Boy Names That Mean Life

Bekele is an attractive Ethiopian name prime for use in the English-speaking world, especially given the short form Bek. Pronunciation is three syllables with the emphasis on the second -- beh-KEH-lee.

A popular name in medieval Scotland, it can be found in the surname Macbeth, meaning "son of Beathan" or "son of life." In later years it was increasingly anglicized as Benjamin.

A surname with more force than most.

Upper-crusty hotelish surname.

Although appearing as a patronym (nope, it doesn't mean "son of Elizabeth"), Macbeth originated as a given name. It is derived from the Gaelic MacBeatha, describing a religious man.

"Huggin? As in 'it out'?"

Rarely used Spanish name, referring to shifting to another life beyond this one. Boy names that mean life are an elite group of which this is an unusual member.

An upbeat and unusual name featuring the fashionable V sound and striking initial Z.

Simple and down-to-earth, but would probably work best as a middle name.

Off-putting cousin of Bradley and Rodney.

Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.

In Slavic cultures, Saint Vitus is called Sveti Vid, making this a saintly appellation.

Darnel, the plant from which this name derives, is an intoxicating plant, which used to be grown to make medicines and poisons.