Three Letter Boy Names ( With Meanings)

Looking for 3 letter boy names for your baby boy?

I’ve rounded up my favorite boy names that are short, sweet and perfect for your little guy.

This 3 letter boy names list includes meanings as well!

Short names have been rising in popularity over recent years. Especially boy names with 3 letters and 4 letter boy names. There’s lots of benefits of choosing a short name.

Short names are great because they’re simple, straightforward and usually easy to spell and pronounce. There’s been a trend of parents choosing short classic male nicknames for first names like Sam and Joe.

This list has over 200 three letter names for boys so I’m sure you’l find at least 1 to fall in love with! There’s lots of classic 3 letter boy names as well as a bunch of much more uncommon boy names with three letters that you’ve probably never heard of.

Let’s jump in!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which you can learn more about here.

Before we hop start exploring our unique 3 letter boy names, I wanted to mention little hack for new and expecting moms to save $$$$.

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THREE LETTER BOY NAMES LIST WITH MEANINGS

A

Abe

Abe – this 3 letter boy name is short for Abraham which means ‘father of multitude’

Abu

Abu – this Arabic boy name means ‘father’

Ace

Ace – meaning ‘one’ or ‘unity’ often refers to someone who excels at something

Adi

Adi – this unisex Hebrew baby name means ‘jewel’ or ‘ornament’

Ale

Ale – meaning ‘noble’ has Dutch origins

Alf

Alf – this Norse boy name means ‘elf’

Aja

Aja – this name varies by origin but the Korean meaning I really liked – it means ‘never give up’ or ‘never stop fighting’

Ali

Ali – meaning ‘high’ ‘elevated’ or ‘champion’ in Arabic

Anu

Anu – meaning ‘the heavenly one’ and refers to a Sumerian god

Apu

Apu – this 3 letter Indian boy name means ‘pure, virtuous and divine’

Ara

Ara – the name meaning varies by origin so I chose the Armenian meaning which is ‘king’

Ari

Ari – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘lion of God’ and often a short form of Ariel

Ark

Ark – meaning ‘essence’ or ‘ray of light’ and comes from Sanskrit

Aro

Aro – this 3 letter boy name is derived from the Hebrew Aron and means ‘mountain of strength’

Art

Art – this short and cute Celtic boy name means ‘bear’ ‘champion’ or ‘noble one’

Asa

Asa – this Hebrew boy name means ‘doctor’ or ‘healer’

Ash

Ash – this cute boy name with 3 letters means ‘happy’ and has Hebrew origins

Ata

Ata – meaning ‘gift’ and has Arabic origins

Avi

Avi – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘my God’ or “father’

Axl

Axl – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘father is peace’

Aza

Aza – this name’s meaning varies by origin so I picked my favorite ‘strong’ and ‘powerful’ in Swahili

B

Bam

Bam – meaning ‘full of life’ or ‘constant’ and ‘steadfast’

Bas

Bas – this Greek name means ‘royal’ or ‘kingly’ – also often a common nickname for Sebastian

Bay

Bay – this French baby name means ‘auburn haired’

Baz

Baz – this Greek boy name means ‘kingly’ or ‘royal’

Ben

Ben – this three letter boy name comes from Latin and means ‘blessed’

Bil

Bil – a nickname for English boy name William which means ‘resolute protection’

Bix

Bix – often a nickname for Bismark which means ‘bold’ or ‘good news’ and has African origins

Bob

Bob – this classic 3 letter boy name means ‘famed’ ‘bright or shining’ and has German roots

Boe

Boe – this cute and short boy name means ‘handsome’ and has both Scandinavian and French roots

Bry

Bry – the meaning varies by origin – the Gaelic meaning is ‘noble’ or ‘strong’

Buz

Buz – this bible name means ‘contempt’

Bud

Bud – this Englis baby name means ‘friend’

C

Cai

Cai – has Welsh origins and means ‘rejoice’ or ‘colorful in Chinese

Cal

Cal – meaning ‘devotion’ has Hebrew origins

Cam

Cam – this cute Scottish boy name means ‘crooked nose’

Cas

Cas – this short but strong Dutch name means ‘imperial’

Caz

Caz – this 3 letter boy name means ‘famous destroyer’ and has Slavic origins

Chi

Chi – means ‘younger energy’ and has Chinese origins

Col

Col – this English baby name means ‘charcoal or dark featured’

Coy

Coy – English baby name meaning ‘quiet’ or ‘still’

Cru

Cru – this Spanish name is a variation of Cruze and means ‘to cross over’

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D

Dan

Dan – English baby name meaning ‘God is my judge’ and often a nickname for Daniel

Dax

Dax – this unique 3 letter boy name means ‘leader’ and has French origins

Del

Del – this is another French baby name and it means ‘of the’ or ‘small valley’ in English

Den

Den – this Russian baby name means ‘God is my judge’

Dev

Dev – this Sanskrit name means ‘God’ and is often short for Devin

Dex

Dex – this Englis boy name means ‘dyer’ or ‘right handed’ – often a nickname for Dexter

Doc

Doc – English name meaning ‘doctor’

Dom

Dom – English boy name meaning ‘Lord’

Don

Don – Irish boy name meaning ‘brown’ chief’ or ‘noble’ – often a nickname of Donny or Donald

Dre

Dre – meaning ‘man warrior’ and has French and Greek origins

Dru

Dru – means ‘brave, manly or male’ and has Greek, Welsh and French origins

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E

Ean

Ean – Scottish boy name meaning ‘God is gracious’

Ebb

Ebb – Hebrew baby name meaning ‘foundation stone’

Edd

Edd – English baby name meaning ‘wealth protector’

Edi

Edi – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘my witness’

Eli

Eli – another Hebrew baby name – this one means ‘high, uplifted or asended’

Eon

Eon – has Scottish and Hebrew origins and means ‘God is gracious’

Era

Era – meaning ‘wind’ or ‘air’ in Albanian

Esa

Esa – boy name meaning ‘god is my salvation’ – has Finnish roots

Eza

Eza – boy name meaning ‘one who is always eager to help’

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F

Fen

Fen – this Dutch and Frisian boy name means ‘peace’

Fil

Fil – this Turkish boy name means ‘elephant’

Fin

Fin – this boy name with 3 letters means ‘fair’ or ‘from Finland’ and has Irish origins

Fox

Fox – English baby name referring to a ‘fox catcher’ or ‘fox den’

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G

Gar

Gar – this boy name means ‘spear’ and has Anglo-Saxon origins

Gee

Gee – shortened form of Irish name ‘Mcgee’ meaning ‘son of Aodh’

Geo

Geo – meaning ‘earth’ ‘ground’ or ‘land’ – has Greek origins

Gil

Gil – cute 3 letter Hebrew boy name meaning ‘happiness’

Gin

Gin – this Japanese boy name means ‘silver’

Gio

Gio – meaning ‘God is gracious’ – has Italian origins

Gus

Gus – three letter name meaning ‘great’ – has English origins

Guy

Guy – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘gentile’ or ‘guide or leader’ in French

H

Hal

Hal – short and cute English boy name meaning ‘army ruler’

Han

Han – Scandinavian boy name meaning ‘God is gracious’

Hux

Hux – a nickname for English boy name Huxley meaning ‘inhospitable place’

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I

Ian

Ian – vintage boy name meaning ‘the Lord is gracious’ – has Hebrew origins

Ike

Ike – English boy name meaning ‘he will laugh’ – often a nickname for Isaac

Ion

Ion – Russian boy name meaning ‘God is good’

Ira

Ira – this classic three letter boy name means ‘watchful’ and has Hebrew origins

Isa

Isa – German baby name meaning ‘strong willed’ – also Arabic for of Jesus and Hebrew for ‘salvation of God’

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J

Jad

Jad – Arabic boy name meaning ‘generous, merciful and benevolent’

Jai

Jai – 3 letter Indian boy name meaning ‘victory’ or ‘champion’

Jak

Jak- a variation of Jack – this Hebrew baby name means ‘gracious is the Lord’

Jay

Jay – this English baby name means ‘to rejoice’

Jax

Jax – this English boy name means ‘God has been gracious’

Jaz

Jaz – this unisex English name means ‘fragrant flower’

Jeb

Jeb – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘beloved friend’ – how cute is that!

Jed

Jed – this cool and unusual American boy name means ‘friend of God’

Jef

Jef – this Dutch boy name is an alternative of Jeffery meaning ‘pledge of peace’

Jet

Jet – this unique unisex name means ‘black gemstone’

Jim

Jim – Hebrew boy name meaning ‘supplanter’

Job

Job – this bible boy name means ‘persecuted’

Joe

Joe – Classic English boy name meaning ‘God will increase’

Jon

Jon – vintage boy name meaning ‘gift from god’ – Hebrew origins

Jud

Jud – Hebrew baby name meaning ‘praised’

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K

Kai

Kai – the meaning varies by origin but this beautiful name can mean ‘warrior’ in Frisian or ‘sea’ ‘ocean’ in Hawaiian and Japanese

Kal

Kal – this Finnish boy name means ‘strong’

Kam

Kam – the Scottish meaning is ‘crooked nose’ or it can mean ‘comb’ in Dutch

Ken

Ken – this classic 3 letter Irish boy name means ‘handsome’

Kev

Kev – usually a nickname for Irish name Kevin which means ‘of noble birth’

Kim

Kim – meaning ‘noble or brave’ if you look at English origins but ‘kingly or leader’ in Chinese

Kip

Kip – this Old English boy name means ‘pointed hill’

Kit

Kit – this Greek baby name means ‘carrier of Christ’ and is often a nickname for Christopher

Koa

Koa – this Hawaiian boy name means ‘warrior’ or ‘brave one’

Kyl

Kyl – this is a variation on Kyle – a Gaelic baby name meaning ‘narrow strait or channel’

Kye

Kye – is of Welsh, Scandinavian, Greek, and Gaelic origin, and the meaning is ‘keeper of the keys’

Kyo

Kyo – this Japanese baby name means ‘cooperation’ or ‘capital’

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L

Lee

Lee – this English baby name means ‘clearing’ or ‘meadow’

Len

Len – this cute German baby name means ‘hardy lion’ or ‘lion-bold’

Leo

Leo – this classic 3 letter boy name means ‘lion’ and has Greek and Latin roots

Les

Les – this Old English boy name means ‘holly garden’

Lew

Lew – this strong boy name means ‘famous warrior’ and is of English origin

Lev

Lev – this name has Russian and Hebrew roots that mean ‘lion’ or ‘heart’

Lex

Lex – Greek boy name meaning ‘defender of man’ or ‘warrior’

Lou

Lou – this cute French baby name means ‘renowned warrior’

Luc

Luc – this French baby boy name means ‘light’ or ‘illumination’

Lux

Lux – this Greek baby name means ‘light’

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M

Mac

Mac – this Scottish boy name means ‘son of’

Mak

Mak – this boy name’s meaning varies by origin so I went with the Slavic meaning ‘blessed’

Mat

Mat – this Hebrew baby name means ‘gift of the Lord’

Max

Max – often short for Maximilian or Maxwell – this cute and modern boy name means ‘ greatest’

Mel

Mel – meaning ‘friend of justice’ or ‘dark’

Mic

Mic – Hebrew baby name meaning ‘who is like God?’

Mio

Mio – Japanese name meaning ‘gracious’ or ‘pleasant’

Moe

Moe – this name has Hebrew and Latin origins and means ‘to love; God’s helmet; dark-skinned, Moorish; savior’

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N

Nas

Nas -this cute Spanish boy name means ‘fiery’

Nat

Nat – this Hebrew boy name means ‘gift of god’

Ned

Ned – this English baby name for boys means ‘wealthy guardian’

Neo

Neo – this unisex baby name means ‘gift’ Tswana or ‘new’ in Greek

Nic/Nik

Nic/Nik – this Greek baby name means ‘victory of the people’

Nim

Nim – this Swedish baby name means ‘wisdom’

Noe

Noe – is a variation of the Hebrew name Noah meaning ‘peaceful’

Nol

Nol – Old English name meaning ‘one who lives at the top of the hill’

Nox

Nox – this unique Latin boy name means ‘night’

Nym

Nym – this is a Shakespearean baby name – a soldier in King Henry V’s army

O

Obi

Obi – this cute African boy name means ‘heart’ – also a fan favorite from the Star Wars franchise Jedi master Obi Wan

Ody

Ody – this English baby boy name means ‘wealthy defender’

Oli

Oli – the German meaning is ‘elf warrior’ while the Greek is ‘olive tree’ (nickname form for Oliver)

Ori

Ori – this unique unisex Hebrew baby name means ‘my light’ – love it!

P

Pan

Pan – this Greek name means ‘ god of shepherds’ or the Hindi meaning is ‘leaf’ or ‘feather’

Pat

Pat – this 3 letter English boy name means ‘noble’

Pax

Pax – this Latin baby name means ‘peace’

Pip

Pip – this super cute English boy name means ‘lover of horses’

Poe

Poe – originally a French surname meaning ‘peacock’ – perfect for literary fans as a tribute to Edgar Allan Poe

R

Raf

Raf – this short and cute English boy name means ‘angel of God’

Raj

Raj – this popular 3 letter Hindi boy name means ‘king’ ‘ruler’ or ’emperor’

Ram

Ram – this Sanskrit boy name means ‘pleasing’ or ‘charming’

Ray

Ray – this classic English boy name means ‘wise protector’

Raz

Raz – this cute Hebrew boy name means ‘secret’

Reg

Reg – this English boy name means ‘Mighty counselor-ruler’

Ren

Ren – this cool rare boy name means ‘water lily’ or ‘lotus’ in Japanese

Rex

Rex – this badass boy name is of Latin origin and means ‘king’

Rey

Rey – this cute Spanish boy name means ‘king’

Ric

Ric – this unique Italian boy name means ‘powerful’ or ‘strong ruler’

Rio

Rio – this cute Spanish boy name means ‘river’

Rob

Rob – this English baby name is often a nickname for Robert meaning ‘famed, bright, shining’

Roc

Roc – this strong sounding Irish boy name actually means ‘person with frizzy hair’

Ron

Ron – of Hebrew, Scottish, Gaelic, and Old Norse origin meaning “mountain of strength or ruler’s counselor”

Roy

Roy – this Gaelic baby name means ‘king’ or ‘red’

Rye

Rye – this cute English boy name means ‘island meadow’

S

Sal

Sal – this Italian name is often a nickname for Salvatore meaning ‘savior’

Sai

Sai – this Persian name means ‘saint’ ‘master’ or ‘lord’

Sam

Sam – this vintage Hebrew boy name means ‘God has heard’

Sef

Sef – this German boy name is often a nickname for Joseph and means ‘God will increase’

Shy

Shy – English name meaning ‘bashful’ or ‘modest’

Sid

Sid – this cute English boy name means ‘wide island’

Sim

Sim – this Gaelic 3 letter boy name means ‘heard’

Sky

Sky – this unisex name means ‘the sky’ or ‘the heavens’

Sly

Sly – this Latin boy name means ‘wooded’ although it’s also often a common nickname for Sylvester which means ‘wild’ or ‘woodland’

Sol

Sol – this adorable unisex Spanish name means ‘sun’

Syd

Syd – this boy name means ‘wide meadow’ and is often a nickname for Sydney

T

Tad

Tad – this cute English baby name means ‘praise’ and is often a nickname for Thaddaeus

Tag

Tag – this adorable Irish boy name means ‘handsome’ – (remember Rachel’s boyfriend Tag from Friends , I think that’s the only time I’ve ever heard it) – super unique and cute!

Tai

Tai – this Vietnamese name means ‘talented one’ or ‘big’ in Chinese

Taj

Taj – this uncommon boy name means ‘crown’ in Sanskrit

Tam

Tam – this rare Hebrew boy name means ‘naive, honest and innocent’

Tan

Tan – this is another Vietnamese name and it means ‘new’

Tav

Tav- this unusual boy name is of Hebrew origin and means ‘truth’

Tay

Tay – this super cute English boy name means ‘tailor’

Taz

Taz – this cute and unusual boy name means ‘king’ and is of Eritrea origin (although it is sometimes used as a nickname for Theodore as well)

Ted

Ted – this is probably the most common nickname for Theodore which means ‘wealthy guard’ and is of English origin

Teo

Teo – this cute and unique boy name means ‘divine gift’ and has Greek origins

Tim

Tim – this is often a nickname for Timothy meaning ‘honoring god’ and is of Greek origin

Tio

Tio – this name has Portuguese and Spanish origins and means ‘uncle’

Tip

Tip – this American unisex name means ‘nickname’

Tod

Tod – this classic Scottish boy name means ‘fox’

Tom

Tom – this vintage boy name means ‘innocence or naive’ and is of Hebrew origin

Tre

Tre – this English baby name means ‘three’ and is a variation of Trey

Tru

Tru – this German boy name means ‘strength of the spear’

Tye

Tye – this unique English boy name means ‘from the enclosure’

U

Ugo

Ugo – this strong Italian boy name means ‘mind and spirit’

Uly

Uly – this Indonesian boy name means ‘beauty’

Ura

Ura – this cute Indian 3 letter boy name means ‘the heart’

Uri

Uri – this unique Hebrew boy name means ‘flame, fire or my light’

V

Val

Val – this rare boy name means ‘strong’ and is of English origin

Van

Van – this unusual boy name has English and French origins and means ‘of or from’

Vee

Vee – this short and cute English boy name means ‘gift of God’

Vic

Vic – this strong Latin boy name means ‘conqueror’

Vio

Vio – this Latin boy name means ‘life’

Vin

Vin – this is another unique Latin boy name which means ‘conquering’

Von

Von – this is a German name meaning ‘son of’

W

Web

Web – this is an English occupational boy name with three letters meaning ‘weaver’

Wes

Wes – this vintage Old English boy name means ‘western meadow’

Wil

Wil – this is a German variation of William meaning ‘resolute protection’

Wim

Wim – this Old German boy name means ‘determined protector’

Wyn

Wyn – this Welsh boy name means ‘white, fair, blessed or holy’

X, Y, Z

Xan

Xan – is often a nickname for Xander meaning ‘defending man’ and has Greek origins

Xen

Xen – this is another Greek name and it means ‘guest, stranger or foreigner’

Yan

Yan – this Chinese name means ‘rock’ or ‘cliff’

Yvo

Yvo – this is a popular name in Dutch speaking countries (has German and French origins) which means ‘yew’

Zac

Zac – this cute classic Hebrew boy name means ‘remembrance of God’

Zay

Zay – this unique African boy name means ‘son of a king’ or ‘love’

Zed

Zed – this cute English boy name means ‘God is righteous’

Zhi

Zhi – this Chinese name means ‘wisdom and healing’

Zev

Zev – this cool and unusual Hebrew name means ‘wolf’

TIPS FOR CHOOSING THREE LETTER NAMES

Picking a baby name is a lot of pressure. You want it to be perfect. It has to speak to your child and tell the world who he is.

We had such a tough time coming up with one that we both agreed on and loved.

There was only 1 that we both agreed on (very early on) and decided it would be our backup plan while we added more names to the list.

When all was said and done, we ended up going with that very first name.

When it’s the right one, you’ll know it.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you narrow things down.

Consider The Full Name – when choosing your baby’s first name, also take into consideration their middle and last name. Say them out loud to get a feel for the flow of things.

When you choose a short and sweet 3 letter boy name, you may want to opt for a longer middle name so it doesn’t sound too choppy. Something like Max Dean Smith doesn’t have quite as nice a balance.

Think about how many syllables you need to round it out.

Don’t Forget Initials -When you’re choosing a baby name, don’t forget to think about the initials. You can get some pretty ‘interesting’ combinations if you aren’t paying attention like Ashton Sam Smith.

Consider Name Meanings – If you find yourself stuck on a few names you love, consider their meanings. Sometimes that can help you choose a clear winner. Or is there a certain meaning or trait you love? You can even look up names that way. I was looking for boy names that mean strength and bravery so that’s what I typed in to search.

3 LETTER BOY NAME LIST

I hope you found some inspiration for your own baby from this list of three letter boy names.

Which ones were your favorite?

If you’re choosing a short and sweet boy name with 3 letters (or any name you love), I would suggest holding off on sharing them with people until baby is born.

Everybody’s got an opinion and it isn’t always a good one. If you love a name, it’s most likely the perfect one. You’ll just know it.

You don’t need people putting doubts in your head and upsetting you during such a special process as naming your little love.

If you do need a second opinion, I suggest asking strangers instead. There’s tons of baby forums where you can post name ideas or even ask for name suggestions and get feedback from other moms.

Just know, whatever you pick will be just right.

SHARING IS CARING!