Whether you’re looking for a first name that’s easy to spell and pronounce or a cool middle name that matches perfectly with your chosen first name, 3-letter baby names are always a good option. Here is a list of some of our top 25 short boy names.
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Short Boy Names vs Long Boy Names
A lot of parents – especially new ones – go crazy searching for the best name that feels right for their baby. Some parents have a long list of options years before they get pregnant, while others are still clamouring for a name hours after delivery. It’s different for everyone!
One advantage of choosing a short name is that it’s very easy to remember, read, and write – even for children. When your little one is just learning how to read and write, they can easily set the goal to write their names first. Short first names are also good for folks who have long last names. Thai and Indian names are usually long and can be difficult to remember by those who don’t speak the language, so a shorter first name can make a person easier to remember by more people.
The 25 Best 3-Letter Boy Names
Max
Pronunciation: Max (rhymes with “tax”, or “lax”)
Origin: Scottish. Nickname for Maximillian or Maxwell.
Meaning: “Greatest”
Famous Namesakes: American singer-songwriter and producer Maxwell, New Girl star Max Greenfield, and English-Irish actor Max Irons.
Sam
Pronunciation: Sam (rhymes with “ham” or “lamb”)
Origin: Sam is a nickname for the Biblical name Samuel or girl names like Samantha (Hebrew) or Samira (Arabic).
Meaning: Samuel means “God has heard”.
Famous Namesakes: American actor Sam Rockwell, baseball player Sammy Sosa, and musician and actor Sammy Davis, Jr.
Leo
Pronunciation: Lee-yo
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Lion
Famous Namesakes: Oscar-winning actor Leo DiCaprio, painter and inventor Leonardo Da Vinci.
Tom
Pronunciation: Tom (rhymes with “dom” or “pom”)
Origin: Tom is a nickname for Thomas, an Aramaic name.
Meaning: Thomas means “twin”.
Famous Namesakes: Avengers stars Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Tom Holland (Spider-Man).
Dan
Pronunciation: Dan (rhymes with “tan” or “ran”)
Origin: Dan is a nickname for Daniel. In Israel, Dan is a standalone name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning: The Hebrew name Dan means “God is my judge”.
Famous Namesakes: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, Ghostbusters’ Dan Aykroyd.
Axl
Pronunciation: Ax-el
Origin: Scandinavian
Meaning: “Father of peace”
Famous Namesakes: Guns n’ Roses’ lead singer Axl Rose.
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Eli
Pronunciation: E-lie
Origin: Hebrew. Often a nickname for Elijah or Elisha.
Meaning: “Ascent”
Famous Namesakes: Director and actor Eli Roth, writer and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.
Dax
Pronunciation: Dacks
Origin: French
Meaning: “Water”
Famous Namesakes: American actor Dax Shepard, Power Rangers character Dax Lo.
Pax
Pronunciation: Packs
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Pax means “peace” in Latin.
Famous Namesakes: Angelina Jolie’s Vietnamese-born son, Pax Jolie-Pitt.
Ash
Pronunciation: Ash (rhymes with “hash” and “dash”)
Origin: English and Hebrew. This name can standalone but it is also a nickname for Ashton, Asher, and Ashley.
Meaning: In Hebrew, Ash means “happy”.
Famous Namesakes: Youtuber, Ash Hardell, Pokemon’s main character, Ash Ketchum.
Cam
Pronunciation: Cam (rhymes with “Sam”)
Origin: Scottish, nickname for Cameron.
Meaning: “Crooked nose”
Famous Namesakes: American actors Cam Gigandet and Cameron Diaz.
Dev
Pronunciation: Dev (rhymes with “rev”)
Origin: Indian (Sanskrit)
Meaning: “god”
Famous Namesakes: Indian-English actor Dev Patel.
Uzi
Pronunciation: Oo-zee
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Jehovah is my strength”
Famous Namesakes: American rapper Lil Uzi Vert.
Rey
Pronunciation: Ray (rhymes with “say” and “pay”)
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: King
Famous Namesakes: Star Wars’ badass female Jedi, Rey.
Wyn
Pronunciation: Win
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: “Blessed”
Famous Namesakes: Win Butler, the Canadian-American co-founder of indie band Arcade Fire.
Koa
Pronunciation: Ko-wah
Origin: Hawaiian
Meaning: “Warrior”
Famous Namesakes: No Doubt’s guitarist Tom Dumont named his baby boy Koa Thomas.
Oli
Pronunciation: All-lee
Origin: Oli is a nickname for the Latin name Oliver.
Meaning: Oli comes from the Latin word “oliva” which means “olive tree”.
Famous Namesakes: English singer-songwriter Olly Murs.
Kit
Pronunciation: Kit (rhymes with “bit” and “sit”)
Origin: Kit is a nickname for the Greek name Christopher.
Meaning: In Greek, Christopher means “bearer of Christ”.
Famous Namesakes: Game of Thrones star Kit Harington.

Pio
Pronunciation: Pee-yo
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Pio is Latin for “pious”.
Famous Namesakes: The most famous Pio in history is perhaps Padre Pio, an Italian Catholic friar-turned-saint.
Raj
Pronunciation: Razsh
Origin: Hindi
Meaning: Similar to “Rey” this three-letter boy’s name pertains to royalty. In Hindi, Raj means “prince” or “chief”. Raj can also be a nickname for Rajah.
Famous Namesakes: There are tons of Indian actors named Raj, including Raj Kapoor and Raj Babbar.
Tan
Pronunciation: Tan (rhymes with “man” or “Dan”)
Origin: Tan is a nickname for the Arabic name Tanwir.
Meaning: Tanwir means “enlightening” or “illuminating”.
Famous Namesakes: Queer Eye’s fashion guru Tan France.
Ari
Pronunciation: Ah-ree
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Lion of God”.
Famous Namesakes: American actress Ari Graynor and American jazz drummer Ari Hoenig.
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