Are you looking for a sweet rustic name for your baby boy? This list of Southern boy names will help you find the perfect name for your new son.
What Choose a Southern Name?
Southern baby names are a really great trend. Boys names that have a southern ring to them are racing up the charts right now. You may be looking to honor your Southern heritage or are looking for a super trendy name. Either way,
Southern names can include a lot of different themes. Many Southern boy names can come from famous people from the South, including presidents, country singers and other icons. Other Southern names have a very traditional feel, and include biblical names and names with a strong family tradition.
So which Southern boy name to pick? It really depends on which other naming trends you like. There’s a way to honor your Southern heritage for everyone!
If you like Southern boy names, you’ll also like these great rustic names for boys. Be sure to check them out!
Southern Boy Names
Without further ado, here is my list of Southern boy names. I’ve included meanings to go along with the names.
Aaron
Originally a Hebrew or Egyptian name meaning ‘highest mountain’ or ‘exulted’. Aaron was the older brother of Moses in the Bible.
Abel
Abel is a Hebrew name meaning ‘breath’. In the Bible, Abel was a son of Adam, who was murdered by his brother Cain.
Adam
Adam comes from the Hebrew word for ‘man’. In the Bible, Adam was the first man God created.
Ainsley
Meaning ‘solitary woodland clearing’, this name was originally a surname.
Alden
Alden was originally a surname, coming from the Medieval name, Ealdwine, meaning old friend.
Alder
Referring to the tree of the same name.
Amos
Amos means ‘load’ or ‘burden’. Amos was one of the 12 minor prophets in the Old Testament.
Andy
Andy is a nickname for Andrew, which means ‘manly’ or ‘masculine’.
Ash
Version of Ashley, or referring to the ash tree or ash as in the residue of fire.
Ashton
Originally a surname meaning “ash tree town.”
Asher
Asher means ‘happy’ or ‘blessed’ in Hebrew.
Atticus
Atticus literally means ‘from Attica’, a region surrounding Athens in Greece. Fictional Southern lawyer, Atticus Finch, is a famous bearer of this name.
Austin
Austin is a medieval shortened from of Augustine. It can also be used to honour the city of Austin, Texas.
Bailey
The name Bailey is derived from the occupation of a bailiff.
Beau
Meaning handsome in French. Can also be a nickname for Beauregard.
Bennett
Bennett is the medieval form of Benedict and is also a surname.
Bentley
This is a surname which was originally a place name of several English towns.
Billy
A shortened form of William, which combines the Germanic elements of ‘will or desire’ and ‘protection’
Blaine
Originally a Scottish surname, meaning ‘yellow’ in Gaelic.
Blair
From a Scottish surname, meaning ‘field’.
Bobby
Bobby is a nickname for Robert, which means ‘bright fame’. Bobby was the name of two hockey greats, Bobby Orr and Bobby Clark.
Boyd
Boyd was originally a Scottish surname that perhaps comes from the name of the island of Bute.
Brady
Brady was originally an Irish surname , which meant ‘descendant of Bradach’.
Brody
Refers to a location in Moray, Scotland. Brody was originally a surname.
Brooks
Originally an English surname referring to someone who lived near a brook.
Calvin
Calvin comes from the French surname Cauvin.
Camden
Camden was originally a surname meaning ‘enclosed valley’.
Cameron
Cameron was originally a Scottish surname meaning ‘crooked mouth’.
Carson
Carson was originally a Scottish surname.
Casey
Casey was an Irish surname, or named after Casey Jones, a famous train conductor.
Cash
Originally a surname made popular by singer, Johnny Cash (who was born in Arkansas and lived in Tennessee). If you’re looking for a great name inspired by a musician, see this list of boy names.
Charlie
Charlie is a nickname for Charles, which means ‘man’.
Chester
Chester originally was a last name which referred to a Roman town in Britain, and means ‘camp, fortress’.
Chet
Chet is a shortened form of the name Chester. Chester was originally a surname in Britain.
Chuck
Nickname for Charles, meaning ‘man’.
Clancy
From an Irish surname meaning ‘red warrior’.
Clarence
Clarence was derived from a Latin title for members of the British family.
Clay
Originally a surname for someone who worked with clay. If you like short names, here’s a list of four letter names for boys.
Clayton
Clayton was originally a surname meaning ‘clay settlement’ in Old English.
Cliff
Shortened form of Clifford, which was originally a surname meaning ‘lives by a cliff’.
Clive
An Old English surname meaning ‘cliff’.
Colby
Originally an English surname, Colby means ‘dark’ and ‘town’.
Cole
Originally an Old English surname ‘Cola’.
Cory
Cory stems from the Old Norse name ‘Kori’.
Dallas
Dallas was originally a surname which referred to a ‘meadow dwelling’ in Gaelic (see more Scottish Gaelic names for boys here). It’s also quite common for parents to name their son after the city in Texas.
Darren
Darren is a baby name of unknown origin, perhaps either a rare Irish surname or a form of Darrell. It became popular in the 1960’s with the character of Darren Stephens on Bewitched.
Dawson
Dawson means the son of David. It became popular in the 1990’s with the television show, Dawson’s Creek.
Davis
Davis is a surname that was originally from the given name, David, meaning ‘beloved’.
Dean
Originally an English surname.
Deacon
Deacon comes from the occupation of deacon in the church, coming from the Greek for ‘servant’.
Dixon
Dixon literally means Dick’s son. It was originally a surname.
Duke
Duke refers to a noble title, a duke.
Duncan
English spelling of the Gaelic name, Donnchadh, the meaning of which coming from the Gaelic words for ‘brown’ and ‘battle’.
Dustin
Dustin was originally an English surname, coming from the Norse name, Torsten.
Earl
Earl is another aristocratic title that has been used as a given name.
Elwood
Originally an English surname meaning elder tree forest.
Emmett
Emmett was originally an English surname.
Everett
Everett was a surname, coming from the given name Everard.
Ewan
Anglicized spelling of Eoghan, meaning ‘born from a yew tree’.
Finch
Finch was originally a surname. Fictional Southern lawyer, Atticus Finch, is a famous bearer of this name, which is now also used as a given name.
Finley
Anglicized version of Fionnlagh, meaning ‘white warrior’ in Gaelic.
Fletcher
Fletcher was originally a surname, meaning ‘making of arrows’.
Forrest
Forrest was originally a surname which referred to someone living near a forest.
Foster
Foster was originally an English surname.
Freeman
Originally, Freeman was a surname, simply meaning ‘free man’.
Garrett
Garrett is originally from a English surname.
Gage
Gage comes from the Old French name, which means ‘measure’ or ‘pledge’.
George
George is originally from the Greek and means ‘farmer’. George Jones was a country music icon.
Grant
Originally an English surname from the Norman French for ‘large’.
Gray
This one syllable baby name was originally an English surname.
Grayson
This name was originally a surname, meaning ‘son of the steward’.
Griffin
Griffin is the Latin form of Gruffudd, meaning ‘lord’, or ‘prince’, or can be in honor of the mythological creature of the same name.
Gunnar
Gunnar is an Old Norse name, meaning ‘war’ or ‘warrior’.
Hank
A nickname for Henry (meaning ‘ruler’), made popular by baseball player Hank Aaron, and musician Hank Williams.
Hawthorn
After the tree of the same name, the Hawthorne tree has white/pink blooms and bright red berries.
Hayes
Hayes was originally a surname, which was originally a place name, referring to an enclosure or fence.
Henry
A Germanic name meaning ‘home ruler’. Henry was brought to England by the Normans and was the name of many English kings.
Hunter
Hunter was originally a surname meaning simply, a hunter.
Ingram
Ingram was originally a surname that comes from an Old French given name.
Jackson
An English name, meaning ‘son of Jack’. Andrew Jackson was a notable president hailing from Tennessee. Jackson, Mississippi and Jacksonville, Florida, are cities in the South.
Jasper
From the Hebrew, meaning ‘treasurer’. Jasper was one of the three wise men, or magi, who visited baby Jesus in the bible.
Jax
This one syllable baby name is a form of Jackson, meaning ‘son of Jack’. Jax is one of my favorite three letter names.
Related:
More Cute Three Letter Names for Boys.
Jimmy
Jimmy is traditionally a nickname for James.
Jonas
Jonas is a form of Jonah, which means ‘dove’.
Jones
Jones is a very common surname, but can also be used as a given name.
Judd
Judd was traditionally a nickname for Jordan, referring to the river between Israel and Jordan.
Kenneth
Anglicized version of Coinneach (handsome) and Cinaed (born of fire).
Knox
Originally a Scottish surname referring to a round hill. Knoxville, Tennessee and Fort Know are famous Southern locations.
Lachlan
Originally referred to a person from Norway (known as land of the lakes).
Landon
Meaning ‘long hill’, Landon was originally a surname from Old English
Lance
A form of the Germanic name, Lanzo, meaning ‘land’ or ‘spear’.
Lawson
Meaning ‘son of Lawson’, it was originally a surname.
Levi
In Hebrew, Levi means ‘joined’ or ‘attached’.
Lincoln
This name was originally a surname, after a city in England.
Linford
An English surname originally referring to a flax tree forest or linden tree forest.
Logan
Meaning ‘little hollow’, this was originally a place name.
Luke
Luke is a form of Lucas in Italian and Romanian, meaning ‘from Lucania’.
Lyle
Originally from the French word for island (l’isle), Lyle stemmed from an English surname, brought to England by the Normans.
Marshall
This name was originally a surname, and referred to someone who was a Marshal.
Mason
Mason was originally a surname which referred to a stone worker. Mason evokes the image of the Mason-Dixon line as well.
Max
Shortened form of Maxwell (a Scottish surname meaning Mac’s stream) or Maximillian (from the Roman emperor, Maximus).
Maxwell
Maxwell means ‘Max’s stream’. It was originally a Scottish surname.
Merle
The word ‘merle’ refers to a blackbird in French. Merle is also sometimes a shortened form of Merril or Muriel. Merle Haggard is a famous country singer.
Merv
This one syllable name is a shortened form of Mervyn, which originated from a Welsh king named Merfyn.
Miles
Miles comes from the name, Milo, a German name. The meaning is unknown, but may refer to the Latin for soldier, or the Slavic name, meaning ‘gracious’.
Mitchell
Mitchell is a surname, or can be derived from Michael.
Monroe
A surname meaning ‘from the mouth of the Roe’.
Montgomery
Montgomery was originally a surname, but can also be used as a given name. Montgomery is the capital of Alabama.
Nash
Nash is a very trendy one syllable name that originally stems from a middle English phrases meaning ‘at the ash tree’. It, of course, evokes the city of Nashville.
Nathan
Nathan is a Hebrew name, meaning ‘he gave’.
Nixon
Nixon literally means ‘Nick’s son’.
Noah
Noah is originally a Hebrew name meaning ‘rest’.
Nolan
Nolan comes from an Irish surname, meaning ‘descendant of Nuallan’.
Oakley
Variation of Oak.
Orson
Orson was originally a surname meaning ‘bear’, but can also be used as a given name.
Owen
The Anglicized version of Irish and Welsh name for Eugene, meaning wealth.
Pacey
Originally Pacey was an English surname, Pacy.
Parker
Parker was originally an English surname, meaning ‘keeper of the park’.
Pete
A nickname for Peter, which originated from the Greek word meaning ‘stone’.
Percy
Percy was originally a surname which refers to the French town, Perci, but can also be used as a given name.
Peyton
Peyton comes from a surname that was originally a place name.
Preston
Preston originally was a last name meaning ‘preist town’.
Quincy
Quincy was originally a surname derived from a place name.
Randall
Randall is yet another name that was originally a surname This one was originally derived from a Medieval first name, Randel.
Ray
A shortened form of Raymond, coming from Old German and meaning ‘advice’ and ‘protector’.
Reggie
Reggie is short for Reginald, meaning ‘advice’ and ‘rule’.
Rhett
Originating from Old Dutch, meaning ‘advice’ or ‘counsel’. Rhett Butler was the infamous male lead in Gone with the Wind. Rhett is a great Southern name which is currently very on trend. To find more boy names that are racing up the charts for 2020, click here!
Riley
Riley is a cute unisex name. It’s meaning is either a variation of the Irish surname, Reilly, or an English surname that means ‘rye clearing’.
Richard
Richard is a popular traditional English baby name, originally meaning ‘brave power’ from the Germanic. It’s been the name of a number of kings of England.
Rufus
Rufus refers to someone who has red hair in Latin.
Sawyer
Sawyer was originally a surname that literally means ‘sawer of wood’.
Shane
Shane is the Anglicized version of Sean, which is the Irish version of John, meaning “God is gracious’.
Shaw
Coming from an English surname, meaning thicket.
Shay
This Irish Gaelic name means ‘majestic’ or ‘esteemed’.
Sloan
From the Irish surname, meaning ‘raid’.
Sheridan
Sheridan was originally an Irish surname.
Stan
Shortened form of Stanley, coming from a surname meaning ‘stone clearning’ in Old English.
Tad
Nickname for Thaddeus, meaning ‘corageous heart’.
Todd
Todd stems from the Middle English word for fox.
Tucker
Tucker is an occupational surname for a cloth fuller.
Ty
This one syllable boys name means ‘pasture’.
Vance
Meaning ‘marsh’ in Old English, Vance was originally a surname.
Vaughn
This name was originally a Welsh surname which means ‘little’.
Wade
Wade was originally a surname, meaning ‘a ford’, but can also be used as a given name.
Waylon
A variation of Wayland, Waylon was popularized by musician, Waylon Jennings.
Wells
Wells was originally a surname, but can also be used as a given name.
Wes
Shortened form of Wesley, traditionally a surname which referred to a clearing in the West.
Wesley
Wesley is traditionally a surname which referred to a clearing in the West.
Vernon
Vernon was originally a surname that comes from the Gaulish word for alder.
Yates
Yates was originally surname, but can also be used as a given name. William Yates was a famous bearer of this name.
Zach
Nicknames for Zachary, meaning ‘God remembered.
Well, those are my favorite Southern boy names. I hope this helps you find the perfect name for your new baby!
Names sourced from Behind the Name.
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What a great list of names! I think my favorite is Tucker. If I have a boy I am going to check this list out again with my partner to see if he likes any of the names.
Tucker is such a cute name! I hope your husband is a fan too!