$Unique_ID{PAR00343}
$Font{NP}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Names for Boys:  B}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Harder, Kelsey}
$Subject{Names Boys B}
$Log{}

The Ultimate Baby Name Book


Names for Boys:  B


Baile (see Bailey)

Bailey             Old English beg-leah, "wood or clearing where berries
                   grow"; also, English bailiff.  The derivation of this
                   place name is different from that of bailiff, which comes
                   from Latin baiulus, "porter."  But in Middle English, baile
                   meant "outside the castle wall," so it's impossible to
                   figure out the exact derivation of the name.  Most Scotsmen
                   who are named Bailey claim the place-name derivation, while
                   Englishmen seem to prefer the occupational name.  The name
                   is unusual in the United States, but it is found
                   occasionally in the deep South, especially among people
                   with Scottish ancestry.  Geoffrey Chaucer gives the name
                   Baillie to the innkeeper in The Canterbury Tales.
       Variations: Baile, Baillie (English and Scottish), Baily, Bayley

Bailintin (see Valentine)

Baillie, Baily (see Bailey)

Balto (see Walter)

Bana-Barna (see Barnaby)

Bard (see Barden)

Barden             Old English "barley valley."  This name is usually a
                   surname, that is sometimes given to a son as a way of
                   keeping a family name in use.  It was originally an
                   interlanguage compound formed from Old English barrig,
                   "barley," and Scottish denne, "small valley."
        Nickname:  Bard
       Variation:  Bardon

Bardon (see Barden)

Barn (see Barnaby, Barnard)

Barnaba (see Barnaby)

Barnabe (see Barnaby)

Barnaby            Hebrew from Aramaic Barnabas, "son of encouragement."  The
                   prefix "bar-" means "son of" in Aramaic.  Barnabas was a
                   companion and aid to St. Paul in his missionary work.  The
                   name has been used in England since the Middle Ages and
                   ranks in the 100 most-often-used names in the United
                   States.  Charles Dickens used the name for the title
                   character of Barnaby Rudge, and Barnaby Jones is the name
                   of a long-running television series.
       Nicknames:  Barn, Barney, Barnie, Nab
      Variations:  Bana-Barna (Hungarian), Barnaba (Italian and Polish),
                   Barnabe (French, Portuguese, and Spanish), Bermobe, Bernabe
                   (Spanish), Bernaver, Bernavil, Vernavela

Barnard            Old German Berinhard, "brave bear," from berin [a bear] +
                   hard [firm].  This name came to England at the time of the
                   Norman Conquest and has been a popular name since the
                   twelfth century.  In the United States, it ranks in the 100
                   most-often-used boys' names.  There have been several
                   saints with this name.  St. Bernard of Montjoux, the patron
                   saint of mountaineers, did missionary work in the Alps,
                   where two passes are named for him, as well as a breed of
                   life-saving dogs.  St. Bernard of Clairvaux reformed the
                   Cistercian monasteries and was noted for his great wisdom
                   and his skill as a mediator.
    Famous names:  Bernard M. Baruch (advisor to presidents)
                   Bernard Malamud (novelist)
                   George Bernard Shaw (dramatist)
  Other spelling:  Bernard
       Nicknames:  Barn, Barney, Barnie, Beno, Benny, Bernie, Berny, Dino,
                   Nado, Nayo
      Variations:  Bernal, Bernaldino, Bernardedo, Bernardin (French),
                   Bernardino (Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese), Bernardo,
                   Bernat (Hungarian), Bernavil, Bernek, Berno (Czech), Bjorn
                   (Swedish), Vernaldo, Vernaldos (Greek), Vernardino
                   (Spanish)

Barney             Form of Barnaby or Barnard.  This nickname has become a
                   separate name, which may trace its current popularity to
                   the television comedy series Barney Miller.
  Other spelling:  Barnie

Barnie (see Barnaby, Barnard)

Baron (see Barron)

Barret (see Barry)

Barrie (see Barry)

Barris (see Barry)

Barron             Old German "a free man."  Spelled baron, this name
                   became a royal title.
     Famous name:  James Barron Adler (publisher)
       Variation:  Baron

Barry              Irish bearrach, "spear"; also, a form of Benedict.  This
                   name was exclusively Irish until the twentieth century when
                   it became popular in both England and the United States.
                   The large number of Irish immigrants to the two countries
                   probably influenced the spread of the name.
     Famous name:  Barry Goldwater (politician)
      Variations:  Barret, Barrie, Barris (Irish and English)

Bart               Form of Bartholomew or Barton.  This name has become a
                   separate given name, and now ranks in the 100 most-popular
                   boys' names.
     Famous name:  Bart Starr (football player)

Barta (see Bartholomew)

Bartalo (see Bartholomew)

Bartek (see Bartholomew)

Barth (see Bartholomew)

Bartholo (see Bartholomew)

Bartholomaios (see Bartholomew)

Bartholomaus (see Bartholomew)

Bartholomew        Hebrew "son of Talmai" from Aramaic telem, "furrow."  This
                   name contains the prefix "bar-" that means "son of."
                   Little is known of St. Bartholomew, the only reference to
                   him is in the Gospel of Mark, where he is listed as one of
                   the Apostles.  He is supposed to have preached in India and
                   in Armenia, where he is said to have been skinned alive and
                   then crucified head down.  The Gospel of Bartholomew was
                   deemed apocryphal and was condemned.  The name became
                   popular in England after the twelfth century, with almost
                   200 churches dedicated to the saint.  The name ranks in the
                   100 most-popular boys' names, but its appearance in the
                   United States is declining.  Ben Jonson's play, Bartholomew
                   Fair, pictures the famous August fair at Smithfield.
       Nicknames:  Bart, Barth, Bartie, Bartle, Barton, Barty, Bat, Mew, Tola,
                   Toli
      Variations:  Barta (Hungarian), Bartalo, Bartek (Czech), Bartholo,
                   Bartholomaios (Greek), Bartholomaus, Bartholomieu (French),
                   Bartolame (Spanish), Bartold (German), Bartollo, Bartolo
                   (Italian and Spanish), Bartolomej, Bartolomeu (Portuguese),
                   Bartolomiy (Russian), Vartolomei (Bulgarian), Vartolomeiu
                   (Rumanian)

Bartholomieu (see Bartholomew)

Bartie (see Bartholomew)

Bartle (see Bartholomew)

Bartolame (see Bartholomew)

Bartold (see Bartholomew)

Bartollo, Bartolo (see Bartholomew)

Bartolomej (see Bartholomew)

Bartolomeu (see Bartholomew)

Bartolomiy (see Bartholomew)

Barton             Old English Beretun from bere [barley or corn] + run
                   [farm]; or Old English Burhtun, "fortified town," from burh
                   [burg] + tun [town]; other meanings from Old English
                   include "broad town," "Budeca's town," and "town on the
                   Bredy River"; also, a variation of Burton or Bartholomew.
                   Since place names ordinarily become surnames, Barton is
                   better known as one, with several famous--and
                   infamous--people carrying the name, including Clara Barton,
                   who organized the American Red Cross and worked to reform
                   women's prisons.  Elizabeth Barton was known as "the Maid
                   of Kent."  She prophesied against the marriage of Henry
                   VIII and Anne Boleyn.  After the marriage she claimed that
                   Henry was no longer a king favored by God.  For this
                   "treasonable act," she was executed at Tyburn.  The name is
                   among the 100 most-common boys' names in the United States
                   and is increasing in popularity.
     Famous name:  Barton MacLane (actor)
        Nickname:  Bart

Bartram (see Bertram)

Barty (see Bartholomew)

Bas (see Basil)

Baselius (see Basil)

Basil              Greek basilon, "royal."  Several saints had this name,
                   including St. Basil the Great, founder of the Eastern
                   Orthodox Church.  His father was St. Basil; his mother,
                   St. Emmelia.
    Famous names:  Vassily Cateforis (mathematician)
                   Basil Rathbone (actor)
       Nicknames:  Bas, Vas
      Variations:  Baselius, Basilio (Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian),
                   Basilus, Basle (Swedish), Bazek (Polish), Bazyli, Vasilios
                   (Greek), Vasiliy, Vassilyij, Vasska (Russian), Vasyltso,
                   Vazul (Hungarian)

Basilio (see Basil)

Basilus (see Basil)

Basle (see Basil)

Baste (see Sebastian)

Bastien (see Sebastian)

Basto (see Sebastian)

Bat (see Bartholomew)

Bayley (see Bailey)

Bazek (see Basil)

Bazyli (see Basil)

Bechtel (see Albert, Bertram)

Bedo (see Frederick)

Beltran (see Bertram)

Beltrao (see Bertram)

Ben                Usually a form of Benedict, Benjamin, Bennett, Bentley, or
                   Bernard; also, from Scots beann, "peak," or Hebrew ben,
                   "son of."  It sometimes appears as a separate name.
    Famous names:  Ben Jonson (dramatist)
                   Ben Shahn (painter)

Bendek, Bendik (see Benedict)

Benedetto (see Benedict)

Benedicktas (see Benedict)

Benedict           Latin benedictus, "blessed."  Several saints and fifteen
                   popes have been named Benedict.  The name connotes holiness
                   and austerity.  Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western
                   monasticism and founder of the Benedictine Order, made such
                   strict rules and insisted on such a high level of
                   asceticism while he was an abbott that his monks tried to
                   poison him.  The name does not occur in England before the
                   Norman Conquest.  Benedict used to be a humorous name for a
                   newly married man, who formerly had been a confirmed
                   bachelor.
     Famous name:  Benedict Arnold (American Revolutionary traitor)
       Nicknames:  Barry, Ben, Beni, Benito, Benny, Betto, Dick, Dicta, Dix,
                   Dixie
      Variations:  Bendek (Polish), Bendik (Norwegian), Benedetto (Italian),
                   Benedicktas (Latvian), Benedictae, Benedicto (Spanish),
                   Benedictum, Benedikt (Bulgarian, Czech, and German),
                   Benedo (Russian), Bengt (Swedish), Benneo (Spanish),
                   Benoit (French), Bentin, Pentti (Finnish), Venedictos
                   (Greek)

Benedictae (see Benedict)

Benedicto (see Benedict)

Benedictum (see Benedict)

Benedikt (see Benedict)

Benedo (see Benedict)

Benejaminas (see Benjamin)

Benek (see Benjamin)

Bengt (see Benedict)

Beni (see Benedict)

Beniamin (see Benjamin)

Beniamino (see Benjamin)

Benito (see Benedict)

Benja (see Benjamin)

Benjame (see Benjamin)

Benjamin           Hebrew "son of the south" or "son of the right hand."
                   This name can be found in three places in the Bible.  In
                   Genesis, Benjamin is the youngest son of Jacob and was
                   originally named Benoni, "son of my sorrow," because of the
                   pain he caused his mother as she was dying giving birth to
                   him.  Jacob renamed him.  In Chronicles, the sons of
                   Benjamin are listed, and a grandson Benjamin is noted.  A
                   Benjamin also appears as the son of Hiram in Ezra.  The
                   name became common in England during the sixteenth and
                   seventeenth centuries, and remained popular until the late
                   nineteenth century when the use of biblical names began to
                   decline.  Recently, the name has made a strong recovery, as
                   have all biblical names, and it ranks high among the 100
                   most-often used names.
     Famous name:  Benjamin Franklin (statesman and inventor)
       Nicknames:  Ben, Benja, Benjy, Bennie, Benny, Mincho
      Variations:  Benejaminas (Latvian), Benek (Polish), Beniamin, Beniamino
                   (Italian), Benjame (Spanish), Benjaminin, Binjamin
                   (Yiddish), Veniamin, Venjamin, Venya (Russian)

Benjaminin (see Benjamin)

Benjy (see Benjamin, Benny)

Benneo (see Benedict)

Bennett            Variation of Benedict.  This name appears most often as
                   a surname, as it does in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice,
                   which describes the attempt to marry off the five daughters
                   of the Bennet family.

Bennie (see Benjamin)

Benny              Form of Barnard, Benedict, or Benjamin.  The name has
                   been used in literature for retarded characters, such as
                   Benjy in William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, Benny
                   in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, and Benny on the
                   television series L.A. Law.
       Variation:  Benjy

Beno (see Barnard)

Benoit (see Benedict)

Bent (see Bentley)

Bentin (see Benedict)

Bentley            Old English beonet-leah, "bent-grass meadow."  This
                   name is most common in the southern part of the United
                   States, where mothers sometimes give their maiden names to
                   their sons to preserve a family name.
  Other spelling:  Bently
       Nicknames:  Ben, Bent, Lee

Bently (see Bentley)

Bermobe (see Barnaby)

Bernabe (see Barnaby)

Bernal (see Barnard)

Bernaldino (see Barnard)

Bernard            Variation of Barnard.
    Famous names:  Bernard Allen Duffy (baseball pitcher)
                   Bernard Fay (historian)
                   Bernard Malamud (writer)
                   Bernard Baruch (economist)

Bernardedo (see Barnard)

Bernardin (see Barnard)

Bernardino (see Barnard)

Bernardo (see Barnard)

Bernat (see Barnard, Everett)

Bernaver (see Barnaby)

Bernavil (see Barnaby, Barnard)

Bernek (see Barnard)

Bernie (see Barnard)

Berno  (see Barnard)

Berny  (see Barnard)

Bert               Form of Albert, Bertram, Burton, Delbert, Egbert, Herbert,
                   Hubert, Norbert, or Robert; also, Old German berhta,
                   "bright."
     Famous name:  Bert Lahr (actor)

Bertie (see Albert, Bertram, Egbert, Herbert, Norbert)

Bertok (see Bertram)

Berton (see Burton)

Bertram            Old German Berahtraben from berhta [bright] + hraben
                   [raven].  This name came into England at the time of the
                   Norman Conquest.  It was popular in the nineteenth century,
                   but it's unusual today.  Shakespeare used the name for the
                   Count of Rousillon in All's Well That Ends Well, and Sir
                   Walter Scott used it in Castle Dangerous.
     Famous name:  Bertrand Russell (philosopher)
       Nicknames:  Bert, Bertie
      Variations:  Bartram (English), Bechtel (German), Beltran (Spanish),
                   Beltrao (Portuguese), Bertok (Hungarian), Bertrand
                   (French), Bertrando (Italian)

Bertrand (see Bertram)

Bertrando (see Bertram)

Berty (see Burton)

Beto (see Albert, Robert)

Betto (see Benedict)

Bevan (see Evan)

Bhaltair (see Walter)

Bictar (see Victor)

Bili (see Billy)

Bill               Form of William.
    Famous names:  Bill Blass (fashion designer)
                   Bill Cosby (actor)
                   Bill Moyers (journalist)

Billie (see William)

Billy              Form of William.  Sometimes this name is chosen by
                   entertainers or used by men in occupations in which a
                   nickname seems more appropriate than a formal name.  As a
                   separate given name, it ranks seventieth in the 100
                   most-popular boys' names.
    Famous names:  William Franklin "Billy" Graham (evangelist)
                   Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin (baseball manager)
      Variations:  Bili (Rumanian), Blaz (Serbian), Boleslaw (Russian),
                   Vila (Czech), Vili (Hungarian)

Binjamin (see Benjamin)

Binkentios (see Vincent)

Biron (see Byron)

Bisenti (see Vincent)

Bjarne (see Bjorn)

Bjorn              Scandinavian form of Barnard.
     Famous name:  Bjorn Borg (tennis player)
  Other spelling:  Bjorne
       Variation:  Bjarne

Bjorne (see Bjorn)

Blaan (see Blaine)

Blain (see Blaine)

Blaine             Celtic "thin"; also, Old English "flame."  This surname has
                   begun to appear as a given name, especially in the United
                   States where Irish names for children are in vogue.  The
                   only saint of the name was St. Blane of Scotland, who is
                   also known as St. Blaan.
     Famous name:  Blaine Peterson (hockey player)
 Other spellings:  Blane, Blain
       Variation:  Blaan

Blair              Celtic "place"; also, Old German "battlefield."  This
                   surname has become a popular boys' name, ranking high in
                   the 100 most-often-used names in the United States.
                   Although it can be a girl's name, Blair is still considered
                   masculine.  But if the name starts being used extensively
                   for girls, parents are likely to stop using it for boys.
     Famous name:  Blair Stewart (hockey player)

Blake              Old English blac, "pale," "loss of color," or "shining
                   white"; also, "black" or "dark."  Until the twentieth
                   century, this was almost always a surname.  As a given
                   name, it is gaining popularity, probably because of the
                   current vogue for short names, including Blake, Brad, Pat,
                   and Grant.
     Famous name:  Blake Edwards (movie director)

Blane (see Blaine)

Blaz (see Billy)

Bob                Form of Robert.  Most people think of Bob as a nickname.
    Famous names:  Bob Dylan (singer)
                   Bob Hope (comedian)

Boba (see Boris)

Bobbie (see Robert)

Bobby              Form of Bob.  This nickname is usually combined with
                   another name, such as Bobby Joe and Bobby Lee.  These names
                   were once common in the southern part of the United States,
                   but their popularity is fading fast.  Bobby is also a
                   popular nickname for politicians, entertainers, and
                   athletes.
     Famous name:  Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy (U.S. senator)

Bobik (see Boris)

Bodgan (see Donald)

Bodog (see Felix)

Bogomir (see Geoffrey)

Bohdanko (see Donald)

Boleslaw (see Billy)

Bomani             Ngoni (Malawi) "warrior."  This name has become
                   popular with Black-Americans who want to give their
                   children an African name.

Borenka (see Boris)

Boris              Slavic borotj, "to fight."  The eleventh-century St. Boris
                   was murdered by his brother after Boris refused to raise
                   his sword against him.  Following his burial in St. Basil's
                   church, miracles were said to occur at his grave.  He is
                   the patron saint of Moscow.
    Famous names:  Boris Godunov (tsar of Russia)
                   Boris Karloff (actor)
       Nicknames:  Boba, Bobik, Borenka, Borisik, Borka
      Variations:  Borislav (Slovakian), Borisov (Bulgarian), Borissof
                   (French), Borys (Polish), Borysko (Ukrainian)

Borisik (see Boris)

Borislav (see Boris)

Borisov, Borissof (see Boris)

Borka (see Boris)

Borys (see Boris)

Borysko (see Boris)

Bowen (see Evan)

Brad               Old English brad "broad"; also, shortened form of Bradley
                   or Bradford.  Brad probably started as a nickname for a
                   body characteristic--a common background for a name--but
                   lately it has become a popular independent name.  Brad
                   ranks eightieth among the most-popular given names for
                   boys.

Bradford           Old English "broad ford."  This place name developed
                   first into a surname, but now it's often used as a first
                   name.
        Nickname:  Brad

Bradlee (see Bradley)

Bradley            Old English "broad meadow."  This place name that
                   became a surname now appears as a first name.  The
                   immediate influence for the name is Omar Bradley, a World
                   War II general.
     Famous name:  Bradley Smith (author)
 Other spellings:  Bradlee, Bradlie
       Nicknames:  Brad, Lee

Bradlie (see Bradley)

Brage              Possibly a form of Bragi, the Norse god of poetry.
     Famous name:  Brage Golding (university president)

Bram (see Abraham)

Brareus (see Brian)

Brent              Irish bran, "a raven"; or "burnt," as in a burned place or
                   field.  Several names of Irish origin, Brand, Brendan,
                   Bran, and Brenda connote "flame" or "burn."  All have
                   become popular in the United States in recent years because
                   of the attraction of Irish names and the current popularity
                   of short, hard-sounding names.
     Famous name:  Brent Musberger (sports announcer)

Brett              Celtic Breton from Old French Briton, "a person from
                   Brittany."  Brett has become popular in the United States
                   and now ranks seventieth among the most-often-used names.
                   The popularity of baseball player George Howard Brett may
                   contribute to its success.
     Famous name:  Bret Harte (author)

Brian              Greek briaros, "strong"; also, from Irish bre, "hill."
                   This name is popular in Ireland because of the legendary
                   Irish hero, King Brian Borohma.  The name Briaros, however,
                   is from Greek mythology.  He was one of the Centimanes and
                   had a hundred arms and fifty heads.  The figure symbolized
                   strength.  Names developed from Briaros were popular during
                   the Middle Ages.  Brian was introduced to England with the
                   Norman Conquest.  After dropping from use as a given name
                   during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it has made
                   a strong return and now ranks among the top-ten names in
                   the United States.
    Famous names:  Brian Donlevy (actor)
                   Bryant Gumbel (TV personality)
      Variations:  Brareus (Greek), Briano (Italian), Bryant

Briano (see Brian)

Broderick (see Roderick)

Bron (see Brown)

Bronislava (see Bruno)

Bronislaw (see Bruno)

Bronson (see Brown, Bruno)

Brooks             English "son of Brook."
    Famous names:  Brooks Atkinson (drama critic)
                   Brooks Reed (lawyer)

Brown              Old English brun or bron, "brown."  This color name used
                   to be a nickname for a "brown person."  The name is
                   sometimes confused with brun or bruyn, "bear," but the Old
                   English beras developed into the modern word bear, while
                   brun became brown.  The surname is very common in England
                   and the United States, but as a given name, it's unusual.
                   Brown Bess was the nickname of an English musket in the
                   eighteenth century.
     Famous name:  Brown Denton (baseball player)
        Nickname:  Brownie
      Variations:  Browning, Bron, Bronson (English)
  Other spelling:  Browne

Browne, Brownie (see Brown)

Browning (see Brown)

Bru (see Bruno)

Bruce              French Bruys, "from the brush thicket."  This French
                   common noun became a place name when a castle was built
                   next to the bushy area and took the name Bruys.  The Bruces
                   of Scotland were originally Normans and came from Bruys,
                   France, during the Norman Conquest.  The name declined in
                   use until the latter part of the twentieth century when it
                   achieved a high rank in the 100 most-often-used names in
                   the 1970s and 1980s in the United States.
    Famous names:  Bruce Jenner (track athlete)
                   Bruce Morton (TV announcer)
                   Bruce Springsteen (singer)
        Nickname:  Brucie
      Variations:  Bruis (French), Brus, Bruys (Scottish)

Brucie (see Bruce)

Bruin (see Bruno)

Bruis (see Bruce)

Bruni, Bruny (see Bruno)

Bruno              Old German brun, "brown," usually associated with bears.
                   This name is not as popular in the United States as it is
                   in Germany where it is associated with the eleventh-century
                   St. Bruno of Cologne.  After a brilliant career as a
                   professor of theology and philosophy, he founded the
                   Carthusian Order at Grenoble.  He was made a saint in 1623,
                   and his day is October 6.
       Nicknames:  Bru, Bruni, Bruny
      Variations:  Bronislava (Serbian), Bronislaw (Polish), Bronson, Bruin

Brus (see Bruce)

Bruys (see Bruce)

Bryant (see Brian)

Buadhach (see Victor)

Burl (see Burleigh)

Burleigh           Old English burgeleah from burg + leah [meadow].
                   William Cecil, baron of Burleigh, was the chief minister
                   to Elizabeth I of England.
     Famous name:  Burleigh Arland "Stubblebeard" Grimes (baseball player)
        Nickname:  Burl
       Variation:  Burley

Burley (see Burleigh)

Burt (see Burton)

Burton             Old English burhton, "from the fortress," from burh
                   [fortified place] + tun [town].  In earlier times, people
                   often took the name of the place where they lived.  These
                   names usually start out as surnames but later spin off
                   given names.
  Other spelling:  Berton
       Nicknames:  Bert, Berty, Burt
       Variation:  Barton

Byron              Old English byre, "hut"; also, Middle English bere, "bear."
                   This homely name literally means "the person who lives in
                   the hut."  But it is also the name of one of the great
                   English poets George Noel Gordon, Lord Byron, the author of
                   Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.
     Famous name:  Byron Raymond White (football player, now U.S. Supreme
                   Court justice)
       Variation:  Biron