75 Gentle & Soft Names for Boys

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Pretty names for a gentle baby boy

Co-authored by Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: October 9, 2025

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Popular

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Unique

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Classic

Many boy names may be very masculine, but these days, a lot of parents prefer boys’ names with a softer, gentler sound or meaning. If you’re looking for a soft boy name, you’ve come to the right place! We spoke to baby name expert Tara Collins to compile a list of 75 of the best soft boy names, including popular, unique, and timeless options. Read on to find the perfect name for your baby boy.

Gentle Boy Names

Baby name expert Tara Collins likes soft and pretty boy names, such as Shiloh, Bowie, and Olsen. Some other soft boy names include the following:

Popular: Charlie, Elliot, Liam, Noah, Oliver
Unique: Arlo, Basil, Chandler, Declan, Wynn
Classic: Asa, Caleb, Ellis, Gabriel, Sebastian

Section 1 of 3:

Popular Soft Boy Names

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Choose a name that’s gentle and pretty. Collins says, “A pretty boy name… may sound soft and gentle, as well as maybe even carrying a little bit of feminine energy.”^{[1]
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Expert Source

Tara Collins
Baby Name Expert

Expert Interview} Plenty of popular boy names have a gentle sound, so don’t worry about whether a name is “masculine” enough. Choose something you like! Here are some examples:
- Bentley (English for “meadow with coarse grass”)
- Callum (Scottish for “dove”)
- Calvin (French for “little bald one”)
- Charlie (German for “free man”)
- Christian (Latin and Greek for “follower of Christ”)
- Dakota (Sioux for “friend, ally”)^{[2]
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- Elliot (Hebrew for “the Lord is my God”)
- Flynn (Irish for “red, descendant of Flann”)
- Isaac (Hebrew for “one who laughs”)
- Jasper (Persian for “treasurer”)^{[3]
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- Jesse (Hebrew for “the Lord exists”)
- Julian (Greek for “youthful, downy, Jove’s child”)
- Kaden (Arabic for “friend, companion;” Scottish for “fighter, battle”)
- Leo (Latin for “lion”)
- Liam (Irish for “resolute protector, helmet of will”)
- Noah (Hebrew for “rest”)
- Noel (French for “Christmas, born on Christmas”)
- Oliver (Latin for “olive tree planter”)
- Percy (French for “one who pierces the valley”)
- Quinn (Gaelic for “chief, descendant of Conn”)
- Rhys (Welsh for “ardent, enthusiasm”)
- Riley (British for “rye clearing”)
- Shiloh^{[4]
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  Tara Collins
  Baby Name Expert
  
  Expert Interview} (Hebrew for “tranquil, he whose it is”)
- Theo (Greek for “God’s gift”)
- Tucker (British for “garment maker, softener of cloth”)
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Tara Collins is a baby name consultant based in the Gold Coast, Australia. She established The Name Nest in 2018 after her personal journey of selecting her children’s names. She currently has over 205k followers on social media.

Section 2 of 3:

Unique Soft Boy Names

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Pick a name that stands out from the crowd. If you’re looking for a unique boy name, consider choosing something gender-neutral or a name you don’t hear very often. Collins says, “A name has to resonate with the person giving it to their child, not necessarily society’s view of the name.”^{[5]
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Expert Source

Tara Collins
Baby Name Expert

Expert Interview} Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Here are some examples:
- Alden (British for “old friend”)
- Amari (Hebrew for “promised by God”)
- Ambrose (Greek for “immortal”)
- Arlo (English for “fortified hill”)
- Baris (Turkish for “peace”)
- Basil (Greek for “royal, kingly”)
- Bowie^{[6]
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  Tara Collins
  Baby Name Expert
  
  Expert Interview} (Scottish for “yellow-haired, blond”)
- Caspian (Latin for “from Qazvin”)
- Chandler (English for “candle maker”)
- Declan (Irish for “man of prayer”)
- Elias (Hebrew for “the Lord is my God”)
- Elio (Italian, Greek, and Latin for “sun”)
- Emery (German for “industrious, powerful, ruler”)
- Finlay (Gaelic for “fair-haired hero”)
- Hayes (English for “hedged area, enclosure”)
- Ira (Hebrew for “watchful”)
- Koa (Hawaiian for “warrior, valiant one”)
- Luca (Italian for “from Luciana, bringer of light”)
- Lumi (Finnish for “snow”)
- Milo (German for “soldier, merciful”)
- Phineas (Hebrew for “Nubian, bronze-colored one, snake’s mouth”)
- Remy (French for “from Rheims, oarsman”)
- Robin (German for “bright, shining, famous”)
- Rowan (Gaelic for “little red one”)
- Wynn (British for “friend, protector, fair”)

Section 3 of 3:

Classic & Timeless Soft Boy Names

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Choose a timeless name that won’t go out of style. We often think of classic boy names being very masculine, but many of these names actually have a soft, gentle vibe. If you’re looking for a name you know will grow with your child, consider a vintage option that’s been used for generations. Here are some examples:
- Andrew (Greek for “manly, strong”)
- Asa (Hebrew for “healer”)
- Beau (French for “handsome, beautiful”)
- Benjamin (Hebrew for “son of the right hand, son of the south”)
- Caleb (Hebrew for “dog-like, faithful”)
- Ellis (Welsh for “benevolent, kind”)
- Forest (English for “woodland”)
- Gabriel (Hebrew for “man of God”)
- Henry (German for “house ruler”)
- Hugh (German and French for “mind, thought, spirit, heart”)
- James (Hebrew for “supplanter”)
- Joel (Hebrew for “Jehovah is the Lord”)
- Jonah (Hebrew for “dove, pigeon”)
- Louis (French for “famous warrior”)
- Miles (Latin for “soldier, who is like God?”)
- Owen (Welsh for “noble, well-born”)
- Samuel (Hebrew for “God has heard”)
- Sebastian (Greek for “venerable, revered”)
- Shane (Irish and Hebrew for “God is gracious”)
- Silas (Latin and Greek for “wood, forest”)^{[7]
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- Simon (Hebrew for “to hear, listening”)
- Teddy (French for “wealthy protector, God’s gift”)
- Wesley (English for “western meadow”)
- William (German for “resolute protector, helmet, protection”)
- Zachary (Hebrew for “God has remembered”)