Dad Names

The craze for surname names is now moving beyond the English and Irish to include worldly Spanish names for boys like this historic one currently in the Top 1000.

Familiar as a Latin surname but has potential as a first.

Occasionally used as an alternative to Brandon or Brennan.

Synthesized name in the Justin/Dustin mold, but has an unpleasant similarity to the diaper rash ointment called Desitin.

Popular in the African American community, the De- prefix makes this a choice for sons of Marcuses.

No longer a one-person name, as a number of parents have been inspired by basketball great Shaquille O'Neal to adopt it for their own future athletes.

Relaxed western place-name that still has some masculine punch, but be warned: this whole posse of similarly trendy names, like Sierra and Dakota, will soon ride toward the sunset.

One case where a spelling variation improves the name, Britton is used about four times as often as Britain for both genders. Currently, the count of baby Brittons is running at about 4 to 3 in favor of the boys.

Another culture's slant on Mark, sometimes associated with former president of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos and his shoe-collecting wife, Imelda.

Widely used in the Latino community, the name gained renown in the nineties for its association with rapper Gerardo Mejía of 'Rico Suave' fame.

The name of a type of nautical knot and the surname of an English soccer star feels very at home in a world of Kendricks and Merricks.

Got some notice as a Jared alternative, has musical association with pianist Keith Jarrett.

Variation of Christian.

There are ordinary folk named Prince, Earl, and Duke, so why not this rank of nobility as well? Many spellings compete, the most common being Marquis, Marquise, and Marquez. Rapper 50 Cent chose the Marquise version for his son; David Caruso chose Marquez.

On the Latino Hit Parade, heard much more often than the English version.

Sounds more like a car than a baby name. Some sources related it to the English surname Carter, which would be more stylish these days.

This may be a phonetic variation of Malcolm, but it just looks...wrong. Be prepared for spelling corrections.

Unisex option Dominique peaked for boys at Number 170 in 1991, perhaps due to the popularity of basketball player Dominique Wilkins. It's one of the most truly gender-neutral baby names right now.

Rolando, along with brother name Orlando, are among the most attractive and appealing of Latinate names. It has been in the US Top 1000 every year since 1946.