Short boy names can be cute and sweet or cool and strong. Some short names for boys were made with five or fewer letters, while others are first names that were once only used as nicknames for longer boy names.
Rare Short Names for Boys and Their Meanings
Unique Short Names for Boys
Classic short boy names like John, Luke, and Mark have been popular throughout history. The following names are much less common, but they have the potential to be trendy.
- Afon – Meaning “river” in Welsh, Afon has similar sounds to old names like Alfred and modern names like rapper Akon.
- Agni – Sanskrit for “fire,” Agni is the mythological name of an ancient Hindu fire god that mimics the ending sound of other common short names such as Danny or Jesse.
- Anso – This ancient Germanic name means “god” and resembles trendy names like Enzo.
- Cenk – An ancient Turkish word for “battle,” Cenk is a unique name that sounds similar to Hank.
- Dren – Meaning “deer” in Albanian, this nature name resembles common names such as Dan or Ben.
- Edom – If you like Adam or Domenic, Edom, which means “red,” could be a great, uncommon option.
- Idan – Similar to names like Ian or Aiden, Idan means “era” in Hebrew.
- Kemp – Meaning “champion, athlete, or warrior,” it’s a wonder Kemp isn’t a more common boy name.
- Lior – This Hebrew word meaning “light for me” is a sweet option for beloved little boys.
- Malo – Breton for “bright pledge,” Malo has an islander feel to it.
- Naël – This French name means “gift of God” and sounds similar to names such as Niall.
- Olek – This is the Polish short form of the name Alexander, which means “defending men.”
- Pons – A rare French name, Pons is a short form of Pontius, which means “of the sea.”
- Reko – This Finnish short form of Gregory means “watchful.”
- Soth – Meaning “pure” in Khmer, Soth sounds like the cooler cousin of Seth.
- Wira – If you like strong boy names, Wira is a great option because it means “hero” in Indonesian and Malay.
Cute Short Boy Names Starting With the Letters A Through D
From Abe to Duc, these short names from the beginning of the alphabet are easy to say and spell. Roll a few of these classic short boy names over your tongue to see if they fit.
- Abe
- Abu
- Aca
- Ace
- Ade
- Aki
- Alf
- Ali
- Ari
- Arn
- Art
- Ash
- Ayo
- Baz
- Ben
- Bob
- Bud
- Buz
- Cai
- Cal
- Cam
- Chi
- Coy
- Dag
- Dan
- Dax
- Deo
- Des
- Dex
- Dom
- Don
- Dre
- Duc
Cool Boy Names From E to J That Have Three Letters
Short names like these are unique, and they have a cool vibe that proves less is more.
- Ean
- Edi
- Eko
- Eli
- Ern
- Fen
- Fox
- Gad
- Gaz
- Gib
- Gil
- Gio
- Gus
- Guy
- Hal
- Ian
- Ike
- Ion
- Ira
- Isa
- Iva
- Iwo
- Jad
- Jae/Jai
- Jan
- Jax
- Jay
- Jeb
- Jef
- Jem
- Jep
- Jim
- Jin
- Job
- Joe
- Jon
Handsome Three-Letter Names for Boys From K to N
Short boy names from this part of the alphabet tend to have a handsome sound because many start and end with a consonant. From Kam to Nic, see if any of these short masculine boy names have the original sound you are looking for.
- Kai
- Kaj
- Kam
- Kay
- Ken
- Kev
- Kim
- Kip
- Kir
- Kyo
- Lan
- Law
- Lee
- Len
- Leo
- Les
- Lev
- Lex
- Lon
- Luc
- Lux
- Maj
- Mao
- Mat
- Max
- Mel
- Nat
- Ned
- Neo
- Nic/Nik
- Niv
- Noe
- Nol
- Noy
- Nur
- Nye
Short and Strong Masculine Boy Names Starting With O Through S
Strong baby boy names can be found throughout the alphabet and don’t have to be big to make a big impact.
- Obi
- Ode
- Odi
- Oli
- Ora
- Ori
- Ozi
- Pat
- Paz
- Raf
- Raj
- Ray
- Raz
- Red
- Reg
- Ren
- Rex
- Rio
- Rob
- Rod
- Roi
- Rok
- Ron
- Ryu
- Sal
- Sam
- Sho
- Sid
- Sly
- Stu
Short Male Names With Three Letters From T to Z
Names that start with letters at the end of the alphabet are uncommon and cute. These names are sure to add a unique twist to your little one’s moniker.
- Tad
- Taj
- Tao
- Ted
- Teo
- Tex
- Tim
- Tom
- Tor
- Udi
- Ugo
- Uri
- Val
- Van
- Vic
- Vin
- Wes
- Wyn
- Yao
- Zac/Zak
- Zed