Name
Meaning
Origin
Popularity
Other Gender


Abe

A diminutive form of Abraham.


Hebrew





Ace

Number one


English





Agu

Leopard


African




Aja

To drive, propel


Indian (Sanskrit)




Ali

Sublime


Arabic





Amo

Little eagle


French




Apu

Pure, virtuous, divine


Indian (Sanskrit)




Ari

Lion


Hebrew





Art

A diminutive form of Arthur.


Irish





Arv

Exile, voyager; people’s friend


Hebrew




Asa

Doctor, healer


Hebrew





Ash

Of the ash tree


English





Avi

Father of a multitude (of nations)


Hebrew





Axl

Father is peace


Hebrew





Bac

Bank


Scottish




Bao

To order, to bid


Vietnamese





Bas

A diminutive form of Sebastian.


Latin




Bax

Baker


English




Bay

Berry, water inlet


Latin




Baz

Fair-haired


Irish




Bek

Brook


English




Ben

Son


Hebrew





Bob

A diminutive form of Robert.


English





Bud

Brother


Gaelic





Cai

Rejoice; happy, rejoice


Latin





Cal

A diminutive form of Calvin.


English





Cam

Crooked nose


Scottish





Caz

Famous destroyer (of peace)


Slavic




Coy

Son of Aodh


Irish





Dag

Daylight


Scandinavian




Dal

Blind; from the dales, the valley meadows


Scottish





Dan

Judge; God is my judge


Hebrew





Dax

Place name


French





Deo

Godlike


Greek





Dev

Divine


Indian (Sanskrit)





Dex

Right-handed, fortunate; one who dyes


Latin





Dom

Lord


Latin





Don

“A lord,” from the Latin dominus, a master or a lord.


Welsh





Dov

Bear


Hebrew





Dre

Man


French





Efi

Fruitful


Spanish




Eko

First Child


Indonesian




Eli

Ascension


Hebrew





Eno

Strong with a sword


German




Etu

Sun


Native American




Fai

Beginning


Chinese




Fox

Fox


English





Gad

Fortune, luck


Hebrew




Gil

Bright promise; small goat; joy


Hebrew





Guy

Wood


German





Hal

A diminutive form of Harold and Henry.


English





Ian

God is gracious


Scottish





Ipo

Sweetheart, lover


Polynesian




Ira

Full-grown; watchful


Hebrew





Isa

Laughter; salvation of God; the Lord helps me


Hebrew





Jad

Generous


Arabic





Jag

The Universe


Indian (Sanskrit)




Jai

Blue crested bird


Latin





Jaq

Supplanter


French




Jax

Son of Jack


English





Jay

To heal


English





Jed

A short form of Jedidiah


Hebrew





Jem

A variant diminutive form of James.


English




Jet

Jet plane


English





Job

Persecuted


Hebrew





Joe

A diminutive form of Joseph.


English





Jon

God is gracious


English





Jov

Supplanter


Hebrew




Kai

Sea


Polynesian





Kaj

Keeper of the keys; earth


Welsh





Kaz

Famous destroyer (of peace)


Slavic





Keb

Earth


African




Kip

Pointed hill


English





Kit

Bearing Christ


Greek





Koa

Brave, bold, fearless.


Polynesian





Kye

Keeper of the keys; earth; narrow, straight


Welsh





Kyo

Cooperation, Capital. Village, Apricot


Japanese





Leb

Heart


Hebrew




Lee

Pasture or meadow


English





Lem

Belonging to God


Hebrew





Leo

Lion


Latin





Lev

A Russian form of Leo, “the lion.”


Russian





Lex

Man’s defender, warrior


Greek





Lon

From Laurentum; strong, warlike


Spanish





Lot

Veil


Hebrew




Lou

Famous warrior


German





Lux

Light


Latin





Luz

Light


Spanish





Mac

Son of


Gaelic





Maj

Of the Sea or Bitter


Scandinavian




Max

Greatest


English





Neo

New


American





Nev

New village; holy, sacred; little bone; servant of the saint’s disciple


Latin




Noa

Movement


Hebrew





Nox

Night


Latin





Oak

Near the oak trees; meadow of oak trees


English





Obi

Heart


African





Odi

Wealthy defender


Anglo-Saxon




Oke

Deer lover


Polynesian




Ora

“The golden one,” from the French or, gold.


French





Orv

Gold town


French




Ozi

Strong


Hebrew




Pax

Peace


Latin





Paz

God’s gold


Hebrew





Pen

Enclosure; hill


English




Pip

Horse lover


Spanish




Poe

Peacock


English




Raj

King


Indian (Sanskrit)





Red

Red color


English




Ren

Lotus


Japanese





Rex

King


Latin





Rey

Kings


Spanish





Rin

Companion


Japanese




Rio

River


Spanish





Roy

Red


Irish





Sal

Savior


Latin





Sam

A short form of Samson and Samuel.


American





Seb

Revered


Greek




Sef

Short form of Joseph


German




Sid

Wide meadow


English





Sir

Respectful term used for addressing a male


English





Sol

Prayed for; peace


Hebrew





Tag

Handsome. Variant of Teague.


Irish




Taj

Crown


Indian (Sanskrit)





Tao

Peach, Long Life


Chinese





Ted

A diminutive form of Edward, Theodore, and Theodoric.


Greek





Teo

God


Spanish





Tex

From Texas


American





Tim

God’s honor


Greek





Tom

A diminutive form of Thomas.


Aramaic





Tov

God is good


Hebrew




Tru

True


English





Uba

Father, Lord


African




Udi

My torch, burning stick


Hebrew




Ulf

Wolf


German




Umi

Life


African




Uri

My light, my flame


Hebrew





Uzi

Power, Strength


Hebrew




Vic

Champion


Latin





Von

Hope


Scandinavian





Wal

A short diminutive form of Wallace.




Web

Weaver


English




Wes

Western meadow


English





Win

Elf or magical being, friend; joyful stone


English




Yon

Dove


Hebrew




Yue

Moon


Chinese





Yvo

Yew


French




Zac

God remembers


Hebrew





Zak

Laughter; the Lord recalled


Hebrew





Zeb

Gift of Jehovah; dwelling of honor


Hebrew





Zen

Form of meditation


Japanese





Zev

Wolf


Hebrew





Zhi

Wisdom, Healing


Chinese





Zvi

Deer


Hebrew




Three letter boy names pack a wallop of wow in a small package. Three letter male names range from well-known classics to rare modern picks, and we’ve got them all on our list. Let’s meet some of these short cuties together.

When it comes to 3 letter boy names, most people think of Max. This vintage darling has seen a modern resurgence on the charts, though he can also be used as a nickname for Maxwell, Maxim, and Maximilian. He features tremendous energy despite his small size, and we can’t get enough of his boyish charm. His rhyming friends Jax and Dax have a more contemporary feel if you’re looking for something fresher. We also love Mac as an alternative. This underused cutie has boy-next-door sweetness.

You can also find countless classics among three letter boy names like the simple Sam. Short for Samuel or Samson, this sweet moniker has a familiarity you can’t help but love. There’s also Lou, a short form of Louis. You might like Dan, too, a short form of the biblical Daniel. Eli is this group’s contemporary favorite, and his edgy vowel beginning and end have earned him mega popularity on the charts.

Rare name lovers will find plenty of options among three letter boy names. We’d highly recommend Ari, though he is seeing some modern usage that’s higher than his normal turf toward the bottom of the Top 1000. With a meaning like “lion,” we’re not surprised. For a similar feel, see Avi. This cutie is still rather uncommon and means “father of nations.” We also recommend Dre, a shortened form of names like Andre. Made famous by the rapper, Dre is fashionable and fresh, yet most people today are familiar with him. He’s never appeared in the Top 1000 baby names as of 2022, so he’s a rare gem.

See the rest of our list for more awesome three letter boy names.