The letter “d” was the second-most popular first initial for boy names in 1992, but is now on the verge of falling out of the top-10.
It’s always interesting to see how first initials evolve over time — and boy names that start with B are no different.
For example, the letter “b” was a top-10 first initial for boys every year between 1948 and 2003 — and was even a top-five first initial in 1969, according to Behind The Name.
And B boy names like Brian, Brandon and Benjamin played a huge role in that success for a while.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), Brian has been the 23rd most popular boy’s name over the past 100 years and was given to approximately 1.2 million baby boys over that span.
Brandon (40th), Benjamin (41st), Bryan (77th), Bruce (81st), Billy (83rd), Bobby (96th) and Bradley (98th) also ranked in the top-100 over the past century.
But recent data shows that boy names that start with B aren’t as popular as they once were.
The letter “b” has now been the 11th most popular first initial for boys every year since 2012 and most recently accounted for just 4.1% of all names given to baby boys in 2023, per Behind The Name.
At the same time, we’re seeing a new generation of B boy names emerge in the United States today.
While Benjamin jumped from 41st over the past 100 years to 11th in 2023, none of the other B names for boys listed above cracked the top 100 in 2023, according to the SSA.
In fact, only three other B boy names were listed in 2023’s top-100 — Brooks (73rd), Bennett (74th) and Beau (79th).
Let’s take a look at some other baby boy names that start with B that are worth considering for your son!
Bryson
Origin: English
Meaning: Speckled; Freckled; Son of Brice
Bryson, pronounced BRY-sun, originated as a surname meaning "son of Brice." Brice itself comes from the name Bricius, which is believed to be a Latinized form of a Gaulish name meaning “speckled.”
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Brayden
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Salmon; Thief
Brayden, pronounced BRAY-den, is a modern variation of the Irish surname Ó Bradáin, which comes from the medieval Irish name Bradán, meaning “salmon” in Irish. Other theories suggest that it means “thief.”
Braxton
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Bracca’s town; Brock’s town
Braxton, pronounced BRAKS-tun, originated as an English surname derived from a place name that combines the Old English elements bræc (breaking) or personal name Bracca with tūn (town, settlement).
Bentley
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Bent grass clearing
Bentley, pronounced BENT-lee, comes from an English surname derived from a place name combining the Old English elements beonet, meaning “bent grass,” and leah, meaning “woodland” or “clearing.”
Beckett
Origin: Old English; Middle English
Meaning: Beehive; Beak; Stream; Brook
Beckett, pronounced BEK-it, is believed to be composed of the Old English elements beo, meaning “bee,” and cot, meaning “shelter.” Other theories link it to the Middle English word bec, meaning “beak,” or bekke, referring to a stream or brook.
Beckham
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Becca’s homestead; Pickaxe
Beckham, pronounced BEK-um, comes from an English surname derived from a place name combining the Old English element ham, meaning “home,” and the name Becca, meaning “pickaxe” in Old English.
Brody
Origin: Scottish; English
Meaning: Ditch; Muddy place; Brother; Close friend
Brody, pronounced BRO-dee, comes from a Scottish place name for a town in Moray, Scotland and is believed to mean “ditch” or “muddy place.” It’s also an English slang word for “brother” or “close friend.”
Barrett
Origin: English
Meaning: Quarrelsome; Trouble; Deception; Bear strength
Barrett, pronounced BARE-it, originated as a surname that was given to a quarrelsome person and is believed to be derived from the Middle English word barat, meaning “trouble” or “deception.” Other theories suggest it means “bear strength” or “strife.”
Brandon
Origin: English
Meaning: Hill covered with broom
Brandon, pronounced BRAN-dun, derived from an English surname referring to a place name meaning "hill covered with broom" (a flowering shrub). It was popularized in the U.S. by child actor Brandon Cruz.
Blake
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Black; Dark; Pale; White
Blake, pronounced BLAYK, has a bit of a dual meaning. It originated as a surname derived from the Old English blæc, meaning "black" or "dark," but can also stem from the word blāc, meaning "pale" or "white."
Bryce
Origin: Gaulish; Celtic
Meaning: Speckled; Freckled
Bryce, pronounced BRYS, is a common variant of Brice, which comes from the name Bricius and is believed to be a Latinized form of a Gaulish (Celtic) byname meaning “speckled” or “freckled.”
Bodhi
Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Enlightenment
Bodhi, pronounced BO-dee, comes from Sanskrit and refers to the spiritual state of enlightenment in Buddhism that’s attained by a Buddhist who has practiced the Eightfold Path and achieved salvation.
Brady
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Spirited; Thieving
Brady, pronounced BRAY-dee, derives from the Irish surname Ó Brádaigh meaning "descendant of Brádach.” Brádach is believed to be derived from the Irish word bradach, meaning “spirited” or “thieving.”
Briggs
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Bridge; Born by a bridge
Briggs, pronounced BRIGZ, originated as an English surname that derives from the Old English word brycg and Middle English word brigge, referring to a bridge or someone who lived near a bridge.
Banks
Origin: English
Meaning: Born by a hill; Born on a slope; Riverbank
Banks, pronounced BANKS, originated as an English surname referring to someone who lived on a hillside or near a riverbank. It only recently gained popularity as a given name in the United States.
Bowen
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Born from the yew tree; Well-born
Bowen, pronounced BO-wen, comes from the Welsh surname ab Owain, meaning "son of Owain." Owain is the Welsh form of Owen, which either means “born from the yew tree” through Eoghan or “well-born” through Eugenius.
Brantley
Origin: Old German; English
Meaning: Fire; Flame; High clearing
Brantley, pronounced BRANT-lee, originated as an English surname derived from the Old German word brant, meaning “fire” or “flame.” It can also combine the Old English elements brant, meaning “high,” and leah, meaning “clearing.”
Baylor
Origin: English; German
Meaning: Deliverer of goods; Measuring stick
Baylor, pronounced BAY-lor, originated as an English occupational surname referring to a baler or bailor — a deliverer or transporter of goods. It can also come from the Middle High German word beile, meaning "measuring stick.”
Braylen
Origin: Modern; Invented
Meaning: Unknown
Braylen, pronounced BRAY-len, appears to be an invented name combining the popular "Bray-" sound (as in Brayden) with the fashionable "-len" suffix seen in names like Jaylen. Some parents prefer Braylon.
Boone
Origin: French
Meaning: Good
Boone, pronounced BOON, comes from the French word bon meaning "good." Other theories suggest it comes from the name of the town of Bohon, France. It was popularized by American frontiersman Daniel Boone.
Benson
Origin: Latin; Hebrew; English
Meaning: Son of the right hand; Blessed
Benson, pronounced BEN-sun, originated as a surname meaning "son of Benjamin" or "son of Benedict." Therefore, it could translate to “son of the right hand,” via Benjamin, or “blessed,” via Benedict.
Boston
Origin: English
Meaning: Botolph’s town; City in Massachusetts
Boston, pronounced BOS-tun, originated as a place name in England combining the name Botolph (patron saint of travellers and wayfarers) and tun, meaning town. It’s also the name of a city in Massachusetts.
Briar
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Thorny plant; Wild rose bush
Briar, pronounced BRY-er, comes directly from the English word for a thorny plant or wild rose bush, which is derived from the Old English word brer. Its berries are edible and enjoyed by songbird species.
Bruno
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Brown; Protection; Armor
Bruno, pronounced BROO-no, either derives from the Germanic element brunna, meaning “armor” or “protection,” or the Germanic element bruno, meaning “brown.” Saint Bruno was a German monk who founded the Carthusian Order.
Brock
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Badger
Brock, pronounced BROK, comes from the Old English word brocc, meaning “badger.” It originated as a surname and combines natural imagery with a concise, strong sound and straightforward spelling.
Blaze
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Fire; Stutter
Blaze, pronounced BLAYZ, is a variant of the name Blaise and comes from the Latin word blasius, meaning "to stutter," though its modern associations connect more strongly to the English word for fire.
Benicio
Origin: Spanish; Latin
Meaning: Blessed
Benicio, pronounced beh-NEE-see-oh, is a Spanish variation of Benedict, which is derived from the Latin name Benedictus, meaning "blessed." The name gained recognition through actor Benicio del Toro.
Bjorn
Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Bear
Bjorn, pronounced BYORN, comes directly from the Old Norse word bjǫrn, meaning “bear” — an animal revered for its strength and courage in Norse culture. It’s a popular name in Scandinavian countries.
Bear
Origin: English
Meaning: Bear (animal)
Bear, pronounced BAIR, comes directly from the English word for the animal, traditionally viewed as a symbol of strength, courage, and protection. The word bear is derived from the Old English word bera.
Byron
Origin: English
Meaning: Place of the cow sheds; Cottage
Byron, pronounced BY-run, originated as an English surname derived from place names meaning "place of the cow sheds" or "cottage." It gained literary significance through the Romantic poet Lord Byron.
Benedict
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Blessed; Well-spoken
Benedict, pronounced BEN-uh-dict, comes from the Latin benedictus meaning "blessed" or "well-spoken." The name has significant religious and historical importance through St. Benedict, founder of Western monasticism.
Blaine
Origin: Scottish; Old Irish
Meaning: Yellow
Blaine, pronounced BLAYN, comes from a Scottish surname derived from the Old Irish name Bláán, which comes from the Old Irish word blá, meaning “yellow, combined with a diminutive suffix.
Baxter
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Baker
Baxter, pronounced BAK-ster, originated as an English occupational surname meaning "female baker,” ultimately derived from the Old English word bæcere and Middle English word bakstere, meaning “baker.”
Brett
Origin: English
Meaning: From Brittany; From Britain
Brett, pronounced BRET, derived from a Middle English surname meaning "a Breton" or referring to someone residing in Brittany in France. The name Brittany quite literally translates to “from Britain.”
Bryn
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Hill
Bryn, pronounced BRIN, comes directly from the Welsh word for "hill." While traditionally more common as a feminine name in English-speaking countries, it remains predominantly masculine in Wales.
Bernard
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Brave as a bear
Bernard, pronounced BER-nard, is composed of the Germanic elements bern, referring to a bear, and hart, meaning “brave,” “strong” and “hardy.” It offers the fun and friendly nicknames Bernie and Barney.
Bartholomew
Origin: Greek; English; Aramaic
Meaning: Son of Talmai; Furrowed
Bartholomew, pronounced bar-THOL-uh-myoo, is the Anglicized form of the Greek name Bartholomaios, meaning "son of Talmai" in Aramaic. Talmai is a Hebrew name meaning “furrowed.” Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus in the New Testament.
Bellamy
Origin: Old French
Meaning: Beautiful friend
Bellamy, pronounced BEL-uh-mee, is composed of the Old French elements bel, meaning “beautiful,” and ami, meaning “friend.” Therefore, it translates to “beautiful friend.” It’s a unisex name, but more popular among boys.
Baron
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Freeman; Warrior; Noble title
Baron, pronounced BAIR-un, comes directly from the title of nobility, which ultimately derived from Germanic baro, meaning "freeman" or "warrior." It’s the name of President Donald Trump’s youngest son.
Bruin
Origin: Dutch
Meaning: Brown; Bear-like
Bruin, pronounced BROO-in, comes from the Dutch word for "brown” and is used as a traditional name for bears in Dutch folklore. The name gained popularity through sports mascots like the Boston Bruins.
Broderick
Origin: Welsh; Irish; Old Norse
Meaning: Exalted king; Brother
Broderick, pronounced BROD-er-ik, is believed to come from the Welsh surname ap Rhydderch, with Rhydderch meaning “exalted king” in Old Welsh. It can also come from the Irish surname Ó Bruadair, with Bruadair meaning “brother” in Old Norse.
Balthazar
Origin: Hebrew; Akkadian
Meaning: Protect the king
Balthazar, pronounced bal-THAY-zar or BAL-tuh-zar, comes from the Hebrew name Belshatstsar, meaning “Bel protect the king" in Akkadian. In Christian tradition, it's associated with one of the three Magi who visited the infant Jesus.
Bridger
Origin: English
Meaning: Bridge worker
Bridger, pronounced BRIJ-er, originated as an English occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or maintained a bridge. It can also be a shortened name inspired by the show “Bridgerton.”
Brian
Origin: Old Celtic
Meaning: High; Noble
Brian, pronounced BRY-an, comes from the Old Celtic element brigh meaning "high" or "noble." The name has historical significance through Brian Boru, High King of Ireland in the 10th-11th centuries.
Benjamin
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Son of the right hand; Son of the south
Benjamin, pronounced BEN-juh-min, comes from the Hebrew name Binyamin and is composed of the Hebrew elements ben, meaning “son,” and yamin, meaning “right hand” or “south.” In the Bible, Benjamin is the youngest son of Jacob.
Bruce
Origin: Norman; Scottish
Meaning: From Brix; From the willowlands
Bruce, pronounced BROOS, comes from a Scottish surname of Norman origin and was likely inspired by the French town Brix. It gained Scottish significance through Robert the Bruce, a king who helped secure Scottish independence.
Billy
Origin: Germanic; English
Meaning: Desire to protect; Willed protection
Billy, pronounced BIL-ee, is a diminutive of William, which is composed of the Germanic elements willo, meaning “will” or “desire,” and helm, meaning “helmet” or “protection.” Therefore, it means “will to protect.”
Bobby
Origin: Germanic; English
Meaning: Bright fame
Bobby, pronounced BOB-ee, is a diminutive of Bob and, ultimately, Robert, which is composed of the Germanic elements hruod, meaning “fame,” and beraht, meaning “bright.” Therefore, it means “bright fame.”
Bradley
Origin: English
Meaning: Broad clearing
Bradley, pronounced BRAD-lee, originated as an English surname derived from a place name combining elements meaning "broad" and "clearing." It was popularized by World War II general Omar Bradley.
Brooks
Origin: English
Meaning: Brook; Small stream
Brooks, pronounced BRUKS, originated as an English surname referring to someone who lived near a brook or small stream. Brooke is more popular among girls, whereas Brooks is more popular for boys.
Bennett
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Blessed; Well-spoken
Bennett, pronounced BEN-it, is the medieval form of Benedict, which comes from the Latin name Benedictus, meaning “blessed” or “well-spoken.” It originated as a surname before being used as a given name.
Beau
Origin: French
Meaning: Handsome; Beautiful
Beau, pronounced BOH, comes directly from the French word for "handsome" or "beautiful." It stands well on its own while also functioning as a shortened form of names like Beauregard or Beaumont.
How Do You Feel About Boy Names That Start With B?
Browsing through baby boy names that start with B is a wonderful place to begin your search.
Names like Benjamin, Brandon, and Brian offer timeless appeal as all-time classics, while foreign names (like Bjorn and Bryn) and modern names (like Bruin and Bear) offer distinct variety.
However, don't limit yourself to boy names starting with B when the entire alphabet holds possibilities!
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, Mod Moms Club is your ultimate resource for discovering the perfect name. Our comprehensive guides cover trending names, classic options and unique gems.
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And for those who need extra inspiration, our baby name generator can provide personalized suggestions based on your preferences, making your baby-naming journey smoother and more enjoyable!
