Baby Names That Start With B, Girls and Boys
Popular B names for girls
- Brooklyn (English, meaning marshland, from the New York City borough, itself named after the marshy Dutch town Breukelen; introduced widely as a baby name after David and Victoria Beckham used it for their son)
- Bella (Italian/Latin roots, meaning beautiful)
- Brielle (a shortened form linked to Gabrielle)
- Breanna (Irish roots, commonly read as meaning high, noble, or exalted)
Popular B names for boys
- Benjamin (Hebrew, meaning son of the right hand, currently the top B name for boys)
- Bennett (Latin, meaning blessed)
- Bentley (English, meaning bent grass or woodland clearing, originally a place-name surname)
- Brandon (Old English, meaning hill covered with broom, a type of shrub)
Quick facts
| Common origins | Hebrew, English, Italian, Irish |
| Common meaning themes | blessing, beauty, nobility |
| Note | Brooklyn’s rise as a first name is directly traceable to one specific celebrity naming moment in 1999 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular baby name starting with B?
Benjamin currently leads for boys, while Brooklyn leads for girls in recent US naming data.
Is Brooklyn really named after the New York City borough?
Yes, and the borough itself takes its name from Breukelen, a marshy Dutch town, which is why the name’s underlying meaning traces back to “marshland.”
Related reading
Broader style-based lists: unique girl names, cute and cool boy names.