Baby names
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41 Strong & Sweet Baby Boy Names That Start With “K”
From Kai to Kenneth, they’re keepers.
by Jennifer Parris
One of the most exciting parts of pregnancy is daydreaming about baby names. But with thousands of first names out there in the world, how can you even be expected to narrow down that number to a select few, and then ultimately the one you decide is the name for your baby? One way you might try to slim down your selections is by using categories (think nature-inspired names, color names, family names) or even names that begin with a specific letter. And if “K” is calling your name—maybe you feel like a “K” boy name would go nicely with your last name — you’ll want to check out baby boy names that start with “K,” because they’re kind of adorable.
Which brings up a point about names that start with “K.” A lot of them have suspiciously similar sounding brothers that begin with the letter “C.” For example, names like Kody, Kolton, or Karl are all instantly recognizable as, well, Cody, Colton, or Carl. While there are plenty of baby boy names that start with “K” that don’t seem to be a spinoff of “C” names, it just goes to show you that you can really get baby naming inspiration from anywhere, and then customize your kid’s name to be spelled however you dang well want it to be — even if that means switching up the spelling and making it all your own.
1
Kayden
When your little baby is a bruiser from the start, it makes sense to name them Kayden. After all, the name Kayden means “battle” or “fighter”. It has ties to both Arabic and Celtic origins, but it’s always a name that signifies strength.
2
Kai
If you’re looking for a gender-neutral name, Kai could be a contender. It means “sea” and is of Hawaiian origin. But it also has roots in other areas, too, like Greece or some Scandinavian countries, where it can mean “warrior” or “victory.”
3
Keith
Keith is not a common name, but it’s a strong name if you’re looking for a baby boy name that starts with “K.” Keith means “woodland” or “forest,” and if your family loves the outdoors, it may be a natural fit for your little one.
4
Kingsley
Kingsley means “king’s meadow” or “king’s field,” and is of English origin. Harry Potter fans will recognize the name instantly from Kingsley Shacklebolt, a pure-blood wizard who battled Bellatrix Lestrange.
5
Kent
Chances are, you might think of Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, when you hear this baby boy name. But when you learn its meaning (which is “edge”), then the surname suddenly makes a lot more sense, since Clark Kent was always living on the edge — or jumping off of one as Superman. The name is of Celtic origin and is one of those one-syllable names that is simply very cool.
6
Kevin
There’s no denying that your little guy’s a looker. He just is. So honor that handsome face by naming him Kevin. It means “handsome” and is of Irish origin. It derives from the name Caoimhín, which breaks down into elements that mean “handsome” as well as “kind,” “gentle,” and “honest.”
7
Kenzo
Of Japanese origin, the name means “strong and healthy.” It is a popular Japanese name that is slowly gaining traction stateside and could be a cute name for your future strongman.
8
Kyle
No one was more surprised than you to see how long your baby was at birth. For a name that connotes length, look no further than Kyle. A popular gender-neutral name (thanks, in part, to a certain Beverly Hills housewife), Kyle is of Scottish origin.
9
Kobe
Short and sweet, Kobe is a cute boy’s name that starts with “K.” It means many different things, depending on who you ask. In Swahili, Kobe means “tortoise” or “turtle”, while it can also mean “supplanter”, thanks to its Hebrew origin.
10
Kian
If you’re looking for a name that’s as old as time, you might want Kian. It means, among other things, “ancient” as well as “God is gracious.” It’s a variation of the Gaelic name Cian, where it can also mean “king,” too.
11
Korey
More traditionally spelled with a “C,” the name Korey means “spear bearer” or “hollow”, and is of Irish and Old Norse origin.
12
Kenton
When you want your child to feel like royalty, just bestow the name Kenton upon them. It means “the royal settlement” and is of Old English origin. It can also mean “royal chieftain” or “the King’s farm.”
13
Kenji
When your baby-to-be is going to have an older sibling, you might want to give him a name that even though he’s second, he’ll always have first place in your heart. And if you don’t want to name your baby “Two”, take a closer look at Kenji. It means “second son” as well as “strong” and “intelligent” and is of Japanese origin.
14
Keanu
It’s almost impossible to think of the name Keanu and not see visions of John Wick, Neo, or Constantine. But even if you’re getting inspo from the actor Keanu Reeves, the name itself is pretty incredible, especially when you consider that is a baby name from Hawaii and means “cool breeze.”
15
Kenneth
That “ring of fire” feeling you might get during delivery is no joke. In a wink and a nod (or not) to that lovely part of labor, you can name your son Kenneth. It means “fire born” or “good-looking.” It’s a name of English origin, and is not as common as it once was, even with cute nicknames like Ken or Kenny.
16
Kendall
Kendall is a gender-neutral name of British origin. It means “royal valley” or “Valley of the River Kent” and was once a surname. Of course, the name Kendall might give you Kardashian vibes, since Kendall Jenner probably helped in making what was once mostly a boy’s name become a girl’s name, too.
17
Kody
Short and sweet, Kody is a boy’s name of British origin. It means “helpful” and is one of those peppy, pleasant names that never goes out of style The name is considered to be a variant of the Irish surname Cody, which descended from the Gaelic name O'Cuidighthigh.
18
Keagan
Of Irish origin, Keagan has become a gender-neutral name in recent years. Although it can mean “descendant of Aodhagán,” it can also mean “fiery” or “ardent” as well. The name Keagan might inspire an equally effervescent personality from your little guy as he gets older.
19
Khalid
The love you have for your baby knows no bounds. When a love like that is both immortal and everlasting, Khalid is the only choice to name your baby, since the name means both of those things. Khalid is a name of Arabic origin and is pretty popular, especially since DJ Khalid came on the scene.
20
King
It’s not too hard to figure out what the name King means. Of course, it means “monarch” or “ruler.” Naming your newborn King is honestly probably pretty accurate, since they rule the roost from day one.
21
Knox
Knox is one of those baby boy names that start with “K” that doesn’t actually sound like it does start with K. That’s due to the silent K rule, where K is not pronounced when it precedes the letter “N’ at the beginning of the word. Still, Knox is a solid name for your sweetie, deriving from a Scottish surname meaning “round-top hill.”
22
Kamden
When you’re looking for a name that has deep roots in nature, you might come across Kamden. It is thought to derive from Camden, a town in England. It means “winding valley”, and is often spelled starting with the letter “C” as well.
23
Kolton
Kolton is a boy’s name of Old English and American origin. It means “coal town”, so basically the name is an abbreviated version of the words coal town. Kolton is also commonly spelled with a “C” but spelling it with a “K” definitely gives it a cool factor.
24
Kelsey
Of English origin, Kelsey is now a gender-neutral name. It is thought to derive from an Old English name Ceolsige, which means “ship’s victory.” But across the Irish Sea, Kelsey means “brave,” surely perfect for your little boy.
25
Klaus
When your baby is due in December, you should consider Klaus. Sure, it’s an obvious wink and nod to the jolly guy in the red suit, but the name Klaus is of German origin and means “victory of the people.”
26
Karl
Karl is a boy’s name of German origin. It means “free man” and is a popular boy’s name not only in Germany, but in countries like Sweden and Norway as well. If you want your baby to be a world traveler, Karl could be a good fit.
27
Kelvin
A few countries claim the name Kelvin. In Scotland, for example, the name Kelvin means “river man,” while it’s also thought to derive from the Old English words for “ship” and “friend”. It can also mean “narrow or wooded river.”
28
Koa
Did your kid come out kicking and screaming? Koa could be a good name for them, then. A gender-neutral name, Koa means “warrior” and has Polynesian origins.
29
Kylan
In Ireland, where the name originates, it’s known as Caolán. But Kylan is a variation of this totally traditional Gaelic name. The name means “narrow” or “straight.” But it’s also thought that the name Kylan could be a combination of the names Kyle and Ryan as well.
30
Kirby
Need a Norse name? You might not think it, but Kirby is just that. It means “settlement by a church” and is now a gender-neutral name. It’s a location name, too, since the slightly differently spelled Kirkby is a location in northwest England.
31
Korbin
Korbin is a cute name for when your baby comes out with a head full of lush dark hair. The name, which is gender-neutral, is of Latin origin (from the Latin word “corvus”) and means “raven.”
32
Keaton
Often thought of as a surname, Keaton should be added to your baby-naming list, especially if you’re looking for names that start with “K.” Keaton is a gender-neutral name that comes from Old English. It can mean either “place of hawks” or “shed town” and has cute nicknames like Keke, Kee, Keats, Keat, or Keato.
33
Kabir
You want to give your child a great name, which is why you might love Kabir. It means “powerful”, “great” and “respected” and is of Arabic origin. It’s pronounced “kah-beer.”
34
Kassidy
It might be too soon to tell if your baldie baby will have curls or not, but that shouldn’t stop you from naming your newborn Kassidy. It means “curly-haired” or “clever” and is of Gaelic origin from the name Caiside. The name is now gender-neutral, and is often spelled with a “C.”
35
Kerry
Looking for a name for your lucky charm? Kerry is a gender-neutral place name hailing from the Emerald Isle.
36
Kade
Nature-inspired names are always trendy, and Kade is certainly one of those. It’s of Scottish origin and means “from the wetlands”. It’s gender-neutral, and is commonly spelled with a “C,” too.
37
Kaius
You might have heard of the name Kai, but what about Kaius? It’s a boy’s name of Latin origin and means “rejoice,” which is exactly how you’ll feel when Baby is born. The joyful name can be sweet for a rainbow baby, since there might be even more reason to celebrate.
38
Kordell
Kordell is an occupational name. How so? Well, if you break down the name, Kord sounds very similar to the word “cord,” which is where it derives from, since Kordell means “cord maker.” Once a surname, Kordell is a boy’s name of English origin.
39
Kristofer
Kristofer is a religious name of sorts. It means “bearing Christ” or “he who holds Christ in his heart”. Traditionally written with a “C,” Kristofer derives from the Scandinavian name Kristopher.
40
Killian
A variation of Cillian, Killian is a boy’s name of Irish origin. It means “bright-headed” and “little warrior.” Killian was originally a boy’s name but has become gender-neutral in recent years.
41
Kian
“God is gracious” is the meaning of the beautiful name Kian. It’s a variant of the Gaelic name Cian as well as the Hebrew name Keon. The name, pronounced “kee-ann,” can also mean “ancient,” perfect for your baby who you might swear is an old soul.
When you’re looking for baby boy names that start with “K,” you’ll soon realize how many cool names are out there. So, start making your list, because Baby will be here before you know it.
