62 Baby Boy Middle Names That Aren’t James, John, or William
Well, hello there. Congrats on the little cutie you'll be welcoming a few months from now! (And if you’re not a parent-to-be and simply here to add baby names to your Notes tab, that’s cool too.)
Regardless of whether or not you’re expecting, the reason you clicked on this article about nonbasic middle names for your baby boy is probably because…you're searching for unique middle names for a baby boy. Noted.
The good news: There are so many middle names you can choose for him that aren’t James, John, or William. The bad news: Figuring out which one to use will literally keep you up at night.
But between the nursery, diapers, and breastfeeding questions you’re probably definitely already consumed with, the last thing you want to worry about is a cool middle name. Especially when that should be one of the fun parts!
To help, we’ve curated a list of the best baby boy middle names that you’re going to be obsessed with. We promise there’s something on here that will make the perfect initials for your kid to use. (But in the event that you haven’t picked out the first name yet, probs best to start there, because that’s kind of important too. Right this way for some unisex first name options….)
1. Aiden
Aiden sounds like a surfer dude from Laguna Beach or The O.C., and I'm not mad about it.
2. Alexander
Umm...hello regal king.
3. Andrew
Okay FINE, it's not the most uncommon name you'll ever hear—but it will pair nicely with just about any first name you can think of.
4. Bailey
Gender-neutral names are some of the most interesting names you'll find, and you won't change my mind.
5. Bennet
As long as his first name isn't Ben, this is a great choice. Unless you want a son named Ben Bennet?
6. Brian
So many people go with this as a first name. Why not change things up by making it his middle instead?
7. Bryant
By adding a simple "t" to the end, you'll completely transform the name Bryan.
8. Carson
Take a page from everyone's favorite former TRL host. And if you didn't know that I was talking about Carson Daly, thanks for making me feel incredibly old.
9. Chase
If you want him to be a complete badass, this is the name. Now all he needs is a baby leather jacket.
10. Christopher
This religious name is of Greek origin, and means "bearer of Christ.” Amen!
11. Daniel
"Dammmnnn, Daniel!" will forever be a timeless meme (IYKYK), just like this timeless name.
12. David
If you have any luck, your baby boy will grow up with a brow game as strong as Schitt's Creek character David Rose's.
13. Dean
Great for fans of James Dean AND Jensen Ackles' Supernatural character.
14. Elio
It's not just the best frozen pizza brand (minus one "l")—it also makes for a stellar middle name.
15. Emerson
A powerful name for a baby, as it literally means "brave" and "powerful."
16. Eric
Eric is by far the best Disney Prince, in my opinion.
17. Flynn
You can't beat one-syllable choices like Flynn, especially as a middle name.
18. Frederick
If you want, you can even call him Freddy as a nickname. Aw!
19. Garrett
With a sporty name like Garrett, he just might be a jock.
20. Grey
Grey is easy to pronounce, unique, and totally mysterious-sounding in the best way.
21. Henry
Did you know Prince Harry's real name is Henry?? As if you needed more proof that it's an awesome name.
22. Hendrix
Going with Hendrix practically guarantees he'll be shredding Jimi's solos by the time he's old enough to hold a guitar.
23. Hudson
Being named after the Hudson River, you'll want to get him started with swimming lessons ASAP.
24. Hunter
A very country choice for your adorable little cowboy.
25. Isaac
There aren't too many "I" names out there, but Isaac has more than enough swag to make up for it.
26. Jack
Jack Black, Jack Nicholson, 30 Rock's Jack Donaghy...yep, your baby boy is in some good company.
27. Jax
He might not have been the best role model on Vanderpump Rules, but you have to hand it to Jax Taylor—he's got an undeniably cool name.
28. Jeremy
He'll be your little Jer-Bear forever.
29. Judson
If you liked Hudson but had your heart set on a "J" middle name, why not have both?
30. Kev
Choose the right first name, and this special take on Kevin will sound ultra-hip.
31. Killian
This Celtic choice translates to "little warrior" and “bright-headed."
32. Knox
Knox knox. Who's there? A boy with an awesome middle name, that's who.
33. Lawrence
Can you even imagine a baby nicknamed Larry? So cute!
34. Leo
An especially fantastic option for all you astrology moms out there with babies born from July 23 to August 22.
35. Levi
There's a reason Levi's is the most popular jean company—it has the best name, don't @ me.
36. Lincoln
A future history major in the making?
37. Lucas
Or, drop the "s" and make it Luca! Either way...10/10 choice.
38. Maclean
This Gaelic name can either be pronounced Mac-cleen or Mac-clayn. Both are equally futuristic-sounding.
39. Mitchell
Mitch, Mitchie, Mitchell...so many variations on this special one.
40. Nash
Whether you're a Nashville native or just a fan of the city's iconic music venues, this is a sweet choice for your future country superstar.
41. Nicholas
Nicholas means "people of victory," so get ready for plenty of exciting victories in your little one's life.
42. Noah
This popular name is of Hebrew origin, and means "rest" or "repose." Hopefully, that means your newborn will have no trouble sleeping through the night.
43. Orson
Orson, of Latin origin, means "bear cub." Name a cuter baby name meaning than that...I'll wait.
44. Oliver
Inspire a future reader by giving him a name from the Charles Dickens classic.
45. Peter
Peter, a Greek name meaning "rock" or "stone," is a rock-solid choice for your little dude. See what I did there?
46. Penn
If your baby grows up as talented as Penn Badgley, you're in luck. Just make sure the similarities stop at Penn...and not his You character Joe Goldberg.
47. Peyton
Peyton? Like quarterback Peyton Manning?? Yep, your boy is set to make NFL history.
48. Quentin
Having any "Q" name is already super rare, but sharing one with director Quentin Tarantino is even rarer.
49. Reid
This English name actually means "red haired," so if your son is born a redhead, you know which name to choose.
50. Rhett
If you grew up in the golden age of YouTube, you'll immediately think of '00s duo Rhett and Link. Both are pretty impressive names, but Rhett definitely stands out.
51. Richard
Richard, which was a bit more popular years ago, is sure give your son's name a vintage feel.
52. River
This could be an especially cute pick if your boy is a water sign!
53. Samuel
If you want your kid to be as iconic as Pulp Fiction's Samuel L. Jackson, you know what to do.
54. Scott
If you have Scottish family members, this could be the nicest tribute to them—since the name quite literally means "from Scotland."
55. Sutton
Similarly, if you have southern roots, Sutton means "from the southern homestead."
56. Thomas
If your little engineer becomes hooked on trains because of Thomas the Tank Engine, just wait until he realizes he shares a name with him.
57. Taylor
Still not over the fact that Taylor Lautner married another Taylor, and now they're both Taylor Lautner. And before that, he dated Taylor Swift. Pick this name if you're as big a "Taylor" stan as Taylor Lautner.
58. Timothy
Or, if you're feeling fancy, you can spell it Timothée, a la Chalamet.
59. Tobias
Say what you will about Tobias Fünke, Arrested Development fans, but the guy had a pretty great name.
60. Vincent
Vincent is Latin for "conquering," which is what he'll be doing in life for years to come with a name like that.
61. Wesley
Wesley means "western meadow," which is just about as peaceful of a name as it gets.
62. Zayn
If you were once a Directioner (and your fave of the group was Zayn), I get it...because same.
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