Boy Names That Start With S, Popular and Rare Picks

Currently popular S names for boys

• Sebastian (Greek, meaning from Sebaste, commonly read as venerable)
• Samuel (Hebrew, meaning God has heard)
• Santiago (Spanish, meaning Saint James)
• Silas (Greek/Latin roots, commonly read as meaning of the forest)
• Sawyer (English, an occupational surname meaning one who saws wood)
• Simon (Hebrew, meaning he has heard)

Rare and less common S names for boys

• Soren (Danish, a form of the Latin Severus, meaning stern)
• Silvan (Latin, meaning of the forest or woods)
• Sylas (a modern variant spelling of Silas)
• Sterling (English, meaning of high quality, from the term for genuine silver)

Quick facts

Common origins	Hebrew, Greek, Spanish, Latin
Common meaning themes	hearing/listening, forest, strength
Common nickname pattern	shortened to Seb, Sam, Si

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular boy’s name starting with S?

Sebastian and Samuel have both been consistently strong choices in recent US naming data.

Is Soren an easy name to pronounce for English speakers?

It is generally straightforward, said as “SOR-en,” though the original Danish pronunciation carries a slightly different vowel sound.

Related reading

Girl equivalent: girl names starting with S. Broader style-based list: cute and cool boy names. Mixed overview: baby names starting with S.