Boy Names That Start With B
B names have a friendly, punchy sound — the letter itself pops when you say it. That’s why so many beloved boy names begin with B: easygoing Beau and Bo, polished Benjamin and Bennett, cowboy-cool Beckett and Brooks, and old-world gems like Barnaby and Bartholomew.
Here are 100+ boy names that start with B, sorted into popular picks, classics, Southern and country names, short names, unique finds and international options, each with meaning and origin. For more ideas, browse all boy names, see boy names that start with C, or compare with girl names that start with B.
Popular boy names starting with B
B names that regularly rank high in the US (SSA data).
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin | Son of the right hand | Hebrew |
| Brooks | Small stream | English |
| Beau | Handsome | French |
| Bennett | Blessed (from Benedict) | Latin / English |
| Bentley | Meadow with coarse grass | English |
| Brayden | Broad valley; also “salmon” (Irish Bradán) | English / Irish |
| Beckett | Beehive or little stream | English |
| Brody | Muddy place or ditch | Irish / Scottish |
| Bryson | Son of Brice | English / Welsh |
| Bodhi | Awakening, enlightenment | Sanskrit |
| Blake | Pale, or dark (Old English is ambiguous) | English |
| Brandon | Hill covered with broom | English |
| Barrett | Bear-strength or quarrelsome | German / English |
| Braxton | Brock’s town | English |
| Bryce | Speckled | Celtic |
| Brian | Possibly “high, noble” | Irish |
| Bruce | From Brix, a place in Normandy | Scottish / French |
| Byron | At the cowsheds | English |
Classic B names for boys
Traditional names with deep roots that feel dignified at any age. See more classic boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bernard | Brave as a bear | German |
| Benedict | Blessed | Latin |
| Bartholomew | Son of Talmai (furrows) | Aramaic |
| Baxter | Baker | English |
| Bertram | Bright raven | German |
| Barnaby | Son of consolation (from Barnabas) | Aramaic / Greek |
| Basil | Royal, kingly | Greek |
| Benson | Son of Ben | English |
| Bradley | Broad clearing | English |
| Bruno | Brown | German |
| Burton | Fortified town | English |
| Boris | Fighter; or short for Borislav, “battle glory” | Slavic |
| Brendan | Prince | Irish |
| Boyd | Yellow-haired | Scottish Gaelic |
| Blaise | Lisping or stammering | Latin |
| Booker | Maker of books; scribe | English |
Biblical boy names that start with B
Figures from Scripture; browse our full list of biblical boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Bible reference |
|---|---|---|
| Barnabas | Son of encouragement | Acts 4:36 |
| Boaz | Swiftness or strength | Book of Ruth |
| Benaiah | God has built | 2 Samuel 23 |
| Barak | Lightning | Judges 4 |
| Bezalel | In God’s shadow | Exodus 31 |
| Baruch | Blessed | Jeremiah 36 |
| Bartimaeus | Son of Timaeus | Mark 10 |
| Belshazzar | Bel protect the king | Daniel 5 |
| Bela | Swallowing, destruction | Genesis 46:21 |
Southern and country boy names with B
Relaxed, down-home names that suit a porch swing. More ideas in country boy names and Southern boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Beaumont | Beautiful mountain | French |
| Bo | Short for Beau or Robert; also Chinese “precious” | Various |
| Bubba | Brother (Southern nickname) | American English |
| Buck | Male deer | English |
| Boone | Blessing, good | French / English |
| Brantley | Proud, fiery | English |
| Bowie | Yellow-haired | Scottish Gaelic |
| Buddy | Friend, pal | American English |
| Beauregard | Beautiful gaze | French |
| Bristol | Site of the bridge | English |
| Brady | Spirited | Irish |
| Bridger | Bridge dweller | English |
| Briggs | Bridge | English |
| Bronson | Son of the brown-haired one | English |
Short B names for boys
One-syllable and short names that pair well with longer last names. See one syllable boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bram | Short for Abraham; also “bramble” | Dutch / English |
| Ben | Son (short for Benjamin) | Hebrew |
| Bear | Bear | English |
| Brock | Badger | English |
| Bing | Kettle-shaped hollow | German |
| Baz | Short for Basil or Barry | English |
| Beck | Brook, stream | English / Old Norse |
| Blaze | Flame | English |
| Burke | Fortified hill | English / Irish |
| Banks | Riverbank | English |
| Bay | Coastal inlet | English |
| Bran | Raven | Welsh / Irish |
Unique boy names starting with B
Distinctive picks, from literary to nature-inspired. Visit unique boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bodie | Messenger or shelter | Scottish / German |
| Birch | Birch tree | English |
| Balthazar | God protect the king; one of the Three Wise Men | Babylonian |
| Bastian | Short for Sebastian, “venerable” | German / Greek |
| Benedetto | Blessed | Italian |
| Blue | The color blue | English |
| Brecken | Freckled | Irish |
| Brixton | Brihtsige’s stone (London district) | English |
| Bexley | Box-tree clearing | English |
| Breckin | Variant of Brecken | Irish |
| Bellamy | Handsome friend | French |
| Benicio | Blessed | Spanish |
| Beckham | Homestead by a stream | English |
| Brenner | Burner, charcoal maker | German |
| Brigham | Homestead by a bridge | English |
| Barclay | Birch-tree meadow | Scottish / English |
| Benton | Settlement where bent grass grows | English |
B names from other cultures
International names with meaning and pronunciation.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning & origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bjorn | BYORN | Bear; Old Norse |
| Bastien | bahs-TYAN | French short form of Sebastian |
| Baptiste | bah-TEEST | Baptist; French |
| Bilal | bee-LAHL | Water, moisture; Arabic |
| Bashir | bah-SHEER | Bringer of good news; Arabic |
| Behrouz | beh-ROOZ | Fortunate, lucky; Persian |
| Bogdan | BOG-dahn | Given by God; Slavic |
| Brahm | BRAHM | Short for Brahma; Sanskrit |
| Bautista | bau-TEES-tah | Baptist; Spanish |
| Bartosz | BAR-tosh | Polish form of Bartholomew |
| Benno | BEN-oh | Bear; German |
| Bernardo | ber-NAR-doh | Brave as a bear; Spanish, Italian, Portuguese |
| Branislav | brah-nee-SLAHV | Glorious protector; Slavic |
| Bheki | BEH-kee | Watch over; Zulu |
Tips for picking a B boy name
- B is a “plosive” sound, so B names feel energetic. Balance a punchy B first name with a softer middle name, like Brooks Elliot.
- Watch alliteration: Beau Brown is catchy, but Bennett Bradley Brooks is a mouthful.
- Long classics shorten nicely: Benjamin → Ben or Benji; Bartholomew → Bart or Tolly; Barnaby → Barney.
- Surname-style names (Beckett, Brooks, Barrett) are popular now; pair them with a classic middle name to keep balance.
- Check what the name sounds like when called across a park — Bo and Beau are identical out loud.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular B name for boys?
Benjamin has been a top-10 US boy name for years, with Brooks, Beau and Bennett rising fast.
What are cool boy names that start with B?
Beckett, Bodhi, Bowie, Bear, Brixton and Bjorn feel modern and cool.
What biblical boy names start with B?
Benjamin, Barnabas, Boaz, Baruch, Barak and Bartholomew all come from the Bible.
What’s a short boy name starting with B?
Bo, Ben, Bram, Bear, Brock and Blaze are all one syllable.
What B name means strong?
Barrett (“bear-strength”), Bernard (“brave as a bear”) and Boaz (“strength”) all carry strong meanings.