Boy Names That Start With C
The letter C gives boys’ names two very different sounds: the hard K of Caleb, Cooper and Callum, and the soft S of Cecil, Cyrus and Cyprian. Add the “Ch” of Charles and Christian, and you get one of the most varied letters in the alphabet.
This list of 100+ boy names that start with C is grouped into popular names, timeless classics, Irish and Celtic picks, cowboy-cool names, ancient and mythological names, and unique finds. Keep exploring with our full boy names list, boy names that start with D, or girl names that start with C.
Popular boy names that start with C
These C names are familiar favorites in US birth data (SSA).
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Caleb | Faithful, whole-hearted (also “dog”) | Hebrew |
| Carter | Driver of a cart | English |
| Christopher | Bearer of Christ | Greek |
| Charles | Free man | German |
| Cameron | Crooked nose | Scottish Gaelic |
| Colton | Coal town | English |
| Christian | Follower of Christ | Latin |
| Connor | Lover of hounds | Irish |
| Cooper | Barrel maker | English |
| Carson | Son of the marsh-dwellers | Scottish |
| Chase | Hunter | English / French |
| Cole | Swarthy or coal-black; also short for Nicholas | English |
| Charlie | Free man (from Charles) | English |
| Cayden | Spirit of battle | Irish |
| Camden | Winding valley | Scottish |
| Colt | Young horse | English |
| Cyrus | Sun or throne; Persian king | Persian |
| Caden | Variant of Cayden | Irish |
Classic and gentlemanly C names
Dapper names with long histories. Browse old man names for more that are coming back into style.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Clarence | Of Clare (a place in England) | Latin / English |
| Clement | Merciful, gentle | Latin |
| Cecil | Blind (from the Roman family Caecilius) | Latin |
| Chester | Fortress, Roman camp | Latin / English |
| Cornelius | Horn | Latin |
| Clifford | Ford by a cliff | English |
| Curtis | Courteous | French |
| Craig | Rock, crag | Scottish Gaelic |
| Carl | Free man | German |
| Calvin | Bald | Latin / French |
| Clayton | Clay settlement | English |
| Cyril | Lordly | Greek |
| Clark | Clerk, scribe | English |
| Conrad | Brave counsel | German |
| Casimir | Proclaimer of peace | Polish |
| Chauncey | Chancellor | French / English |
Irish, Scottish and Welsh C names
Celtic names often start with a hard C that looks trickier than it sounds. For more, try Irish boy names and Scottish boy names.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cillian | KIL-ee-an | Little church; Irish |
| Cian | KEE-an | Ancient, enduring; Irish |
| Callum | KAL-um | Dove; Scottish (from Columba) |
| Cormac | KOR-mak | Charioteer; Irish |
| Conall | KON-al | Strong wolf; Irish |
| Caoimhín | KWEE-veen | Gentle, handsome birth; Irish form of Kevin |
| Ciarán | KEER-awn | Little dark one; Irish |
| Cathal | KA-hal | Strong in battle; Irish |
| Colm | KUL-um | Dove; Irish |
| Conor | KON-er | Lover of hounds; Irish |
| Cadoc | KAD-ok | Battle; Welsh |
| Cai | KYE | Rejoice; Welsh form of Caius |
| Caradoc | ka-RAD-ok | Beloved; Welsh |
| Coinneach | KUN-yakh | Handsome; Scottish Gaelic form of Kenneth |
| Crawford | KRAW-ferd | Crow’s ford; Scottish |
Cowboy and rugged C names
Short, tough names that feel like the open range. See also country boy names and Wild West names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | Money; cash (famous via Johnny Cash) | English |
| Clint | Hill farm (short for Clinton) | English |
| Cody | Helpful or pillow | Irish |
| Cruz | Cross | Spanish |
| Colby | Coal farm | Old Norse / English |
| Cullen | Handsome or holly | Irish |
| Canyon | Deep gorge | Spanish / English |
| Clay | Earth, clay | English |
| Crew | Group, team | English |
| Case | Box, container; short for Casey | English |
| Cade | Round, lumpy | English |
| Carver | Wood or stone carver | English |
| Chandler | Candle maker | English / French |
| Cutler | Knife maker | English |
Ancient, mythological and royal C names
Big names from Greek, Roman and royal history. More in mythology boy names and Roman boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Cassius | Empty, vain (Roman family name) | Latin |
| Castor | Beaver; twin of Pollux | Greek |
| Cato | All-knowing, wise | Latin |
| Caesar | Hairy (Roman title) | Latin |
| Constantine | Constant, steadfast | Latin |
| Claudius | Lame (Roman family name) | Latin |
| Cicero | Chickpea (Roman family name) | Latin |
| Crispin | Curly-haired | Latin |
| Cosmo | Order, beauty | Greek |
| Cadmus | Founder of Thebes | Greek |
| Charlemagne | Charles the Great | French |
| Cyprian | From Cyprus | Latin |
| Canute | Knot | Old Norse |
| Caius | Rejoice | Latin |
Unique boy names starting with C
Uncommon C names with character. Find more at unique boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Caspian | From the Caspian Sea | English |
| Cove | Small bay | English |
| Cedar | Cedar tree | English |
| Cyan | Blue-green | Greek |
| Cypress | Cypress tree | Greek |
| Calder | Rocky stream | Scottish |
| Corbin | Raven | French |
| Cyler | Variant of Kyler, “archer” | Modern |
| Cassian | Variant of Cassius | Latin |
| Colter | Colt herder | English |
| Callahan | Bright-headed | Irish |
| Cannon | Church official | English / French |
| Callisto | Most beautiful | Greek |
| Cael | Slender | Irish |
| Cortez | Courteous | Spanish |
| Campbell | Crooked mouth | Scottish Gaelic |
C names from around the world
International boy names that start with C.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos | Free man | Spanish |
| Cristiano | Follower of Christ | Italian / Portuguese |
| César | Hairy (from Caesar) | Spanish / French |
| Cemal | Beauty | Turkish |
| Chidi | God exists | Igbo (Nigerian) |
| Chinedu | God leads | Igbo (Nigerian) |
| Cheng | Accomplished, honest (by character) | Chinese |
| Chayton | Falcon | Lakota |
| Corentin | Hurricane | Breton / French |
| Claudio | Lame (from Claudius) | Italian / Spanish |
| Christoph | Bearer of Christ | German |
| Cosimo | Order, beauty | Italian |
How to choose a C name for your son
- Decide on the sound you want: hard C (Caleb, Cooper) feels crisp, soft C (Cyrus, Cecil) feels smooth, and Ch (Charles, Chester) feels traditional.
- For Irish names like Cillian or Caoimhín, be ready to spell and pronounce them for others, or choose an anglicized form like Kevin.
- Many C names shorten well: Christopher → Chris or Kit; Cornelius → Neil or Neely; Constantine → Con or Dean.
- Pair a trendy surname-style name (Carter, Cooper) with a classic middle name to keep it timeless.
- Check the initials with your last name — C.O.W. and C.R.A.P. are easy to miss.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular boy name that starts with C?
Carter, Caleb, Christopher, Charles and Cooper are among the most popular C names for boys in the US.
What are unique boy names that start with C?
Caspian, Calder, Cosmo, Crispin, Cyprian and Cove are distinctive and still easy to use.
How do you pronounce Cillian?
Cillian is pronounced KIL-ee-an; in Irish, C is always a hard K sound.
What C names mean strong?
Cathal (“strong in battle”), Conall (“strong wolf”) and Constantine (“steadfast”) all suggest strength.
What biblical boy names start with C?
Caleb, Cornelius and Cyrus appear in the Bible; Christian and Christopher come from the Christian tradition.