Expecting a bouncing and bright little baby boy? Don't have enough alliteration in there yet? Finish it off with a perfectly placed "B" name for your newborn guy. That'd be brilliant.
We've had the Bobs and the Billys, but break out of that traditional list and add any of these great, but unconventional, "B" names for a son:
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Balen: with the option to use Bale for short, this Latin name means "brave." Also, let's not forget the Game of Thrones character that goes by the same name.
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Barack: it's a Swahili name meaning "blessing," but also the name of the leader of the free world. President Barack Obama brought the name into the mainstream and along with wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia, inspired some major baby name trends.
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Bartholomew: a biblical name that is also one of the twelve apostles of Christ, Bartholomew (or Bart, for short), is actually an old Aramaic name that means "hill or mound."
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Bastian: a shorter version of Sebastian, Bastian has become a name in its own right. Wuth nicknames like Bash and Bast, it's actually a not-so-common traditional name that will still hold that classic style.
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Baxter: it means "baker" in Olde English, and peaked in the 1880s in popularity. But with the "x" name trend coming back for little boys, don't be surprised to find a Baxter alongside Pax and Maddox.
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Bear: a celebrity baby name if we've ever seen one. Both Alicia Silverstone and Kate Winslet have sons named Bear, while chef Jamie Oliver used it as a middle name for son Buddy. No matter how you use it, the fierce and strong moniker will never be misinterpreted.
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Beau: taken from the French beau, it means "handsome." With prominent figures like Beau Bridges and Beau Biden holding the name, it's mainstream enough that it'll be recognized, but not so common that you'll find many others. For a different, and simpler, spin, go with the shorter Bo.
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Beckett: it's an Olde English last name that means "dweller near the brook," but it's another famously used celebrity baby name. Designer Stella McCartney, director Shonda Rhimes, and Bachelorette Melissa Rycroft all have sons named Beckett.
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Beckham: there's really only one famous family that holds the name, and it's recognized around the world. Whether you're a soccer (er, football) fan, or have followed the fashion world, you know David and Victoria Beckham, and their little brood.
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Bellamy: a unisex name that first began as a boys' name, Bellamy means "good friend." So if you're adding a pal for your other children, Bellamy will be their greatest bud.
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Benson: another last-name-turned-first-name option for you! Nicknames include Ben and Benz, and, for a major throwback, he can reference the eponymous 1980s show with Benson DuBois.
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Bentley: Teen Mom star Maci Bookout named her son Bentley Cadence in 2009 and the name has grown in popularity ever since. It is, of course, the name of a car, but even Charles Dickens loved the name when he named one of his Great Expectations characters Bentley.
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Blaze: an Americanized form of the French Blaise, the name is perfect for any fiery (and possibly red-headed) little guy.
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- Bingham: a former standard first name grew in popularity as a first name after actress Kate Hudson named her son Bingham Hawn Bellamy (there's that last name again for you!). Consider this: His nickname could be Bing!
- Bodhi: when Megan Fox named her second son Bodhi Random, we all scratched our heads at the undeniably total celeb baby name. In Sanskrit, it means "awakened" or "enlightenment," and is the name for the Buddhist idea of spiritual awakening.
- Braxton: you may have first heard of it because of Braxton Hicks contractions, but don't let that sour your image of the name. With Carter Braxton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and singer Toni Braxton as inspiration, this is a well-recognized name.
- Brecken: a Gaelic name meaning "freckled," it's also the long version of the popular Breck, and the name of famous actor Breckin Meyer (who took on a different spelling).
- Brendan: feel free to change it to Brandon, Branden, Brendon, or invent a different spelling! This traditionally English name means "dweller near the brushwood hill."
- Brenton: like Brendan, this name has also evolved from its classic English roots. It means "dweller by the burnt land," and uses the more popular Brent, as a nickname.
- Brice: could be spelled either Brice or Bryce, this name is taken from the Celtic bri, which means "force and strength." It was popular back in the 1880s but experienced a recent resurgence in the 2000s, so expect a few more little Brices.
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- Brody: The -y spelling is still the most common, but another alternative is the Scottish Brodie. Brody Jenner made the name mainstream famous, but the reality star isn't its only carrier. Consider singer Brody Dalle, football player Brody Eldridge, and even actor Adrien Brody as namesakes.
- Bronson: a last name that started as a combination of "Brown" and "son," and made famous by actor Charles Bronson.
- Bronx: it's one of New York City's five boroughs, but when Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz named their son Bronx Mowgli, it became a valid baby name, just like Brooklyn.
- Brooks: not surprisingly, it's derived from the word brook, but it's become one of the biggest preppy names for boys in recent years, and inspired by the storied baseball player, Brooks Robinson.
- Bruno: from Bruno Mars to St. Bruno of Cologne, there's an extensive list of famous Brunos throughout history. The name is German for "brown" and is one of the most popular names in Europe, so snag it early before it gets too big in the States.
Which is your favorite "B" name for boys?
Image via Valeriy Velikov/shutterstock; MARCTRAN/shutterstock
