Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
The letter K can make a name feel strong, unique, and full of personality.
Why else have so many baby boy names swapped the traditional C for the stand-out K.
There’s no second-guessing a solid K – its signature sound is undeniable.
Clean.
You might even say affirming.
But it’s also a little edgy, hella cool (Keanu anyone?), and always modern.
And it’s not all about the fashion flex.
Our list of boy names that start with K feature some classic options with timeless meanings and ancient roots.
With German, Scandinavian, and Irish roots, you can honor your heritage and be down with the kids.
And if you’re searching for deep and meaningful, you’ll find powerful names that celebrate kindness, friendship, and generosity.
One of them does mean crooked nose, but we still love it as well.
Let’s take a look at what the letter K has to offer and get in on the hype that K names are king. 👑
In this article: 📝
- What are some K names for a boy?
- What are more good names that start with K for a boy
- What are unique boy names that start with K?
- What are rare names that start with K?
What are some K names for a boy?
Ready to get in on the K name train?
What better place to start than with names so popular they make it into the top 100 names of the last century.
Some of these most popular baby boy names that start with a K are:
- Kenneth: Starting our list of with an all-rounder this Irish baby name means “handsome”.
- Kyle: From the Gaelic word caol meaning “narrow”.
- Karl: We love this variation of the classic C name Charles which means “free man”.
- Kai: A Māori name meaning “food” or “meal”. A goodie for foodies.
- King: Embrace the K name energy with this confident pick that literally means “king”.
What are more good names that start with K for a boy
Mainstream K boy names not doing it for you?
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With a consonant this striking, best believe there are still plenty of boy names that start with K to choose from.
You’ve got options mama!
Here are some of the more unusual ones:
- Kaan: We’re starting things off with a strong, one-syllable boy name that starts with a K. This one means “ruler”.
- Kacey: Meaning “vigilant” or “watchful”.
- Kade: Originally a Scottish name meaning “from the wetlands”.
- Kain or Kane: These are both alternative spellings of the Old Testament name Cain.
- Kahlil: Meaning “friend”. Arabic in origin.
- Kaleb: Meaning “devotion to God”.
- Kallum: Another name that’s popular in Scotland and Ireland. It means “dove”.
- Kalvin: This name means “the bald one”, but we think it’s also a great K name for boys who are born with a full head of hair.
- Kamal: Meaning “perfection” and “excellence”. No pressure.
- Kameron: An alternative spelling of Cameron, a Scottish name that means “crooked river” (although it can sometimes mean “crooked nose” as well).
- Karim: Meaning “generous”.
- Knox: From the Old English cnocc meaning “round hill”.
- Kase: An alternative spelling of Case, meaning “case-maker”.
- Kasim: Literally, this name means “one who divides goods”.
- Kason: Another Celtic name that’s tied to a location. This time, it’s “son of the marsh dwellers”.
- Kit or Kitt: Originally a nickname for Christopher.
- Kilian: Fun fact: Irish names that end with -an are diminutive. The name means “little church”.
- Kay: Meaning “pure”.
- Kaya: Meaning “restful place” and sometimes related to a yew tree.
- Kayden: A made-up spelling of the Gaelic surname Cadan, meaning “battle”.
- Kean: A short name with a lot of meaning behind it – “fighter”, “keen”, “witty”, and “sharp-sighted”.
- Keegan: This name is also taken from an Old Irish surname Mac Aodhagáin, meaning “small flame”.
- Keelan: An angelicized variation of Caelan meaning “slendar”.
- Kellen: This shares a similar root to Keelan, but it sometimes means “powerful” too.
- Kelvin: If you have fond memories of spending time by the river, this name might be perfect for your son. It means “river man”.
- Kenan: An old Hebrew name meaning “to acquire”.
- Kendall or Kenny: This lyrical name has its roots in the mystical hills of Wales.
- Kendrick: Meaning “royalty” and “power”.
- Kenzo: “Healthy” and “wise”. Solid aspirations for baby!
- Kerr: Another name in the Celtic tradition of naming families after the place they lived. This time, the name is related to marshes, woods, and scrubland.
- Kevin: Meaning “of noble birth”.
- Kian: Inspired by the Irish Cian, meaning “ancient”.
- Kier or Kear: Meaning “dark” or “dusky”.
- Kieran: Meaning “black-haired”.
- Kingsley: Meaning “from the king’s wood”.
- Kingston: Meaning “king’s town”.
- Kobe or Koby: A variation of Jacob meaning “supplanter”.
- Kody: Cody was originally an Irish surname that meant “helpful person”.
- Kolby: The second name on this list that means “dark-haired”.
- Kole: This name has origins in Eastern Europe, where it means “victory of the people”.
- Krew: Encourage your son to grow up a team player with this slick name meaning “group”.
- Kristian: A popular variation on Christian, meaning “follower of Christ”.
- Kristopher: From St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers, who was said to have carried Jesus across a river when he was a child.
- Kristoff: You might only know it from Frozen, but this name is a Scandinavian version of Christopher.
What are unique boy names that start with K?
The letter K already gives a name a lot of personality, but if you want a name that really stands out, you could also try one of these male names that start with K.
- Kairo Meaning “victorious one”.
- Keanu: This famous Hawaiian name means “cool breeze”. Of course ‘cool’ is literally in the name.
- Koa: Meaning “warrior”.
- Kolt: Meaning “coal town” or “young horse”. Gritty.
- Kyree: A gender-neutral K name meaning “noble lord” or “lady”.
- Kylo: Meaning “sky” and big things to Star Wars fans everywhere.
- Kyzer: Meaning “leader”. Not to be confused with Keyser Soze…
What are rare names that start with K?
We’ve done are fair share of hunting for very rare unique boy names.
(That includes unique and cool baby boy names)
As for rare K boy names?
You could always add a K to create Krome, with a strong metallic edge?
If that’s a little too ‘alloy wheels’ for you though, you might like one of these guy names:
- Kassius: Cassius is the usual spelling, but it makes one of our favorite K boy names too. It means “helmeted warrior”. 🪖
- Korbin: Formed from the Anglo-Norman word corb, this twist on the British name Corbin means “raven”. If you want to lean more into unusual, you can also try Korbyn
- Kyrie: From the Greek word meaning “Lord”.
- Kash: Rooted in the Sanskrit name Akash, this strong one-syllable boy’s name means “universe”.
For other unusual names, make sure to have a look at our list of 100 uncommon baby names where you’ll find rare gems like Unwin, Onyx, and Vale.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg of our baby name archive for you to explore.
If you want realtime on-trend suggestions, get in on the baby name brainstorming sessions on Peanut.
It’s just one of the many conversations we’re having.