave. Wide valley.
- Popularity: Brayden ranks #111 and Braden is #815.
Braylen or Braylon
- Name meaning: Invented name.
- Popularity: Braylen ranks #499 and Braylon is #535.
Brody or Brodie
- Name meaning: Broad island.
- Popularity: Brody ranks #179 and Brodie is #871.
Bryson or Brycen
- Name meaning: Son of Brice.
- Popularity: Bryson ranks #115 and Brycen is #606.
If you like these trendy boy names that start with B, you might also like this list of southern names.
One-syllable “B” names
If you’re into simple single-syllable boys’ names, this batch is for you!
You’ll also find some other (more rare) single-syllable names scattered throughout the lists that follow.
Banks
- Name meaning: Riverbank dweller.
- Popularity: #751
Bear
- Name meaning: Animal.
- Popularity: #897
Beau
- Name meaning: Handsome.
- Popularity: #109
Blaine
- Name meaning: Slender.
- Popularity: #891
Blaise
- Name meaning: To stutter.
- Popularity: #939
Blaze
- Name meaning: Fiery.
- Popularity: #852
Bo
- Name meaning: To live.
- Popularity: #537
Bode
- Name meaning: Might mean messenger or enlightenment.
- Popularity: #824
Boone
- Name meaning: Good.
- Popularity: #577
Briggs
- Name meaning: Bridges.
- Popularity: #436
Brock
- Name meaning: Badger.
- Popularity: #680
Brooks
- Name meaning: Small stream.
- Popularity: #91
Bryce
- Name meaning: Freckled. Bryce Canyon is a national park in Utah.
- Popularity: #234
If you like this list of boy names that start with B, check out this complete list of one-syllable names.
Cute “B” names
All of these boy names with B as the first letter sound friendly and sweet.
Baker
- Name meaning: Maker of bread and cakes.
- Popularity: #524
Baxter
- Name meaning: Baker.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Benji
- Name meaning: Short for Benjamin, meaning son of my right hand.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Blu or Blue
- Name meaning: Color.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Boden or Bowden or Beauden
- Name meaning: Hill.
- Popularity: Boden ranks #825. Bowden and Beauden aren’t ranking.
Bowie
- Name meaning: Light-haired.
- Popularity: This name last ranked in 2018.
Brewer
- Name meaning: Beer maker.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bridger or Bridge
- Name meaning: Connector.
- Popularity: Bridger ranks #925 and Bridge isn’t ranking.
Buck
- Name meaning: A male deer.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Buckley
- Name meaning: Deer meadow.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
If you like these cute boy names that start with B you might also like this list of short names.
Place names that start with B
All of these B-starting names for boys are also destinations across the globe!
Related: City Names for Girls
Barrington
- Name meaning: Cities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Berlin
- Name meaning: The capital of Germany. The name comes from ‘river rake’, a scaffold of beams built over a river to prevent logs from jamming.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Berkley or Berkeley
- Name meaning: Meadow of birch trees. Berkeley is a city in Northern California.
- Popularity: Neither of these names is ranking for boys. Berkley ranks #818 for girls.
Bolton
- Name meaning: Settlement with a dwelling. A large town in North West England.
- Popularity: This B name isn’t ranking.
Boston
- Name meaning: The capital of Massachusetts. Also a type of waltz!
- Popularity: #595
Brenton
- Name meaning: A place in England.
- Popularity: This name last ranked in 2013.
Bretton
- Name meaning: From Brittany, France.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Brighton
- Name meaning: Bright town. A resort town on the coast of England.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Britton
- Name meaning: From Britain.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Brixton
- Name meaning: A part of London.
- Popularity: #616
Bronx
- Name meaning: A New York borough.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
If you like these location-inspired boy names that start with B you’ll also like this list of 2-syllable names or these city names for boys.
Gender neutral “B” names
All of these names that start with B would work for a boy or a girl!
Bailey
- Name meaning: Law enforcer.
- Popularity: This name last ranked for boys in 2010. It currently ranks #171 for girls.
Beck
- Name meaning: Stream.
- Popularity: This name isn’t ranking for either gender.
Beckett
- Name meaning: Beehive.
- Popularity: This Irish name ranks #209 for boys and isn’t ranking for girls.
Bellamy
- Name meaning: Beautiful friend.
- Popularity: This French name ranks #728 for boys and #795 girls.
Bentley or Bentlee
- Name meaning: A meadow with coarse grass.
- Popularity: Bentley ranks #142 and Bentlee is #885. Bentley last ranked for girls in 2011.
Blake
- Name meaning: Light. Bright and shining.
- Popularity: This name ranks #210 for boys and #219 for girls.
Brennan
- Name meaning: Raven, sorrow, drop, or brave.
- Popularity: This name #763 for boys and isn’t ranking for girls.
Briar
- Name meaning: A thorny plant (such as roses and blackberries) with prickly stems.
- Popularity: This name ranks #755 for boys and #563 for girls.
If you like these gender-neutral names that start with B you’ll also like this list of nonbinary names.
Timeless “B” names
These boys’ names have been around for a while and don’t tend to evoke any particular decade.
Benjamin or Ben
- Name meaning: Son of my right hand.
- Popularity: Benjamin ranks #7 and Ben is #770.
Bradley
- Name meaning: Wide meadow.
- Popularity: #272
Brandon
- Name meaning: Broom hill.
- Popularity: #166
Brant
- Name meaning: Sword.
- Popularity: This boys’ name hasn’t ranked since 2001.
Brendan or Brendon
- Name meaning: Prince.
- Popularity: Brendan ranks #717 and Brendon hasn’t ranked since 2013.
Brent
- Name meaning: Dweller near burnt land.
- Popularity: This boys’ name hasn’t ranked since 2016.
Brett
- Name meaning: From Brittany, France.
- Popularity: #915
Bryan or Brian
- Name meaning: Noble, virtuous, strong.
- Popularity: Bryan ranks #257 and Brian is #270.
If you like these timeless boy names that start with B you might also like this list of 3-syllable names.
Uncommon boy names that start with B
If you’re looking for a great B name that isn’t overdone, all of these are cool choices.
Barnett
- Name meaning: Clearing of woodland by burning. Son of Bernard.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Baron or Barron
- Name meaning: A member of the British nobility, also known as a lord. (This is the name of Donald Trump’s youngest son).
- Popularity: Neither spelling of this name is ranking. Baron last ranked in 2008.
Bastian or Bastien or Bastion
- Name meaning: Short for Sebastian, meaning person from ancient city of Sebastia.
- Popularity: This Greek boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bates
- Name meaning: Short for Bartholomew, meaning son of the trenches where seeds are planted.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bauer
- Name meaning: Peasant or farmer. Neighbor or fellow citizen.
- Popularity: This German boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Baylon
- Name meaning: Unknown.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Benicio
- Name meaning: Blessed.
- Popularity: #774
Benson
- Name meaning: Son of Ben.
- Popularity: #551
Benton
- Name meaning: Town in the bent grass.
- Popularity: This name last ranked in 2017.
Bishop
- Name meaning: Senior member of the Christian clergy.
- Popularity: #980
Borden
- Name meaning: From the boar pasture.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bosco
- Name meaning: Forester or one who lives in the woods.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bradford
- Name meaning: Broad river crossing.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Branson
- Name meaning: Son of the raven.
- Popularity: #877
Brayan
- Name meaning: Invented name.
- Popularity: #853
Brecken
- Name meaning: Freckled.
- Popularity: #790
Brenner
- Name meaning: Charcoal burner.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Brigham
- Name meaning: Settlement near the bridge. (Brigham Young succeeded Joseph Smith as the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Broderick
- Name meaning: Either means brother or is a family name.
- Popularity: This name last ranked in 2014.
Bronson
- Name meaning: Son of the brown-haired one.
- Popularity: #847
Bryant
- Name meaning: Noble, virtuous, strong.
- Popularity: #658
If you like these uncommon boy names that start with B you might also like this list of names for rainbow babies.
Unique boy names that start with B
All of these B names for boys are interesting and rare.
Related: 700+ Unique Boy Names
Bakari
- Name meaning: Hopeful. Noble oath. (This name brings to mind CNN commentator, Bakari Sellers).
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Barker
- Name meaning: Leather tanner (occupation).
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Barlow
- Name meaning: Bare hillside.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Basil
- Name meaning: Royal. Best known as a delicious green herb. (Pronounced BAZ-el).
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bergen
- Name meaning: One who lives on a hill or a mountain.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Birch
- Name meaning: Tree.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bond
- Name meaning: Peasant farmer. (This name brings to mind James Bond!)
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Booker
- Name meaning: A book scribe or binder. (This name was famously held by the influential African American speaker, Booker T. Washington).
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Braddox or Braddock
- Name meaning: Broad oak tree.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Braxon or Braxson
- Name meaning: Invented name.
- Popularity: Neither version of this boys’ name is ranking.
Burton
- Name meaning: A kind of tackle used for moving heavy things. British slang for being lost, missing, or destroyed.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Buzz
- Name meaning: A nickname. (This name is famously held by astronaut Buzz Aldrin… and of course Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story!)
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
If you like these unique boy names that start with B you might also like this list of space names.
“B” names that are past their prime
Even though some of the following names are ranking in the top 1000, I personally think they’ve seen better days.
Balthasar
- Name meaning: Protect the king. (One of the three wise men in the Bible).
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Barnaby
- Name meaning: Young warrior. Settlement. Son of consolation.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Barney
- Name meaning: Short for Barnabas, meaning son of consolation.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bartholomew
- Name meaning: Son of the trenches where seeds are planted.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bernard or Bernardo
- Name meaning: Brave bear.
- Popularity: Bernard last ranked in 2008 and Bernardo last ranked in 2007.
Bjorn
- Name meaning: Bear.
- Popularity: #780
Bobby
- Name meaning: Short for Robert, meaning shining with glory.
- Popularity: #846
Boris
- Name meaning: Many possible meanings including wolf, short, bars, snow leopard, battle, glory, and fame.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Bruce
- Name meaning: The willowlands.
- Popularity: #497
Bruno
- Name meaning: Brown.
- Popularity: #709
Burke
- Name meaning: To murder by suffocation. (YIKES!) To get rid of quietly. Might also mean ‘from the fortified area’.
- Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.
Byron
- Name meaning: Place of cow sheds.
- Popularity: #785
If you haven’t found the perfect baby name yet, here are some other lists to check out…
Final thoughts on B names for boys
Hopefully, you’ve found a few lead contenders on this list, or at least come away with some baby name inspiration.
Whether you prefer a B name that’s trendy, timeless, long, short, strong, cute, or gender-neutral, all of these boys’ names are fantastic choices.
Congratulations and good luck choosing the perfect name for your son!