T names for boys stretch from Old Testament Hebrew to Japanese kanji to a small Welsh village, and the letter is having a very good decade. Theodore reached 4th among American boys in 2025, the best position it has ever held, and Thomas and Thiago sit in the top 100 alongside it.
The 100 names below cover the whole range, from Theodore and Thomas down to Tasunke and Ticone, which are too rare for the federal data to list at all. Every entry carries its origin, meaning, pronunciation, style, and where the name actually stands in U.S. births today.
Grab a pen. Somewhere in here is the one you keep coming back to.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Theodore, Thomas, Thiago, Tucker and Tate.
100 Cool Male Names That Start with T
Take a look at our collection of timeless names for boys that start with T.
Tabor
Tabor carries three separate histories at once. Mount Tabor rises sharply out of the Jezreel Valley, and the Hebrew name behind it points to a height or a lofty place. The Anglicized French line runs through tambour, a drum, while in Hungarian a tabor is a camp. Three roots, one short and sturdy name that sounds like it belongs to a young warrior.
- Origin: Hebrew, English, French
- Meaning: Height, lofty place, drum
- Pronunciation: TAY-bor
- Namesakes: William Clifton Tabor, an English cricketer.
- Popularity: Tabor ranked #11,821 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #2,641 in 1998.
Tacitus
Tacitus may be a derivative of the Roman goddess Dea Tacita, “the silent goddess.” But don’t be put off by this deity of the dead, as Tacitus was also a Roman historian. The association may invoke a quiet, attentive air. After all, it’s been said that wise men speak little, so perhaps baby Tacitus will become a great thinker.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Silent, mute
- Pronunciation: ta-KEE-tohs, TA-sih-tus
- Variations: Tacita
- Namesakes: Publius Cornelius Tacitus, a first-century Roman historian.
- Popularity: Tacitus has never hit the five-births-a-year threshold the U.S. data requires, so it does not appear there at all.
Tadao
Parents who follow architecture may already know Tadao through Tadao Ando. English speakers tend to stumble over Japanese names, and this one is no exception, with ta-DAY-oh and ta-DOW both floating around despite Japanese pronunciation being far more consistent than that. Say it TA-da-oh and it lands softly. The meaning, a sincere and contented man, suits a baby who takes life as it comes.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Satisfied, complacent, sincere man
- Pronunciation: TA-da-oh
- Namesakes: Tadao Ikeda, a Japanese screenwriter, and director. Tadao Andō, a Japanese architect. Tadao Satō, born Tadao Iiri, a Japanese film critic, theorist, and historian.
- Popularity: Tadao last showed up in the U.S. data in 1938 at #3,977, after a best of #1,494 in 1923.
Tadashi
With so many character combinations, Tadashi has many meanings. Japanese boy names that start with T tend to keep on giving. If faith and good fortune weren’t enough, Tadashi can also mean “loyalty” and “devotion.” For a cute diminutive that works well in the west, use Tad.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Faithful, proper, correct, auspicious
- Pronunciation: TA-da-shee
- Namesakes: Tadashi Imai, a Japanese film director. Tadashi Nakamura, a Japanese martial artist and founder and chairman of World Seidō Karate Organization.
- Popularity: Tadashi has been in the U.S. data since 1912 and placed #7,620 in 2025.
Tahir
Tahir reaches the Quran through the root letters T-H-R, and the purity it describes is the kind that means free from sin. It is used most in Islamic and Jewish communities across Asia, Africa and Europe. The sound is soft without being slight, and the spellings Taahir, Tahar and Taher give you room to adjust. Wholesome is the word most parents land on.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Virtuous, pious, pure
- Pronunciation: TAH-hir
- Variations: Taahir, Tahar, Taher
- Namesakes: Tahir Aslam Gora, a Pakistani-Canadian broadcaster editor, publisher, translator, and author. Tahir Yahya, two-time prime minister of Iraq.
- Popularity: #2,535 in the U.S. for 2025, up about 60% on the previous decade.
Taika
Taika was unknown in the west before Taika Waititi came onto the scene. Not only is it fun to say, but it’s also got two awesome meanings. Nature enthusiasts and Harry Potter fans might find the most use for Taika, but really, it’s a great pick for anyone. And with about 1,300 bearers globally, there won’t be much competition.
- Origin: Finnish, Maori
- Meaning: Magic, spell, tiger
- Pronunciation: TYE-ka
- Namesakes: Taika David Cohen, known as Taika Waititi, an award-winning New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian.
- Popularity: About 109 American boys have been named Taika; the latest U.S. rank is #9,600 in 2025.
Taj
Taj means exactly what it says, a crown. Its most famous bearer is arguably a building rather than a person, the Taj Mahal, the crown of the palace. Surfer Taj Burrow and basketball player Taj Gibson show how easily it travels between cultures. Short, regal, and impossible to shorten any further.
- Origin: Persian, Arabic
- Meaning: Crown
- Pronunciation: TA-ch, TA-zh
- Variations: Taaj
- Namesakes: Taj Burrow, an Australian professional surfer. Taj Gibson, an American professional basketball player. Taj Mihelich, an American World Champion BMX cyclist.
- Popularity: Taj came in at #1,667 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #956 in 1998.
Takahiro
Takahiro is the ideal choice for your most precious possession. Besides “valuable” and “noble,” it can also mean “big,” “broad,” “vast,” “precious,” and “ocean.” A famous carrier in pop culture is Takahiro Sakurai, a Japanese voice actor, and narrator. He’s known for his roles as Cloud Strife in Final Fantasy VII and Suzaku Kururugi in Code Geass.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Valuable, filial piety, noble
- Pronunciation: ta-ka-HEE-roh
- Namesakes: Takahiro Arai, a Japanese professional baseball player. Takahiro “Tak” Matsumoto, a Japanese musician, composer, and record producer.
- Popularity: Takahiro last showed up in the U.S. data in 2016 at #13,955, after a best of #4,451 in 1991.
Takashi
Takashi is a familiar choice among names for boys that start with T in Japan. Different kanji combinations shift the sense toward samurai or gentleman, so the written form does a lot of the work here. The meanings run to filial piety, nobility and honor, which is a dignified set for a small boy to grow into. Tak makes an easy everyday short form.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Filial piety, noble, prosperous, honor
- Pronunciation: tuh-KA-shee, ta-KA-shee
- Namesakes: Takashi Abe, a Japanese professional shogi player. Takashi Amano, a professional track cyclist, photographer, designer, aquarist, and founder.
- Popularity: Takashi last showed up in the U.S. data in 2024 at #12,181, after a best of #1,090 in 1925.
Talib
Talib is mentioned in the Quran via the root T16-L-B, making it a highly sought-after choice. This respectable pick is great for parents who love knowledge and learning and wish to pass on that trait. Talib could remind your little student to study something new each day.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Seeker (of knowledge), student, learner
- Pronunciation: ta-LEEB
- Variations: Talip, Taliba
- Namesakes: Talib El-Shibib, an Iraqi politician. Talib Kweli Greene, an American rapper. Talib Zanna, a Nigerian professional basketball player.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #13,667 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 333,333.
Tāne
From Maori mythology, Tāne is the god of forests. He is called Tane on Tahiti, where he is revered as the god of beauty and peace. In Hawaiian myth, Kāne is the equivalent of Tāne and means “male.” With a meaning like that, there’s no manlier option on our list of boy names with T than Tāne.
- Origin: Polynesian
- Meaning: Man, male
- Pronunciation: TAA-nay
- Variations: Tane
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Tāne; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Tanner
Tanner comes from an English occupational surname for one who tans hides, from the Old English tannere. It reads modern rather than historical, helped along by a run of actors and athletes carrying it. There is no obvious nickname, which suits a name already this relaxed. If you want something that sounds right on a friendly kid and a capable adult, Tanner does both.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Leather maker, one who tans hide
- Pronunciation: TAN-ur, TAN-er
- Namesakes: Tanner Buchanan, an American actor. Tanner Roark,an American professional baseball pitcher. Andrew Tanner Wayne, an American musician, and band drummer.
- Popularity: #475 in the U.S. for 2025, down about 52% on the previous decade.
Tao
Tao sits at the center of Asian philosophy, where it means the way or the path. It doubles as a Japanese boy’s name, and the Chinese sense of large waves gives it movement. At three letters it still carries more weight than names three times the length. Choose it for the simplicity or for the idea behind it.
- Origin: Chinese, Vietnamese
- Meaning: Large waves, path, long life
- Pronunciation: TA-oh
- Variations: Dao, Tào
- Popularity: About 433 American boys have been named Tao; the latest U.S. rank is #5,824 in 2025.
Tarhe
Plant a sturdy tree with the unusual but strong Tarhe. With only a handful of bearers, Tarhe isn’t widely known, making it ripe for the picking. This Native American Wyandot moniker was notably borne by a Wyandot leader who fought American expansion into Ohio Country. Try Tarhe for its strength of character.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: The tree
- Pronunciation: TAAR-hay, taar-HAY
- Namesakes: Tarhe, nicknamed The Crane, a leader of the Wyandot people in Ohio Country.
- Popularity: Tarhe has never hit the five-births-a-year threshold the U.S. data requires, so it does not appear there at all.
Tariq
Tariq is found in the Quran via the roots T-R-Q. From the word “ṭāriq” it more literally means “striker,” referring to a nighttime visitor who strikes the door. On the Arabian Peninsula, travelers tended to arrive at night due to the heat during the day. This could also symbolize a “star,” celestial bodies that only “visited” at night.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Night visitor, star
- Pronunciation: tuu-REEK, TAAR-rik
- Variations: Taariq, Tareq, Tarek, Tarik
- Namesakes: Tariq Ali, a Pakistani-British political activist, writer, intellectual, and filmmaker. Tariq Nasheed, an American film producer and internet personality.
- Popularity: Tariq ranked #1,599 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #444 in 1998.
Tarlo
Tarlo is of Native American Kiowa origin, but it is also a Polish surname. Lovers of the Brother Bear movie franchise should adore this pick reminiscent of the majesty of the wilderness. Give your cuddly teddy bear a moniker with a meaning as sweet as it sounds with Tarlo.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Bear cub
- Pronunciation: taar-LOH
- Popularity: Tarlo last showed up in the U.S. data in 2023 at #13,958, after a best of #12,147 in 2022.
Taro
Of all the names for boys that start with T, Taro is the one built for a firstborn son. It looks cute on paper and turns out to be surprisingly sturdy, with meanings running to strong, heroic and masculine. Taro is also a root vegetable eaten across Asia, Africa and the Pacific, which adds an earthy, everyday quality. That mix of grand and grounded is the whole appeal.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Eldest son, strong, heroic, masculine
- Pronunciation: TA-ROH
- Variations: Tarō, Talo, Tarou, Taroh
- Namesakes: Taro Hakase, a Japanese musician and composer. Taro Kudo, a Japanese video game designer, and video game music composer. Taro Yoko, a Japanese video game director, and scenario writer.
- Popularity: Taro last showed up in the U.S. data in 2024 at #12,190, after a best of #2,645 in 1919.
Taron
Rolling onto the scene is Taron, Welsh from Celtic origins. It’s also Armenian, and though the meaning is undefined, it is based on a historical region of Armenia. If Thor is too in-your-face for a thunder-themed option, go with Taron. It packs just as much power.
- Origin: Celtic, Welsh
- Meaning: Thunder
- Pronunciation: TA-rn
- Variations: Taran
- Namesakes: Taron Egerton, an award-winning Welsh actor. Taron Lexton, a South African film director. Taron Andraniki Margaryan, an Armenian politician and the 11th mayor of Yerevan.
- Popularity: Taron has been in the U.S. data since 1963 and placed #4,032 in 2025.
Tarso
Tarso is generally considered a Portuguese derivative meaning “from Tarsus.” However, Tarso may have other roots, which refer to a flat surface used for drying grapes, fruits, or malts. This is ultimately from the Greek “tarsós,” referencing “the flat of the foot” or “edge of the eyelid.”
- Origin: Portuguese
- Meaning: From Tarsus, flat surface for drying
- Pronunciation: TAAR-soh
- Namesakes: Tarso Genro, a Brazilian politician. Tarso Marques, a Brazilian F1 racecar driver.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Tarso; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Tarun
Tarun is from Sanskrit roots and is found most commonly in India, where it ranks in the top 1,000 names. For a short time, it made waves in England and Wales between 2001 and 2003. Tarun is straightforwardly masculine and is just right for a boy with loads of youthful energy.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Young male, youthful
- Pronunciation: TA-roon, TA-ruun
- Variations: Taroon, Tharun, Taroun
- Namesakes: Tarun Kumar, an Indian Tengulu actor. Tarun Vijay, an Indian social worker, author, and journalist. Tarun Khiwal, an Indian fashion, and commercial photographer.
- Popularity: About 848 American boys have been named Tarun; the latest U.S. rank is #11,836 in 2025.
Tasunke
Hop in the saddle with Tasunke. This Native American T name comes from the Sioux word “tȟašúŋke” meaning “his horse.” Amazingly, Tasunke is probably the rarest of all the guy names that start with T on this list. Your baby boy is sure to feel special, so show Tasunke some love, and don’t let it fade into history.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Horse
- Pronunciation: tuu-SUNK
- Variations: Thasunke
- Namesakes: Tȟašúŋke Witkó, a 19th-century Lakota military leader of the Oglala band.
- Popularity: Too rare for the U.S. federal name data, which lists a name only once it reaches five births in a year.
Tate
Tate is a happy name at root. It traces to the Old Norse teitr, meaning bright, cheerful or glad, and possibly to an Old English given name, Tata. It suits a toddler and a grown man equally well, with no nickname needed to soften it. The second meaning, a measure of land, gives it a quieter, older texture underneath the cheer.
- Origin: English, Irish
- Meaning: Cheerful, measure of land
- Pronunciation: TAYT
- Namesakes: Tate Adams, a Northern Ireland-born Australian artist. Tate Donovan, an American actor, comedian, and director. Tate Fogleman, an American professional stock car racer.
- Popularity: Tate ranked #194 among U.S. boys in 2025, its best position on record.
Tatsuhiko
Tatsuhiko is rare enough in the west that your son will have plenty to brag about once he explains it. The meaning runs to dragon boy or dragon prince, which is a lot of name for someone very small. It breaks apart neatly for daily use: Tatsu, meaning dragon, and Hiko, meaning boy or prince. Feisty babies have been given worse.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Dragon boy, dragon prince, accomplished boy
- Pronunciation: TAT-soo-HEE-koh
- Namesakes: Tatsuhiko Takimoto, a Japanese author known for the novel, Welcome to the N.H.K.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Tatsuhiko; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Tatsuo
Tatsuo is a fiery choice that keeps it simple, not too long and complicated to say. With a sturdy, masculine air, it touts great popularity in Japan. Depending on the kanji combinations, you can derive many other dragon-related meanings from Tatsuo.
- Origin: Japanese
- Meaning: Male dragon, dragon son
- Pronunciation: TAT-soo-oh
- Namesakes: Tatsuo Sato, a Japanese anime director. Tatsuo Hori, a Japanese translator, poet, and author. Tatsuo Endō, a Japanese film and TV actor.
- Popularity: Tatsuo last showed up in the U.S. data in 1940 at #3,425, after a best of #833 in 1916.
Tavish
Tavish may appear in a few different cultures, but it’s still rare. The only known famous bearer is the politician Tavish Scott. Tavish is an Anglicized form of Tàmhas, a Scottish Gaelic form of Thomas, meaning “twin.” However, in Hindi, Tavish means “heaven”. A celestial bonus point to its repertoire.
- Origin: Scottish, Irish, Indian
- Meaning: Twin, hillside, heaven
- Pronunciation: TA-vish
- Namesakes: Tavish Hamilton Scott, a Scottish politician.
- Popularity: Tavish has been in the U.S. data since 1982 and placed #4,840 in 2025.
Taylor
Taylor is genuinely gender neutral, used for boys and girls in every English-speaking country it turns up in. It began as an occupational surname for someone who cut and sewed cloth, from the Norman French tailleur, a cutter. That makes it one of the more useful T surnames to have crossed into first-name use. It peaked hard in the 1990s and has settled into steady, unfussy service since.
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: Tailor, cutter (of cloth)
- Pronunciation: TAY-lr, TAY-luh
- Variations: Tayler, Tailor
- Namesakes: Taylor Sheridan, an American director, and actor. Taylor Hall, a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Taylor Lautner, an American actor, known for his role in the Twilight films.
- Popularity: #403 in the U.S. for 2025, down about 67% on the previous decade.
Ted
Ted began as a short form of Theodore, which is Greek, and of Edward, which is Anglo-Saxon. It long ago stopped needing either of them, in much the same way Teddy and Theo have. Three letters, one syllable, nothing to spell out over the phone. For a name that peaked in the 1930s, it wears the present day remarkably lightly.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Gift of God, prosperous guardian
- Pronunciation: TED
- Namesakes: Ted Arnbjörn Gärdestad, a Swedish singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. Ted Moore, a South African-British cinematographer, known for seven James Bond films.
- Popularity: About 75,160 American boys have been named Ted; the latest U.S. rank is #3,229 in 2025.
Tedros
Tedros is the Ethiopian cousin of Theodore, that took center stage with the appointment of the new World Health Organization director general. More specifically, Tedros is of Classical Ethiopic or Ge’ez origin. Tedros is ideal if you want a slightly cooler and more exotic version of Theodore.
- Origin: Ethiopian, Amharic
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: TED-rohs
- Variations: Tewodros
- Namesakes: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian public health official, researcher, and director general of the World Health Organization. Tedros Redae, an Ethiopian cyclist.
- Popularity: Tedros appears in the U.S. data only around 2011, at #14,120.
Telmo
Telmo exists because of a mistake. Santelmo, meaning Saint Elmo, got split in the wrong place, and the leftover half turned out to sound better than the original. Elmo itself is a diminutive of the Greek Erasmus. Accident or not, Telmo is warm and short, it is well loved across Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, and it means beloved into the bargain.
- Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
- Meaning: Beloved
- Pronunciation: TEL-moh
- Variations: Telma
- Namesakes: General Telmo Vargas, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of Ecuador. Telmo Languiller-Tornesi, an Australian politician. Telmo Aldaz de la Quadra-Salcedo, a Spanish globetrotter, media personality, and politician.
- Popularity: Telmo appears in the U.S. data only around 2021, at #13,863.
Tennessee
Moonpies and Justin Timberlake aren’t the only iconic things to come out of the volunteer state. Tennessee derives from Native American Cherokee “Tanasi,” adapted from the Yuchi word “Tana-tsee-dgee” meaning “where the waters meet.” If you’re into place names like London or Chicago but want to keep the big T, Tennessee will check both boxes.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Meeting place
- Pronunciation: ten-uh-SEE, TEN-uh-see
- Namesakes: Thomas Lanier Williams III, pen name Tennessee Williams, an American playwright. Tennessee Toth, son of American actress Reese Witherspoon.
- Popularity: In 2025, Tennessee sat at #4,974 in the U.S. data, well off its #2,088 high in 1917.
Tennyson
Tenney was a Middle English form of Denis or Dennis, hence Tennyson really means “son of Dennis.” If Dad is a Denis or Dennis, you know what to do. And because Tennyson was originally a surname, it has an air of sophistication that other T names for boys don’t have.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Son of Tenney (Dennis)
- Pronunciation: TEN-uh-sn, TEN-ih-sn
- Namesakes: Lord Alfred Tennyson, an English poet.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #4,521 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 76,923.
Tenzin
Chances are you either know Tenzin because of the religious leader Tenzin Gyatso or because of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Tenzin is one exotic name that doesn’t sound too out there. It holds deep meaning in Buddhist spiritualism and is great for peace-loving parents.
- Origin: Tibetan
- Meaning: Holder of Buddha Dharma
- Pronunciation: TEN-sn
- Variations: Tenzing, Stanzin
- Namesakes: Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. Geshe Tenzin Zopa, a Nepali, Tibetan Buddhist monk.
- Popularity: Tenzin has been in the U.S. data since 1992 and placed #2,254 in 2025.
Teo
Teo is a diminutive of Theodore, from the ancient Greek theos, god, and doron, gift. It doubles as a short form of Matteo, the Italian form of Matthew, which also means gift of God. Strip the second element off either name and you are left with god alone. Short, warm, and easy to say in almost any language.
- Origin: Greek, Spanish, Italian
- Meaning: (From) God
- Pronunciation: TAY-oh
- Variations: Téo
- Namesakes: Teo González, a Spanish painter. Téo Kardum, a Croatian football player.
- Popularity: #794 in the U.S. for 2025, up about 222% on the previous decade.
Terah
Terah is a biblical pick that sometimes gets confused with the feminine Terra. Unlike its earthy counterpart, Terah is Hebrew for “ibex” or “mountain goat” and might also mean “station.” We think Terah could be as popular as other common Bible names if given a chance to shine.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Ibex, station
- Pronunciation: TEH-ruh, TEH-rah
- Variations: Terach
- Namesakes: Terah, the father of the biblical figure Abraham.
- Popularity: Terah last showed up in the U.S. data in 2018 at #17,897, after a best of #1,711 in 1983.
Terenzio
Terenzio is the Italian equivalent of Terrence and already sounds more romantic. Terenzio’s suggested etymologies include Sabine’s “terenus” meaning “soft,” or from the Latin “Terentius” with “terens” meaning “one who threshes.” With Terenzio, you could use the nickname Terenz or go for the more playful Zio.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Soft, thresher
- Pronunciation: TEH-ren-see-oh, TEH-ren-syoh
- Variations: Terentius
- Namesakes: Terenzio Terenzi, a late-Renaissance Italian painter. Terenzio, Count Mamiani della Rovere, an Italian writer, academic, diplomat, and politician.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Terenzio; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Terrance
Terrance may come from Sabine, where it means smooth or soft, or from the Latin terens, one who threshes. Terrance and Terrence have both been fixtures in American usage since the 1930s and 1920s respectively. Favor has cooled a long way from the 1979 high, though the name has never actually left. Names with that kind of long, uneven run have a habit of coming back around.
- Origin: English, Sabine, Latin
- Meaning: Soft, thresher
- Pronunciation: TEH-rns, TEH-runts
- Variations: Terance, Terrence, Terence
- Namesakes: Terrance Gainer, an American law enforcement officer. Terrance Quaites, stage name TQ, an American R&B singer. Terrance Dicks, an English author, screenwriter, and producer.
- Popularity: Terrance ranked #1,570 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #179 in 1979.
Tevin
Tevin doesn’t appear to be a refreshing choice at first glance, but its etymologies indicate otherwise. The meaning “hillside” comes from the Irish word “teeve.” With the image of a scenic Irish hillside at its back, Tevin is most certainly not just Kevin with a T.
- Origin: English, Irish
- Meaning: Beautiful, hillside
- Pronunciation: TEH-vihn
- Namesakes: Tevin Campbell, an American singer and songwriter. Tevin Gamboa, a Belizean professional footballer. Tevin Brown, an American professional basketball player.
- Popularity: In 2025, Tevin sat at #2,513 in the U.S. data, well off its #162 high in 1992.
Thaddeus
Thaddeus is the Anglicized form of the biblical Thaddaeus, itself the Greek version of the Aramaic Thaddai. Scripture presents him as another name for Jude, though the versions disagree and some drop the name entirely. It has a kingly weight that not every parent wants full time. Thad and Tad bring it back down to size.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Heart
- Pronunciation: THAD-ee-us
- Variations: Thaddaeus, Tadeusz, Thaddaios
- Namesakes: Thaddeus Cahill, an American inventor credited with the invention of the telharmonium. Thaddeus McCotter, an American politician and member of the Republican Party.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #798 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 5,435.
Thames
Yes, you should name your baby after the River Thames. After all, Thames has occasionally been used for boys since the 19th-century. Thames comes from Tamesa, the ancient Celtic name for a river, perhaps meaning “the dark one.” It derives from Proto-Celtic “tamesās,” meaning “waters” or “darkness,” or may be related to the root “teh,” meaning “to melt.”
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Darkness, melt, flow
- Pronunciation: TEMZ
- Namesakes: Leo Thames Newman, son of American actress and model Jaime King, and American filmmaker Kyle Newman.
- Popularity: Thames appears in the U.S. data only around 1931, at #4,271.
Than
Your baby is one in a million and that makes Than perfect. Than is not the same as the English word. This Burmese moniker actually has over a million bearers globally. That’s quite a feat!
- Origin: Burmese
- Meaning: Million
- Pronunciation: TAN
- Variations: Thân
- Popularity: Than last showed up in the U.S. data in 2013 at #13,855, after a best of #4,409 in 1956.
Thane
Thane was a rank before it was a name. A thane was a Scottish or English noble holding land from the king, from the Old English thegn. Say it out loud and the authority is still audible. If your household is quietly run by someone under three feet tall, the name will fit.
- Origin: Scottish, English
- Meaning: Clan chieftain, landholder
- Pronunciation: THAYN
- Namesakes: Thane Maynard, an American zookeeper and author. Thane Camus, an American TV personality and actor based in Japan. Walter Thane Baker, an American sprinter and Olympic gold medalist.
- Popularity: About 2,604 American boys have been named Thane; the latest U.S. rank is #3,440 in 2025.
Thatcher
Thatcher comes from an occupational surname referring to a person who thatched roofs, derived from the Old English “þæc.” Thatcher may have been around for a while, but it has only really started taking off in the 21st-century. Despite being historically masculine, some sources have recorded a handful of countries where Thatcher is gender-neutral or even just for girls.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Roof thatcher
- Pronunciation: THA-chuh, THA-chr
- Namesakes: Thatcher Szalay, a Hungarian American football (gridiron) player. Thatcher Demko, an American professional ice hockey goaltender.
- Popularity: Thatcher came in at #1,111 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #798 in 2019.
Theodore
Theodore is the Anglicized form of the Greek Theodoros, from theos, god, and doron, gift. It is the highest-ranked T name for American boys today, reaching 4th in 2025, the best position it has ever held. Theo and Teddy handle the everyday work, so the full form can stay formal for the occasions that call for it. Gift of God is a lot to hang on a newborn, and parents keep deciding it fits anyway.
- Origin: English, Greek
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: THEE-OH-door
- Variations: Theodoros, Theodora, Theodor, Teodor
- Namesakes: Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the 26th U.S. president. Theodore Nugent, an American rock musician and vocalist. Theodore Olson, an American lawyer and U.S. assistant Attorney General.
- Popularity: Theodore ranked #4 among U.S. boys in 2025.
Theophilus
Theophilus is a biblical option derived from “theos,” meaning “god,” and “philos,” meaning “friend.” Luke addressed a man called Theophilus in two separate Bible books, calling him “most excellent” in his own Gospel. Theophilus has an atmosphere of royalty but is a little intense, so maybe it’s best as a middle name.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Friend of God, loved by God
- Pronunciation: THEE-OH-fill-us
- Variations: Theophilos, Teófilo
- Namesakes: Theophilus, the 23rd Pope of Alexandria. Theophilos III, the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem. Theophilus, a Patriarch of Antioch.
- Popularity: In 2025, Theophilus sat at #2,417 in the U.S. data, well off its #1,379 high in 1924.
Theron
Theron comes from the Greek therao, to hunt. It had a strong run in American usage from the 1880s onward and has thinned out a long way since. Most people meet it as a surname first, by way of Charlize Theron. For a boy with too much energy, hunter is an honest description.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Hunter
- Pronunciation: THEH-run
- Variations: Théron
- Namesakes: Theron Akin, an American politician. Theron David Read, an American actor. Theron Feemster, an award-winning American record producer, instrumentalist, and songwriter.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #2,474 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 31,250.
Thiago
Thiago, or Tiago, is a short form of Santiago, meaning Saint James, with James being the English form of Jacob. It is the fastest-rising name in this list by a wide margin, up roughly 914% on the previous decade, and it reached 50th among American boys in 2025, its best rank yet. That is the sort of climb that usually means a name is about to become very familiar indeed.
- Origin: Portuguese
- Meaning: Supplanter
- Pronunciation: TEE-a-goh, EE-a-go
- Variations: Tiago
- Namesakes: Thiago Alves, a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and bare-knuckle boxer. Thiago Pereira, a Brazilian competitive swimmer.
- Popularity: Thiago ranked #50 among U.S. boys in 2025, its best position on record.
Thomas
Tried and true, Thomas has never really gone anywhere. It has turned up in American records every single year since 1880 and still sat at 34th in 2025, which is remarkable staying power by any measure. You do not need twins to use it, despite what the Aramaic says. Tom, Tommy and Thom cover every register you could want.
- Origin: Aramaic
- Meaning: Twin
- Pronunciation: THOM-us, TOM-us
- Variations: Tomas, Tomaz, Tomasz, Tōmasu
- Namesakes: Thomas Edison, an American inventor, and businessman. Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father, and U.S. president. Thomas Stearns Eliot, or T. S. Eliot, a Nobel Prize recipient, poet, and literary critic.
- Popularity: #34 in the U.S. for 2025, holding roughly steady over the past decade.
Thompson
Thompson is a Thomas derivative and a patronymic (a name derived from a father or ancestor’s given name). The spelling with a “p” distinguishes Thompson from the Thomsons, a Scottish Clan originally known as MacTamhais, Anglicized as MacTavish. With all versions, the meanings are the same.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Son of Thomas
- Pronunciation: TOM-sun, TOMP-sn, THOM-sun, THOMP-sn
- Variations: Thomson
- Namesakes: Harold Thompson Mann, an American competitive swimmer, Olympic medalist, and world record-holder.
- Popularity: About 2,725 American boys have been named Thompson; the latest U.S. rank is #2,359 in 2025.
Thor
Thor was a well-known Norse god long before Marvel got involved, and the films made him a household name all over again. In American usage Thor has charted with the Social Security Administration since 1904, peaked at #883 in 1968, and stood at #2,875 in 2025. That leaves it wide open for parents who want the thunder without the crowd. The Germanic pronunciation, TAWR, is the bolder of the two options.
- Origin: Norse
- Meaning: Thunder
- Pronunciation: TAWR, THAWR
- Namesakes: Thor Kunkel, a German author. Thor Bjørklund, a Norwegian businessman and inventor, known for the Ostehøvel cheese slicer. Thor Munkager, a Danish handball player.
- Popularity: Thor came in at #2,875 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #883 in 1968.
Thorne
Thorne is a topographic surname for someone who lived near a thorn bush, which is a very literal origin for a name this sharp. It is far more common as a last name in the U.S. than as a first. Thorn, without the e, has more bearers, but the longer spelling looks better on a page. Prickly in the best possible way.
- Origin: Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: From the thorn bush
- Pronunciation: THAWRN
- Variations: Thorn
- Namesakes: James Thorne Smith Jr., an American fiction author.
- Popularity: Thorne ranked #9,614 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #2,951 in 1956.
Thurgood
Thurgood is a contraction of the Thoroughgood, a Puritan take on the Old Norse-derived Middle English, Thurgod. The Old Norse root, Thorgautr, consists of Thórr, the Norse god of thunder, and an ethnic name, Gautr. Thurgood is a classy, vintage-sounding option for parents that love Norse mythology.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: God of thunder
- Pronunciation: THUR-guud
- Variations: Thurgod, Thorogood, Thoroughgood
- Namesakes: Thurgood Marshall, an American civil rights lawyer, and jurist. Thurgood Marshall Jr., an American lawyer, and son of Justice Thurgood Marshall.
- Popularity: Thurgood appears in the U.S. data only around 1993, at #10,017.
Tiberius
Tiberius comes from the third-longest river in Italy, the Tiber. Tiberius is also famously tied to the second Roman emperor, Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, who was mentioned in several Bible books. Want your little tyke to have a moniker fit for a ruler? Tiberius has proven its worth.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Of the Tiber River
- Pronunciation: TYE-bee-ree-us, tih-BAIR-ee-oos
- Namesakes: Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus, the second emperor of Rome. Tiberius Cavallo, an Italian physicist and philosopher. Tiberius Winkler, a Dutch anatomist, zoologist, and natural historian.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #3,177 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 45,455.
Ticone
Ticone is the Italian version of the Greek Tychon, itself derived from “tynchano,” meaning “to hit the mark.” No need to roll the dice and hope for the perfect T name. Ticone could be your wish come true.
- Origin: Italian, Greek
- Meaning: Luck, fortune
- Pronunciation: TEE-coh-nay
- Variations: Tychon
- Popularity: Too rare for the U.S. federal name data, which lists a name only once it reaches five births in a year.
Tiger
Tiger reached English through the Greek tigris, which itself came from a Sumerian word meaning swift river. The animal took the name and never gave it back. It is best known as a nickname, most famously that of Eldrick Tont Woods, but it stands up perfectly well as a given name. Animal lovers will not need much persuading.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Tiger
- Pronunciation: TYE-gr
- Variations: Tyga
- Namesakes: Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods, an American professional golfer.
- Popularity: #3,743 in the U.S. for 2025, down about 17% on the previous decade.
Timon
Timon is derived from the Greek word “timao.” In the Bible, Timon was one of seven men appointed by the apostles to care for the newborn Christian congregation. Disney also used this epithet for the meerkat in the Lion King franchise. Timon is worth a try for its charming nature and respectable forebears, real and fictional.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Honor
- Pronunciation: tih-MOHN, TEE-mohn
- Variations: Timo
- Namesakes: Professor Timon Screech, a British art historian. Timon of Athens, a famous misanthrope. Timon Wellenreuther, a German professional footballer and goalkeeper.
- Popularity: About 487 American boys have been named Timon; the latest U.S. rank is #13,699 in 2025.
Timoteo
Timoteo is the Spanish form of Timothy, an Anglicization of the Greek Timόtheos. Some people like it fancy, so we included Timothy’s exotic cousin. As for nicknames, you can stick with the classic Tim or go with Teo for its foreign flair. Of course, Timo makes for the most darling option of the bunch.
- Origin: Spanish, Portuguese, Greek
- Meaning: One who honors God
- Pronunciation: tee-moh-TAY-oh
- Namesakes: Timoteo Saluzzi, an Argentinian bandoneon player.
- Popularity: Timoteo came in at #2,754 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #1,423 in 1930.
Timothy
The Greek Timotheos, honoring God, gave English its Timothy, built from timao, to honor, and theos, god. Saint Timothy traveled with Paul on his missionary journeys, and scripture notes that he was taught the holy writings by his mother and grandmother rather than by his Greek father. Tim is the default short form, though the French spellings Timothée and Timothé add a little more style. Few biblical names have aged this comfortably.
- Origin: English, Greek
- Meaning: One who honors God
- Pronunciation: TIH-muh-thee
- Variations: Timόtheos, Timothée, Timothé, Timoteo, Timoteus, Timotheus
- Namesakes: Timothy Goebel, an American competitive figure skater. Timothy Granaderos Jr., an American actor, and model. Timothy Kopra, an engineer, U.S. army colonel, and retired NASA astronaut.
- Popularity: Timothy ranked #203 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #11 in 1960.
Titan
The Titans of Greek mythology were giants, pre-Olympian deities, and the children of the primordial gods, Uranus and Gaia. The true etymology of Titan is unknown, but poets, scholars, and linguists have posited various meanings. Hesiod suggested it came from “titaino,” meaning “to strain,” and “tisis,” meaning “vengeance,” but this theory has been disputed.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Defender, white clay or gypsum
- Pronunciation: TYE-tun, TYE-tn
- Namesakes: Titan Leeds, an 18th-century American almanac publisher.
- Popularity: In 2025, Titan sat at #1,295 in the U.S. data, well off its #621 high in 2017.
Tito
Tito is the Italian and Spanish form of Titus, whose etymology has never really been settled. The sound is soft and quick, and it has the rare quality of working as a nickname and a full name at the same time. Title of honor is the sense usually attached to it. It suits a small boy with more presence than size.
- Origin: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
- Meaning: Title of honor
- Pronunciation: TEE-toe, TYE-toe
- Variations: Titus
- Namesakes: Tito Alonso, an Argentinian film actor. Tito Sarrocchi, an Italian sculptor. Tito Gobbi, a renowned Italian operatic baritone.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #4,239 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 66,667.
Titus
Titus may be related to the Latin titulus, a title of honor, though the etymology is uncertain. Scripture presents him as a Greek Christian who traveled and ministered alongside the apostle Paul. It sounds formal without being stiff. Strong middle-name material if the first slot is already spoken for.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Title of honor
- Pronunciation: TYE-tus, TYE-ts
- Variations: Titos, Tito, Tytus
- Namesakes: Titus Welliver, an American actor. Titus Oates, an English priest, and perjurer. Titus Brandsma, a Dutch Carmelite friar, philosophy professor, and Catholic priest.
- Popularity: Titus has been in the U.S. data since 1880 and placed #358 in 2025.
Tobias
Tobias comes from the Hebrew Toviyah, meaning Yahweh is good. He is the central figure of the Book of Tobit in the Apocrypha, which gives the name a long and slightly unusual pedigree. It has been rising steadily in American use, which is not what you expect from a name this old and this long. Toby and Tobi are waiting whenever four syllables feel like too many.
- Origin: Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: Yahweh is good
- Pronunciation: toh-BYE-us
- Variations: Tobiah, Tobia, Topias
- Namesakes: Tobias “Tobey” Maguire, an American actor known for his role as Spider-Man. Tobias Barreto, a Brazilian poet, philosopher, and critic.
- Popularity: #283 in the U.S. for 2025, up about 133% on the previous decade.
Tobin
Tobin comes from Tobias by way of the Gaelic Toibin, an Anglicized surname that crossed over into first-name use. It is essentially a smaller, softer Tobias, and it has never come close to its 1971 high in America since. That makes it a genuine option rather than a trend. Yahweh is good, in a form nobody else in the class will have.
- Origin: English, Irish
- Meaning: Yahweh is good
- Pronunciation: TOH-bin
- Namesakes: Tobin Sorenson, an American rock climber, and alpinist. Tobin Sprout, an American artist, musician, songwriter, and author. Matthew Tobin Anderson, an American author.
- Popularity: About 5,570 American boys have been named Tobin; the latest U.S. rank is #3,231 in 2025.
Toby
Toby is a diminutive of Tobias and Tobin, an Irish surname that also works as a first name. It has been in American records since 1882 and peaked in the mid-1970s, so it carries a mild retro warmth now. The variant Tobey is best known from the actor Tobias Tobey Maguire. Friendly, short, and impossible to mispronounce.
- Origin: English, Hebrew
- Meaning: Yahweh is good
- Pronunciation: TOH-bee
- Variations: Tobey, Tobi
- Namesakes: Toby Alderweireld, a Belgian professional football player. Toby Barker, an American politician, and mayor. Toby Creswell, an Australian music and pop-culture journalist.
- Popularity: Toby came in at #979 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #190 in 1975.
Todd
Todd is not a shortened form of anything. It comes from the Middle English todde, meaning fox, which is about as charming as an etymology gets. Anyone who has seen Disney’s The Fox and the Hound will finally understand why the little fox was called Tod. It peaked in 1964 and has faded a long way since, which quietly makes it available again.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Fox
- Pronunciation: TOD
- Variations: Tod
- Namesakes: Todd “The Toddfather” Frazier, an American professional baseball baseman. Todd Alsup, an American pianist, and singer-songwriter. Todd Glass, an American stand-up comedian.
- Popularity: Todd ranked #1,618 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #28 in 1964.
Tom
Tom is the everyday form of Thomas, though it may also echo the modern Hebrew Tam, honest, and the Hebrew tom, innocence or simplicity. Three plain letters that have done more work than most names twice the length. It has drifted a very long way from its 1959 high in American use. That is a shame, because nothing else does understated quite this well.
- Origin: English, Hebrew
- Meaning: Twin, innocence, simplicity, the end
- Pronunciation: TOM
- Namesakes: Tom Yaacobov, an Israeli triple jumper. Tom Veen, a Dutch politician. Tom Holkenborg, stage name Junkie XL, a Dutch composer, instrumentalist, DJ, and music producer.
- Popularity: In 2025, Tom sat at #2,206 in the U.S. data, well off its #82 high in 1959.
Tomislav
Tomislav is one hot number. It comes from the Old Slavonic verb “tomit” or “tomit” meaning “to languish,” “struggle,” or “torture.” Paired with the word “slava,” meaning “glory,” these elements roughly mean “a strong man.” The first known bearer was Tomislav of Croatia, a 10th-century Croatian king. With that etymology and history, Tomislav packs a manly punch.
- Origin: Slavic
- Meaning: A strong man
- Pronunciation: TOM-ee-sluv, tom-ee-SLOU
- Variations: Tomislava, Tomisław
- Namesakes: Tomislav Ladan, a Croatian critic, translator, and writer. Tomislav Nikolić, a Serbian politician and former president of Serbia. Tomislav Zografski, a Macedonian composer.
- Popularity: Tomislav last showed up in the U.S. data in 2003 at #7,197, after a best of #3,200 in 1973.
Tony
Tony is the understated cousin of Antony and Antonius, and it long ago stopped needing either of them. Originally just a short form, it has stood on its own since the middle of the last century. Priceless one is the meaning behind it. Warm, unpretentious, and instantly readable in almost any country.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Priceless one
- Pronunciation: TOH-nee
- Variations: Toni, Toney
- Namesakes: Tony Brooks-James, an American football (gridiron) player. Tony Douglas, an American country music singer. Tony Drago, a Maltese professional snooker and pool player.
- Popularity: Tony has been in the U.S. data since 1880 and placed #784 in 2025.
Topher
Topher is an alternative short form of Christopher, and a far rarer one than Chris. Christopher is itself a shortened form of the Greek Christophoros, bearing Christ, so there is nothing improper about trimming it a little further. Topher sounds earthy and solid. Unusual enough to raise an eyebrow, simple enough to spell.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Bearing Christ
- Pronunciation: TOH-fur, TOH-fuh
- Namesakes: Topher Campbell, an English filmmaker, artist, and writer. Topher Payne, an American writer for stage and screen.
- Popularity: #13,711 in the U.S. for 2025, holding roughly steady over the past decade.
Torin
Torin is Irish for “chief” but could also stem from Old Norse, where it means “thunder.” Both meanings are powerful in their own right. Toryn is the feminine form, but no one is stopping you from substituting the “i” for a “y.” Whatever looks the coolest.
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Chief
- Pronunciation: TAWR-in
- Variations: Toryn
- Namesakes: Torin Yater-Wallace, an American freestyle skier. Torin Francis, an American professional basketball player. Torin Thatcher, a British actor.
- Popularity: About 5,255 American boys have been named Torin; the latest U.S. rank is #1,350 in 2025.
Tornike
Tornike is the Georgian form of the Greek Tornikios or Tornikes. It may be uncommon in the west, but Tornike is quite popular in its homeland. If you want a straightforward way to honor your baby’s grandparents, Tornike may be the most suitable option.
- Origin: Georgian, Greek
- Meaning: Grandchild
- Pronunciation: TAWR-nee-kay, TAWR-neye-kee
- Variations: Thornike
- Namesakes: Tornike Shengelia, a Georgian professional basketball player. Tornike Rijvadze, a Georgian politician. Tornike Kipiani, a Georgian singer.
- Popularity: Tornike has never hit the five-births-a-year threshold the U.S. data requires, so it does not appear there at all.
Touya
In Japanese, various kanji combinations can be used to render Touya. Usually, “tou” means “lamp” or “light,” and “ya” means “arrow.” Other combinations could result in “tou” meaning “peach,” “winter,” “frozen,” “admire,” or “gentle,” and “ya” meaning “night,” “dream,” or “progress.” In Berber, Touya is feminine and simply refers to a tree. There’s certainly a lot to unpack with Touya.
- Origin: Japanese, Berber
- Meaning: Light arrow, winter night, tree
- Pronunciation: TOH-YA, TOO-YA
- Variations: Tōya
- Namesakes: Tōya Nakamura, a Japanese professional football player.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Touya; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Tranquillo
Tranquillo is the Italian form of the Latin Tranquillus. Do you hope and pray for a peaceful household after welcoming home your tiny Tarzan? Tranquillo might be the ideal way to manifest that dream into reality.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Quiet, serene, still
- Pronunciation: tran-KEE-loh
- Variations: Tranquillus
- Namesakes: Tranquillo Barnetta, a Swiss professional football player. Tranquillo Zerbi, an Italian engineer. Tranquillo Cremona, an Italian painter.
- Popularity: The U.S. data has no record of Tranquillo, which puts it below five births in any year on file.
Travis
Travis is a variant of Travers, a name for someone who lived near a bridge or collected the tolls on it. It comes ultimately from the Old French traverser, to cross. The rapper Jacques Webster II took it as a stage name, which tells you how easily it carries. It peaked in 1979 and has drifted down since, so it now reads classic rather than trendy.
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: To cross
- Pronunciation: TRA-viss
- Variations: Travers
- Namesakes: Travis Banton, an American costume designer. Travis Barker, an American musician, and band drummer. Travis Brown, an American professional cyclist.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #434 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 2,331.
Tre
Tre is three letters that mean three, which is a neat trick for a name this short. It had a real moment in American usage around 1993 and has cooled considerably since. That leaves it uncrowded without being obscure. Worth a second look if you passed over it the first time.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Three
- Pronunciation: TRAY
- Variations: Trey
- Namesakes: Tre Jean-Marie, a British songwriter and record producer. Tre Mission, a Canadian grime and hip-hop artist, and producer. Tre Whyte, a British BMX rider.
- Popularity: Tre has been in the U.S. data since 1974 and placed #2,755 in 2025.
Trent
Trent is sometimes used as a diminutive of Trenton, but it has been around for ages. Pulled from the Trent River, Trent comes from the Celtic words “tros,” meaning “over,” and “hynt” meaning “way.” This essentially meant “the trespasser” referred to the Trent River’s propensity for flooding. Hop on board for Trent before it floats away!
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Lives near the River Trent, the flooder
- Pronunciation: TRENT
- Namesakes: Trent Lowe, an Australian professional road bike racer. Trent Lenkarski, an American Youtuber, actor, and producer. Trent Kowalik, an American actor, singer, and dancer.
- Popularity: #1,344 in the U.S. for 2025, down about 69% on the previous decade.
Trenton
Trenton is a habitational name. The New Jersey city founded by William Trent probably wore it first, though it could equally point to a town beside the Trent River. It has dropped further than any other name in this list over the past decade, down about 70%, which makes it far less common on a playground than it used to be. Trenton is Trent with more room to grow into.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Trent’s town, town near the Trent River
- Pronunciation: TREN-tn
- Namesakes: Trenton Harmon, an American country music singer. Trenton Shipley, an Australian artist, and performer. Trenton Lee Stewart, an American author.
- Popularity: About 58,557 American boys have been named Trenton; the latest U.S. rank is #1,042 in 2025.
Trevon
Trevon is a modern spin on and a diminutive of Trevelyan. This derives from a Cornish place name, meaning “homestead on the hill.” Meaning “fair town,” Trevon has a surprisingly sunny feel.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Fair town
- Pronunciation: TRAY-von
- Variations: Trayvon, Trevaughn
- Namesakes: Trevon Duval, an American professional basketball player. Trevon Diggs, a professional American football (gridiron) cornerback.
- Popularity: Trevon came in at #1,583 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #313 in 1997.
Trevor
Trevor is a Welsh habitational surname from a town whose name meant big village. The parts are the Middle Welsh tref, village or homestead, and fawr or mawr, large. It peaked in American use in 1994 and has thinned out considerably since. Plenty of parents will remember it fondly, which is very often the point.
- Origin: English, Welsh
- Meaning: Large village, big village
- Pronunciation: TREH-vr, TREH-vuh
- Variations: Trefor
- Namesakes: Trevor Devall, a Canadian-American voice actor, and podcaster. Trevor John Eve, an English film and TV actor. Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston, an English Anglican bishop and archbishop, and anti-apartheid activist.
- Popularity: Trevor ranked #680 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #58 in 1994.
Tripp
Tripp is mostly a nickname that decided to become a name. It works as a variant of Trip and also matches an existing surname, while the meaning, third, points at a family line. It reached its best rank, 437th, in 2022 and has eased slightly since. Two Ps make it look deliberate rather than accidental.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Third, a stumble
- Pronunciation: TRIP
- Variations: Trip
- Namesakes: Tripp Johnston, son of American model and actor Levi Johnston and American politician Sarah Palin.
- Popularity: In 2025, Tripp sat at #522 in the U.S. data, well off its #437 high in 2022.
Troy
Troy the city, Troia in Latin, was the setting for the ten-year Trojan War, and most modern use traces back to those legends. There is a separate Irish line through Troightheach, meaning foot soldier, which is a more down-to-earth pedigree. It peaked in 1967 and has faded gently since. One syllable, no nickname, no explaining.
- Origin: Irish, Greek
- Meaning: Foot soldier
- Pronunciation: TROY
- Variations: Troye, Troia
- Namesakes: Troy Sanders, an American bassist and band vocalist. Troy Hartman, an American professional aerial stuntman, skydiver, and inventor. Troy Grant, an Australian politician, and police officer.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #533 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 3,030.
True
True began as a Puritan virtue name and now reads unmistakably modern. It comes from the Middle English trewe and the Old English triewe, both meaning trusty or faithful. It belongs to a whole cluster of Tru names rising together, alongside Tru, Truett, Truce and Truth. Honest is a decent thing to name a child after.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Genuine, loyal, real
- Pronunciation: TROO
- Popularity: True has been in the U.S. data since 1882 and placed #1,050 in 2025.
Truman
Truman comes from the Middle English trewe, trusty or faithful, and has the vintage weight that word suggests. It peaked back in 1945, bottomed out in 1988, and has recovered nearly six times over since, the biggest revival of any name in this list. That is a comeback rather than a fluke. Tru works as a short form if the full name feels formal.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Loyal one, faithful one
- Pronunciation: TROO-mun
- Variations: Trueman
- Namesakes: Truman Capote, born Truman Persons, an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright, and actor. Truman Futch Jr., an American senator, and judge. Truman, an American religious philosopher.
- Popularity: #1,553 in the U.S. for 2025, down about 22% on the previous decade.
Tryphon
Tryphon feels like the long-lost brother of Triton. At first glance, this is one of the coolest boy names that start with T. But Tryphon is from the Greek “tryphe” meaning “softness” or “delicacy.” It turns out Tryphon is an epic-sounding name with a sweet meaning.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Softness, delicacy
- Pronunciation: TREE-fon, TREYE-fon
- Variations: Tryphena, Tryphaena, Triphon, Trifon
- Namesakes: Tryphon or Trypho, a Greek grammarian based in Alexandria. Tryphon of Campsada, a 3rd-century Christian saint.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Tryphon; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Tsvetan
Tsvetan gets its meaning from Proto-Slavic elements, such as “květъ” meaning “bright,” “white,” “color,” and “bloom.” It doesn’t appear much in the west, but Tsvetan is a lively pick with a floral touch. Bulgaria seems to love Tsventan, as it has several celebrity namesakes too.
- Origin: Bulgarian
- Meaning: Bright flower, blossom
- Pronunciation: tss-veh-TAN
- Variations: Tsvetko, Tsvetana
- Namesakes: Tsvetan Gashevski, a Bulgarian competitive arm wrestler. Tzvetan Todorov, a Bulgarian-French historian, philosopher, and essayist. Tsvetan Vasilev, a Bulgarian entrepreneur.
- Popularity: The U.S. data has no record of Tsvetan, which puts it below five births in any year on file.
Tua
Tua may be Hawaiian, but it appears in cultures from many other parts of the world, too many to list! Tua is usually an element that can be added to a longer name in Hawaii. This was the case for the American quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.
- Origin: Hawaiian
- Meaning: Behind, at the back
- Pronunciation: TOO-ah
- Namesakes: Tua Tagovailoa, full name Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa, a Hawaiian American football (gridiron) quarterback.
- Popularity: Too rare for the U.S. federal name data, which lists a name only once it reaches five births in a year.
Tubalcain
Tubalcain is usually spelled Tubal-cain, but the meaning doesn’t change either way. In the Bible, Tubal-cain was a descendant of Cain and possibly the first blacksmith. The moniker is suggested to mean “Cain’s spices” because Tubal-cain “seasoned (improved on) the work of Cain.” Feel free to test out Tubalcain or the one-to-one biblical version, Tubal-cain.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Brought of Cain, Cain’s spices
- Pronunciation: TOO-bahl-cayn
- Variations: Tubal-Cain
- Namesakes: Tubal-Cain, a descendant of Cain and possibly the first blacksmith.
- Popularity: Tubalcain has never hit the five-births-a-year threshold the U.S. data requires, so it does not appear there at all.
Tucker
Tucker was an occupational surname denoting a cloth fuller. It has roots in Middle English as a derivative of “tuken” meaning “to torment (beat),” and the Old English “tucian.” Tucker is also a derivative of the Middle High German Tucher, meaning “cloth,” referring to a person who weaves. Swaddle and tuck your baby Tucker with this familiar and trendy choice.
- Origin: English, German
- Meaning: Cloth-softer, cloth weaver
- Pronunciation: TUH-kr, TUH-kuh
- Variations: Tukker
- Namesakes: Tucker Carlson, an American TV host and political commentator. Tucker Max, an American author and public speaker. Tucker Gates, an American TV director and producer.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #181 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 850.
Tullio
Tullio simply screams its Italian origins from the rooftops. It stems from the Roman family name Tullius. With its true etymology unknown, speculations on its meaning range from “valley of hills” to “the one who leads.” Tullio is certainly a head-turner for all the right reasons.
- Origin: Italian, Latin
- Meaning: Of the Tullius family
- Pronunciation: TOO-lee-oh
- Variations: Tulio, Túlio
- Namesakes: Tullio Crali, an Italian artist. Tullio Baraglia, an Italian rower. Tullio Altamura, an Italian actor.
- Popularity: Tullio last showed up in the U.S. data in 1935 at #4,108, after a best of #2,080 in 1913.
Tupac
Tupac is a defunct title used in the former Peruvian Inca Empire, but in pop culture, it’s associated with the rapper Tupac Shakur. Other notable bearers include the Peruvian revolutionary José Condorcanqui, or Túpac Amaru II, and Peruvian independence-fighter, Julián Nina, or Túpac Katari. Though mainly used in Peru, with so many late and great forebears, the noble Tupac deserves more attention.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Royal
- Pronunciation: TOO-pak
- Variations: Túpac, Tupaq
- Namesakes: Tupac Shakur, stage name 2Pac, an American rapper. Tupac Amaru Hunter, an American politician.
- Popularity: #13,727 in the U.S. for 2025, holding roughly steady over the past decade.
Turner
Turner is an occupational surname for someone who worked a lathe, from the Old English turnian, to turn, brought to England by the Norman French. Younger readers may think first of Timmy Turner from The Fairly OddParents. It has the same easy surname-as-first-name feel as Tanner and Tucker without being anywhere near as common as either.
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: Lathe worker
- Pronunciation: TUR-nr, TUR-nuh
- Variations: Tourner
- Namesakes: Tyrus Turner Barber, an American professional baseball player. The Reverend Turner Saunders, an American Methodist preacher.
- Popularity: About 9,989 American boys have been named Turner; the latest U.S. rank is #1,107 in 2025.
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun seems too eccentric for daily use, but that didn’t stop the parents of the seven bearers already out there. If creating a splash is your goal, Tutankhamun will do just that. For a safer bet, lovers of this Egyptian royal moniker could try Tut or Tutan.
- Origin: Egyptian
- Meaning: Living image of Amun/Aten
- Pronunciation: too-tun-KA-muun
- Variations: Tutankhamon, Tutankhamen
- Namesakes: King Tutankhamun, an Egyptian pharaoh and the last of his royal line.
- Popularity: No U.S. ranking exists for Tutankhamun; the federal list begins at five births in a year.
Ty
Ty started as a catch-all short form for any name beginning with those two letters, which means its meaning depends entirely on where you take it from. It has been working on its own since the middle of the last century. It pairs easily with almost any middle name, thanks to its brevity. Make of it what you like.
- Origin: English, Irish
- Meaning: Eoghan’s land
- Pronunciation: TEYE
- Namesakes: Ty Hardin, an American actor. Ty Olsson, a Canadian actor. Ty Dennis, an American drummer.
- Popularity: Ty ranked #813 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #169 in 2005.
Tybalt
Tybalt is a medieval form of the Germanic Theobald. Shakespeare famously used this feisty moniker in his play, Romeo and Juliet. Tybalt is so tied to Juliet’s antagonistic cousin that many people find it hard to put it to use. That’s unfortunate, as Tybalt has a daring and gallant meaning, perfect for a lion-hearted young man.
- Origin: English, Germanic
- Meaning: From bold people, brave
- Pronunciation: TIH-bawlt
- Popularity: Too rare for the U.S. federal name data, which lists a name only once it reaches five births in a year.
Tyler
Mostly used for boys, Tyler is an occupational surname turned first name, from the Old English tigele, tile, and the Old French tieulier, tile maker. It reached 5th among American boys in 1993 and spent years near the top before easing off. That long run means almost everyone has met one, which is either the appeal or the drawback. It remains one of the most recognizable T names going.
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: Tile maker
- Pronunciation: TEYE-ler, TEYE-luh
- Variations: Tylor, Tylar
- Namesakes: Tyler Perry, an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Tyler Hubbard, an American musician and singer. Tyler Okonma, known as Tyler the Creator, an American rapper and record producer.
- Popularity: U.S. rank #220 in 2025, or roughly one boy in 1,046.
Tyrell
Tyrell could be a derivative of Tyr, the Norse god of battle. It could also stem from a surname, a variant of Terrell from “tirel,” meaning “to pull.” This was a reference to a stubborn person. Notably, George R. R. Martin made the Tyrell’s one of the Great Houses in his Song of Ice and Fire franchise.
- Origin: English, Scandinavian
- Meaning: Stubborn
- Pronunciation: TEYE-rehl
- Variations: Tyrel
- Namesakes: Tyrell Biggs, an American professional boxer. Tyrell Jenkins, an American professional baseball pitcher.
- Popularity: Tyrell has been in the U.S. data since 1947 and placed #1,973 in 2025.
Tyrese
Tyrese had a real run in American use around the turn of the century, helped along by the actor and singer Tyrese Gibson. The meaning usually given is smooth, which suits the sound of it. It has thinned out a good deal since its 1999 high without ever vanishing. Smooth operator is not the worst thing to name a child after.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Smooth
- Pronunciation: teye-REES
- Namesakes: Tyrese Gibson, an American actor and singer. Tyrese Cooper, an American track and field athlete. Tyrese Karelse, a South African cricketer.
- Popularity: #2,713 in the U.S. for 2025, down about 65% on the previous decade.
Tyrian
Tyrian comes from the Latin Tyrianus, of Tyre, a city famous for the dye known as Tyrian purple, a color long reserved for royalty. Game of Thrones put a near-identical spelling in front of a very large audience by way of Lord Tyrion Lannister. Two noble associations for the price of one.
- Origin: Latin, Semitic
- Meaning: From Tyre, Tyrian purple
- Pronunciation: tih-REE-un
- Variations: Tirian, Tyrion, Tyrien
- Popularity: About 246 American boys have been named Tyrian; the latest U.S. rank is #9,634 in 2025.
Tyrus
Tyrus derives from the city of Tyre in Lebanon. Tyre ultimately comes from a Semitic word meaning “rock,” so you know this name is solid. Tyrus is also a modern blend of Tyrone and Cyrus, a combination that would provide a different meaning.
- Origin: English, Latin
- Meaning: From the city of Tyre, rock
- Pronunciation: TEYE-rus
- Namesakes: Tyrus Wong, a Chinese-born American artist who died at 106. Tyrus Thomas, an American professional basketball player.
- Popularity: Tyrus came in at #3,307 in the U.S. in 2025, after peaking at #997 in 1916.
Tyson
In the west, Tyson is tied firmly to Mike Tyson, which is either the reason to use it or the reason not to. It comes from the Old French tison, firebrand, and by extension high-spirited. The English surname Dyson, son of Denis or son of Dye, grew out of the same root. More complicated than it looks, and a good fit for a fiery temperament.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: High-spirited, firebrand
- Pronunciation: TEYE-sn, TEYE-sun
- Variations: Dyson
- Namesakes: Tyson Jolly, an American professional basketball player. Tyson Ritter, an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor. Tyson Tan, a Chinese concept artist and character designer.
- Popularity: Tyson ranked #531 among U.S. boys in 2025, down from a best of #237 in 2009.
Tzvi
Tzvi means deer or gazelle, and in ancient Hebrew it may also carry the sense of glory, a rare double meaning packed into one short name. Zvi is the common alternate spelling if the opening T feels like a hurdle.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Deer, gazelle
- Pronunciation: tss-VEE
- Variations: Zvi
- Namesakes: Tzvi Tzur, or Zvi Tsur, an Israeli army officer and politician. Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, a Lithuanian Talmudic and Torah scholar, orator, and author.
- Popularity: Tzvi ranked #1,079 among U.S. boys in 2025, its best position on record.
