Happy New Year! Having a baby and choosing a name for him in the new year offers the opportunity for parents to impart a sense of hope for the future and all the incredible things to come. A date might just be a number, but for many parents this year, there’s definitely a collective hope that 2021 will bring much-needed relief after the difficulties of 2020. And, we have discovered baby names for the occasion!
These names for boys hold meanings of “hope,” “newness,” “dawn,” and other sentiments that seem appropriate for baby boys born into a fresh year. These baby names have forward-looking meanings which would be especially appropriate for those born at the start of a new year. Here are 25 new year baby names for boys that celebrate hope for the future and a fresh start.
25. Navin
The attractive name Navin has Hindi origins and means “new” or “novel.” This gentle name for boys would be the perfect way to celebrate your son born in January.
24. Vihan
Vihan is a popular name for baby boys in India. In America, around 50 boys a year receive this name, making it quite a rare choice. We’d like to see that change! Vihan has Sanskrit origins and means “dawn” It’s a new day!
23. Amal
Amal is an excellent gender-neutral option and we love it for boys. The name has Arabic origins and means “hope.” You can’t argue with that! You will also find this name in Hebrew tradition and it means “laborer” in that context.
22. Fresco
If you’ve ever studied art history, chances are you’ve seen a great many decorative murals known as frescoes. Fresco is also an Italian name for boys that means “fresh.” What an optimistic and lively option!
21. Dag
Dag is a unique choice that has Scandinavian origins. This casual-sounding name means “daylight.” The name also belongs to the Norse god who is the sun of light.
20. Neander
Neander is a distinguished Greek name that means “new man.” Could there be a more appropriate name for a baby boy? Neander is the classical form of the common surname Newman.
19. Spero
Spero is a name with untapped potential in the US. This attractive name has an equally attractive meaning, “I hope.” We hope that new parents consider this name more often in the new year.
18. Ensio
Ensio derives from the Finnish word ensimmäinen, meaning “first one.” The name is pronounced EHN-see-oh which sounds vaguely Italian. You do not hear this name often in the US, but we hope that parents consider it!
17. Aroon
With the ubiquity of the name Aaron these days, parents might be hungry for a creative alternative. We present Aroon, a Thai name that means “dawn.” It’s a beautiful morning.
16. Neo
This nouveau name of Keanu Reeves’s character in The Matrix has not experienced the same burst of popularity as its female counterpart, Trinity, but it definitely sounds fresh. Neo has Latin origins and means “new” or “gift.”
15. Novel
Coming from the same Latin origin as Neo and Nova, Novel also means “new.” If you’re keen on a literary name for your baby boy, you could do no better!
14. Arman
Arman is a multicultural hit with roots in a variety of naming traditions. Most scholars have concluded that the name originated in Persian or Kazakh but you will also find this name in Russian and Israeli tradition. The name means “wish” or “hope.”
13. Primo
Primo has that jaunty ‘o’ ending and Italian flavor that many modern parents like so much. Primo not only sounds fresh it also means “first.” The name has Latin origins and it has maintained popularity primarily in Italy today.
12. Zoran
Zoran is a cute diminuitive of Zorion, a Basque name that means “happiness.” With a name like Zoran, you are setting your child up for a lifetime of joy!
11. Altan
The striking Turkish name Altan comes with an evocative meaning, “red dawn.” This would be a welcome alternative to the English name of similar sound, Alton. Which, conversely means “old town.”
10. Anatole
Anatole might sound exotic to many contemporary parents, but it was actually a top 1000 name for boys in the US in 1889. The name has Greek origins and means “rising sun.” Fans of Tolstoy’s War and Peace will undoubtedly enjoy this option.
9. Raja
Raja is a name with both Arabic and Sanskrit origins that will be familiar to most as the name of a tiger in Disney’s Aladdin. Raja has a fantastic ring to it and means “hope” or “ruler.”
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8. Helio
Helio is the Spanish form of a name belonging to the Greek sun god, Helios. Helio sounds perfectly playful and jovial. The name means “the sun.”
7. Toivo
Another rare Finnish import, Toivo is pronounced toy-vo. It was in the US top 1000 names for boys in the earliest years of the twentieth century and has fallen from favor since then. This name has a promising meaning, “hope.”
6. Benedict
The name Benedict has staged a comeback in recent years as new parents are discovering its charms. This name with Latin origins means “blessed.” And, any boy would be blessed to get it.
5. Rene
While most people consider the French name Rene a name for girls, it has always appeared in the top 1000 for boys in the US. As the French do, we love this name for boys that means “reborn.”
4. Neville
Another French classic, although not as popular as Rene, is Neville. The name is more popular across the UK than other majority English-speaking countries. The name means “new town.”
3. Von
Not to be confused with the Dutch name, Van, which means “of,” Von has Norse origins. Von was a popular option in the US until the seventies when it fell out of style. Von means “hope.”
2. Novak
Tennis star Novak Djokovic introduced this new first name to the English-speaking world, though it had long been familiar as a surname. Novak has Serbian origins and means “new.”
RELATED: 25 New Year Baby Names for Girls That Are Full of Hope and Promise
1. Xavier
Xavier originated its use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. The name can be found in both Basque and Arabic traditions and means “new house” or “bright.” We’ll take both!
There you go! 25 hopeful names for boys to help ring in the new year and make it extra bright for your son. We hope you feel inspired by these names with positive and optimistic meanings and will consider one for your baby boy!
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