Boy names that start with C range from classics like Christopher, Charles and Caleb to rare picks like Cassian, Cato and Cosmas, and this list of 122 gives a checked origin and meaning for every one.
C is a letter with a lot of personality. It holds Roman emperors and Irish heroes, job titles like Carter and Cooper, saints like Clement and Cyril, and three different opening sounds (hard C, soft C and Ch).
We grouped the C boy names by style: familiar, unique, strong, short, vintage, nature, mythology, biblical, international and gender neutral. Then come sounds, name families and nicknames, sibling and middle name ideas, and a quick initials check.
Key Takeaways
- No C name is in the U.S. top 10 for boys born in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration.
- Familiar C names for boys include Christopher, Charles, Christian, Caleb, Carter, Cooper, Connor and Cyrus.
- Rare options include Cassian, Cato, Crispus, Corwin, Camillus and Cosmas.
- Conan and Conall carry the Old Irish word for wolf, while a few names, such as Cadmus and Camillus, have an uncertain or unknown meaning, and an honest list says so.
- C can sound like K, S or CH, so say your favorite out loud with your last name before you decide.
Table of Contents
Boy Names That Start With C at a Glance
Quick Answer
Every origin and meaning on this page was checked against the name’s own entry on Behind the Name in October 2026. Where the reference calls a meaning unknown, uncertain or only possible, we say so.
How to read the tables: the Origin column uses the reference’s own usage labels, so “English (modern)” and “English (rare)” are its wording. When the Meaning column says a name is a form, variant or short form of another name, that is all the entry states, and the root name usually appears elsewhere on this page with its meaning.
Here are the best known baby boy names that start with C. For a wider list across every letter, see our main guide to baby boy names.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher | English | From Late Greek Christophoros, “bearing Christ”; Saint Christopher became the patron saint of travelers |
| Charles | English, French | From Latin Carolus, from Germanic Karl, usually linked to a word for “man” (some scholars suggest “army”) |
| Christian | English, French, German, Scandinavian, Italian | From medieval Latin Christianus: a follower of Christ |
| Caleb | English, biblical | Most likely from Hebrew kelev, “dog”; another theory reads it as “whole heart”; one of the twelve spies sent by Moses (Old Testament) |
| Carter | English | From a surname for someone who drove a cart |
| Colton | English (modern) | From a surname and place name: “Cola’s town” |
| Connor | Irish, English (modern) | Variant of Conor, following the spelling of the surname |
| Cooper | English | From a surname for a barrel maker, from Middle English couper |
| Chase | English | From a surname meaning “chase, hunt” in Middle English, first a nickname for a huntsman |
| Cole | English | From a surname that was probably a medieval short form of Nicholas, or from the byname Cola |
| Calvin | English | From the French surname Cauvin, from a word for “bald”; used in honor of the reformer John Calvin |
| Caden | English (modern) | Possibly from the Irish surname Caden, from the given name Cadán, whose meaning is unknown |
| Cayden | English (modern) | Variant of Caden |
| Camden | English (modern) | From a surname and place name that may mean “enclosed valley” in Old English |
| Callum | Scottish, English | Variant of Calum (see the nature table) |
| Cyrus | English, biblical, Old Persian (Latinized) | From Old Persian Kuruš; possibly “young” or “humbler of the enemy,” but the origin is uncertain; the Persian king who let exiled Jews return home (Old Testament) |
| Cash | English | From a surname for a box maker, from Norman French casse, “case” |
| Colin | Scottish, English | Anglicized form of the Scottish name Cailean |
| Clayton | English | From a surname taken from English place names meaning “clay settlement” |
| Corey | English | From a surname based on the Old Norse name Kóri, whose meaning is unknown |
| Cody | English | From an Irish surname: “descendant of a helpful person” or “son of Odo” |
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), no C name is in the boys’ top 10 for 2025. That surprises many parents, because the letter feels so familiar. Part of the reason is spelling: the SSA does not combine different spellings of similar names, so Caden and Cayden, or Connor and Conor, are each counted on their own.
Christopher has the longest story in this table. Behind the Name explains that early Christians used the Greek name in a figurative sense, for someone who carried Christ in their heart, and that a literal reading later produced the legend of a saint who carried the young Jesus across a river. Charles spread across Europe with Charlemagne and entered the Stuart royal family through Mary Queen of Scots.
Several names here started as job titles. Carter drove a cart, Cooper made barrels and Cash made boxes. Chase was a nickname for a huntsman. If you like an occupational name with a bit of history, these four are a good shortlist.
Unique, Rare and Strong Boy Names That Start With C
Looking for unique boy names that start with C? Ancient Rome is a rich source. Cassius, Cassian, Cato, Crispus, Caesar and Camillus all began as Roman family names or cognomens, a kind of inherited nickname. Others come from saints, kings and old surnames.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cassius | Ancient Roman | A Roman family name of uncertain origin, possibly from a Latin word for “empty, vain” |
| Cassian | Ancient Roman (Anglicized) | From Cassianus, a cognomen formed from Cassius; borne by several saints |
| Cato | Ancient Roman | From a Latin word meaning “wise”; Cato the Elder and Cato the Younger |
| Crispin | English (rare) | From the Roman cognomen Crispinus; Saint Crispin is a patron of shoemakers |
| Crispus | Ancient Roman | A Roman cognomen meaning “curly-haired” |
| Casimir | English, French | Anglicized form of Polish Kazimierz: Slavic “to destroy” plus “peace, world” |
| Cillian | Irish | Probably from an Old Irish word for “church” plus a diminutive; a 7th century saint |
| Chauncey | English | From a Norman surname of unknown meaning |
| Corwin | English | From a surname based on an Old French word for leather, after the Spanish city of Cordova |
| Cyprian | Polish, ecclesiastical history | From Latin Cyprianus: “from Cyprus”; a 3rd century bishop of Carthage |
| Caesar | Ancient Roman | A cognomen that may have meant “thick head of hair”; later a title of Roman emperors |
| Camillus | Ancient Roman | A cognomen probably of Etruscan origin; its meaning is unknown |
| Clovis | History, French | Modern spelling of Clodovicus, from the Germanic Hludwig (the same root as Ludwig); a 5th century Frankish king |
| Cosmas | Ancient Greek (Latinized) | From Greek kosmos: “order, world, universe”; twin saint with Damian |
Notice how many of these come in related pairs. Cassian was formed from Cassius. Crispin comes from Crispinus, which in turn comes from Crispus, “curly-haired.” Cosmas is the root of Cosimo and Cosmo in Italian and Cosmin in Romanian. Caesar became César in French, Spanish and Portuguese, and Camillus became Camilo.
Some honest notes on meaning. Behind the Name calls the origin of Cassius uncertain and the meaning of Camillus unknown, and it says the surname behind Chauncey has an unknown meaning. We kept them because they are lovely names, and we print them that way rather than inventing a translation. For more one of a kind ideas, see our unique boy names guide.
If you want strong or cool boy names that start with C, Irish names carry plenty of wolves and battles. Conan and Conall both contain the Old Irish word for a hound or wolf, and Cathal and Cahir both open with the word for battle.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Conan | Irish | From an Irish word for “wolf, hound” with a diminutive ending |
| Conall | Irish, Irish mythology | “Rule of a wolf”; Conall Cernach, a hero of the Red Branch of Ulster |
| Cathal | Irish | Old Irish “battle” plus “rule”; a saint and several Irish kings |
| Cahir | Irish | Anglicized form of Cathaoir, possibly “battle man” |
| Conrad | English, German | Old German “bold” plus “advice”: roughly “brave counsel” |
| Constantine | History | From Latin Constantinus, a derivative of Constans; the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity |
Conrad is a strong name in a quieter way: its Old German elements add up to “brave counsel.” Constantine belonged to the Roman emperor who moved his capital to Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople, the city now called Istanbul.
Short C Names for Boys (2 to 5 Letters)
Short C names are easy to spell, easy to call across a playground and easy to pair with a long surname. Several began as short forms of longer names and now stand on their own.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cal | English | Short form of Calvin and other names that begin with Cal |
| Cy | English | Short form of Cyrus or Cyril |
| Coy | English | From a surname meaning “quiet, shy” in Middle English |
| Cian | Irish, Irish mythology | “Ancient, enduring”; the father of Lugh in Irish myth |
| Colm | Irish | Variant of Colum, from Latin columba, “dove” |
| Cade | English | From a surname that began as a nickname from an Old English word for “round” |
| Chad | English | From Old English Ceadda, meaning unknown, possibly linked to Welsh cat, “battle” |
| Clem | English | Short form of Clement |
| Cliff | English | Short form of Clifford or Clifton |
Cy is the shortest name on the page, at two letters. Behind the Name lists it as a short form of either Cyrus or Cyril, so you could register one of those and use Cy every day. Clem and Cliff work the same way with Clement and Clifford.
More short C names live in other tables: Cash, Cole, Cody, Carl, Cato, Clay and Cruz have four letters, Chase and Chris have five, and Cem and Ciro are in the international tables.
Vintage and Old-Fashioned C Names
These are the C names you may know from a great-grandfather’s photo album. Many of them were common in the United States generations ago and now feel fresh again.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Clarence | English | From the Latin title Clarensis, after the town of Clare in Suffolk |
| Chester | English | From a surname for someone from Chester, from Latin castrum, “camp, fort” |
| Cecil | English | From the Roman name Caecilius; popular in honor of the noble Cecil family |
| Curtis | English | From a surname based on an Old French word for “courteous” |
| Cornelius | Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, biblical | A Roman family name possibly from Latin for “horn”; a centurion in the Book of Acts |
| Carl | German, Scandinavian, English | German and Scandinavian form of Karl, a variant of Charles |
| Clark | English | From a surname meaning “cleric, scribe” |
| Clinton | English | From a surname taken from the towns of Glinton and Glympton |
| Cletus | English | Short form of Anacletus; also an English form of the Greek name Kleitos |
| Cuthbert | English (rare) | Old English “known, familiar” plus “bright”; a saint and bishop of Lindisfarne |
| Clement | English | From the Roman name Clemens, suggesting mildness and compassion; fourteen popes |
| Cyril | English, French, Czech, Slovak | From Greek kyrios: “lord”; the missionary for whom the Cyrillic alphabet is named |
| Cosmo | Italian, English | Italian variant of Cosimo (see the international table) |
Some of these names have deep religious roots. Clement was borne by fourteen popes. Cyril of Jerusalem and Cyril of Alexandria were early saints, and a 9th century missionary named Cyril helped create the alphabet that became Cyrillic. Cuthbert was a hermit who became bishop of Lindisfarne, and the reference notes that the name stayed in use in England after the Norman Conquest because of him.
Others come from places. Clarence goes back to the town of Clare in Suffolk, Chester to a former Roman camp, and Clinton to two English towns.
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Nature C Names: Birds, Rivers and Earth
These names connect to the natural world through their stated meaning: a raven, a dove, coal, a river, clay and a cliff. Cedar and Columba belong here too, but you will find them in the gender neutral table, because the reference lists both for boys and girls.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Corbin | English | From a French surname based on the word for “raven,” first given to someone with dark hair |
| Calum | Scottish Gaelic | Scottish Gaelic form of Columba: “dove” |
| Colby | English | From a surname: Old Norse Koli, “coal, dark,” plus býr, “farm, settlement” |
| Clyde | English | From the River Clyde in Scotland, from Cumbric Clud, of unknown origin |
| Clay | English | From a surname for someone who lived near or worked with clay; also short for Clayton |
| Clifford | English | From a surname and place name: “ford by a cliff” |
The dove appears three times on this page. Calum is the Scottish Gaelic form of Columba, the Latin word for “dove.” Callum, in the first table, is a variant of Calum, and Colm, in the short names table, is a variant of Colum. Saint Columba, a 6th century Irish monk, founded a monastery on the island of Iona and is credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland.
Many English C names began as place names that describe the land. Clayton is a “clay settlement,” Clifford a “ford by a cliff,” Camden possibly an “enclosed valley” and Colby a farm or settlement.
Mythology, Literature and Biblical C Names
Greek and Roman myth, Irish legend, Welsh and Arthurian stories and two famous novels all supply C names. Behind the Name calls the meaning of Cadmus uncertain, gives only possible sources for Castor, Cronus and Cormac, and says the name behind Cedric has an unclear meaning. We print them exactly that way.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Castor | Greek mythology (Latinized) | Possibly from a Greek verb meaning “to excel, to shine,” or from the word for “beaver”; the twin of Pollux |
| Cadmus | Greek mythology (Latinized) | Meaning uncertain; the legendary founder of Thebes |
| Cronus | Greek mythology (Latinized) | Possibly from a root related to cutting; the chief of the Titans and father of Zeus |
| Cupid | Roman mythology (Anglicized) | From Latin Cupido: “desire”; the Roman god of love |
| Conchobar | Old Irish, Irish mythology | Old Irish “hound, wolf” plus “desiring”; Conchobar mac Nessa, a king in the Ulster Cycle |
| Cormac | Irish mythology, Irish | Meaning uncertain, possibly “chariot” or “defilement” plus “son”; the high king Cormac mac Airt |
| Caradoc | Welsh, Arthurian legend | Variant of Caradog |
| Caspar | Judeo-Christian-Islamic legend | Latin variant of Jasper |
| Caspian | Literature | Coined by C. S. Lewis for Prince Caspian of Narnia, probably after the Caspian Sea |
| Cedric | English (from literature) | Created by Walter Scott for Ivanhoe (1819), probably after Cerdic, a name of unclear meaning |
Two of these were invented by authors. Walter Scott created Cedric for a character in Ivanhoe in 1819, and C. S. Lewis introduced Caspian in his Chronicles of Narnia in 1950. Castor fits a twin pairing: in Greek myth he is the twin of Pollux, and a star named Castor sits in the constellation Gemini.
For biblical boy names that start with C, Caleb is the best known. Per Behind the Name, he is one of the twelve spies Moses sent into Canaan, and the name was popular with the Puritans. Cyrus, also in the first table, is the Persian king remembered in the Old Testament for letting exiled Jews return, and Cornelius, in the vintage table, is the centurion in the Book of Acts who is traditionally considered the first Gentile convert. Two less common choices from the New Testament:
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cephas | Biblical | From Aramaic: “rock”; the name Jesus gave the apostle Simon (Peter) |
| Cleopas | Biblical | Short form of Greek Kleopatros: “glory” plus “father”; a disciple who meets Jesus after the resurrection |
International C Names by Language
The origin labels below are the reference’s own usage labels. Where an entry says only that a name is the form of another name in a given language, we print exactly that and point you to the root name on this page.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos | Spanish, Portuguese | Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles |
| Carlo | Italian | Italian form of Charles |
| César | French, Spanish, Portuguese | Form of Caesar |
| Cristóbal | Spanish | Spanish form of Christopher |
| Cristiano | Italian, Portuguese | Italian and Portuguese form of Christian |
| Camilo | Spanish, Portuguese | Form of Camillus |
| Cayetano | Spanish | Spanish form of Caietanus (see Gaetano) |
| Ciro | Italian, Spanish, Portuguese | Form of Cyrus |
| Cosimo | Italian | Italian form of Cosmas; Cosimo de’ Medici founded Medici rule in Florence |
| Carmelo | Spanish, Italian | Masculine form of Carmel, a place name |
| Carmine | Italian | Italian masculine form of Carmen |
| Celso | Portuguese, Galician, Spanish, Italian | Form of the Latin name Celsus |
| Christophe | French | French form of Christopher |
| Clément | French | French form of Clemens (see Clement) |
| Corentin | Breton, French | French form of Breton Kaourintin, possibly “storm, hurricane” or from a root meaning “love” |
| Christoph | German | German form of Christopher |
| Constantin | Romanian, French | Romanian and French form of Constantinus (see Constantine) |
| Cosmin | Romanian | Romanian form of Cosmas |
| Conor | Irish, English, Irish mythology | Anglicized form of Conchobar |
| Ciarán | Irish, Old Irish | Diminutive of Ciar; two 6th century Irish saints |
| Caoimhín | Irish | Irish form of Kevin |
A few name families explain most of this table. Carlos and Carlo are forms of Charles. Cristóbal, Christophe and Christoph are forms of Christopher, and Cristiano is a form of Christian. Cosimo and Cosmin both go back to Cosmas, and Constantin to Constantine.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Chaim | Hebrew | From Hebrew chayim: “life” |
| Cem | Turkish | Turkish form of Jam |
| Chetan | Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada | From Sanskrit cetana: “visible, conscious, soul” |
| Chinedu | Igbo | “God is leading” |
| Chukwuemeka | Igbo | “God did a greater deed” |
Chinedu, Chukwuemeka and Chidi (in the gender neutral table) are Igbo names with complete meanings built on Chi, a word for God: “God is leading,” “God did a greater deed” and “God exists.” Chaim simply means “life” in Hebrew.
Print accents exactly as the name is spelled: César, Cristóbal, Clément, Ciarán and Caoimhín. U.S. paperwork does not always carry accents, so decide ahead of time whether you are comfortable seeing the name without its mark on some documents.
Pronunciation can surprise an English reader. Behind the Name gives Caoimhín as /ˈkiː.vʲiːnʲ/ in Irish (it is the Irish form of Kevin), Cem as /ˈd͡ʒɛm/ in Turkish, and Ciro as /ˈt͡ʃi.ro/ in Italian but /ˈsi.ɾo/ in Latin American Spanish. If a name comes from a culture outside your own family, learn how it is said and used before you commit.
Gender Neutral C Names
Behind the Name lists each of these as both masculine and feminine. Many began as Irish or Scottish surnames. The reference adds that Cameron is mainly used for boys and that Collins, as a boys’ name, is most common in parts of English-speaking Africa. Find more in our gender neutral names guide.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cameron | English | From a Scottish surname meaning “crooked nose”; mainly used for boys |
| Charlie | English | Diminutive of Charles; also a feminine form |
| Casey | English | From the Irish surname Ó Cathasaigh, from the given name Cathassach |
| Carey | English | From the Irish surname Ó Ciardha, from the given name Ciardha |
| Carson | English | From a Scottish surname of unclear origin |
| Chris | English, Dutch, German, Danish | Short form of Christopher, Christian, Christine and other Chris names |
| Channing | English (modern) | From an English surname of unknown origin |
| Campbell | English | From a Scottish surname meaning “crooked mouth” |
| Cassidy | English (modern) | From the Irish surname Ó Caiside, from the byname Caiside |
| Collins | English | From a surname of Irish or English origin; as a boys’ name, most common in parts of English-speaking Africa |
| Cruz | Spanish, Portuguese | “Cross,” from Latin crux |
| Claude | French, English | French form of the Latin name Claudius; Saint Claude of Besançon |
| Cedar | English (rare) | From the English word for the tree, from Greek kedros |
| Columba | Late Roman | From Latin: “dove”; Saint Columba of Iona |
| Chidi | Igbo | “God exists” |
Why C Names Are Loved, Plus Hard C, Soft C and Ch Sounds
A few plain reasons parents keep returning to this letter:
- Range. C covers one syllable names (Cole, Chase, Clay) and four syllable names (Cornelius, Cristiano), Roman emperors and modern surnames.
- Sound choices. The same letter can open a name with a crisp K sound, a soft S sound or a CH sound, so a C name can feel sharp, gentle or friendly.
- Easy nicknames. Several long C names come with a ready short form, listed in the table below.
- Names that travel. Charles, Christopher and Christian each have forms in several European languages.
Here is how the sounds work, described plainly. Before a, o, u or a consonant, C usually sounds like K: Caleb, Cooper, Cuthbert, Clayton. Before e, i or y, it often sounds like S in English: Cecil, Cedric, Cyrus and Cyril all start with an S sound in the reference’s English pronunciations. Ch is less predictable. Charles, Chase, Chad and Chester open with the CH sound, Christopher and Christian with a K sound, and Chaim, from Hebrew, with a throaty sound written /χ/ in the reference.
Name families are another way to see the letter. Each line groups names that the reference links to one another:
- The Charles family: Charles, Charlie, Carl, Carlos and Carlo.
- The Christopher family: Christopher, Cristóbal, Christophe, Christoph and Chris.
- The Cosmas family: Cosmas, Cosimo, Cosmo and Cosmin.
- The dove names: Columba, Calum, Callum and Colm.
- The Conor family: Conchobar, Conor and Connor.
If a relative carries one of these names, another member of the same family is a quiet way to honor them without repeating the name exactly.
| Full name | Nickname ideas |
|---|---|
| Christopher, Christian | Chris |
| Charles | Charlie |
| Calvin | Cal |
| Cyrus, Cyril | Cy |
| Clement | Clem |
| Clifford | Cliff |
| Clayton | Clay |
Sibling, Twin and Middle Name Ideas
These pairings are ideas, not rules. Brothers or twins who share a letter are easiest to tell apart when the names differ in length, ending or rhythm:
- Caleb and Calvin
- Carter and Cooper
- Charles and Conrad
- Cassius and Cato
- Cian and Cillian
- Carlos and César
- Cyril and Clement
- Corbin and Colby
- Chinedu and Chukwuemeka
- Castor and Cedric
You can also link siblings through meaning instead of sound. Calum and Colm both trace back to the dove. Conan and Conall both carry the wolf. Cathal and Cahir both begin with the Old Irish word for battle.
For a sister, the unisex picks Cameron, Charlie, Cedar and Columba keep the letter, or you can browse girl names that start with M and girl names that start with S. For a brother with a different initial, try boy names that start with A, boy names that start with E, boy names that start with K or boy names that start with L.
For middle names, contrast helps. A short first name can carry a longer middle, and a long first name is balanced by a short one. Ideas: Cole Theodore, Cash Oliver, Caleb James, Christopher Liam, Carter Noah and Cyrus Henry. C names make easy middle names too: Charles, Clement, Cole and Conrad all sit well in the second slot. Our middle names guide has more.
The Initials Check and Other Quick Tests
Before you settle on boy names that start with C, run each finalist through four quick tests:
- Initials: write out first, middle and last initials. C.J. and C.T. are friendly. C.R.Y. and C.O.W. are the kind of combination you may want to avoid, so swap the middle name if you spot a problem.
- Say it out loud: call the full name across a room. A C name that ends in a K or S sound (Cassius, Cyrus, Curtis) can blur into a surname that starts with the same sound.
- Spelling: if there are several spellings (Caden and Cayden, Connor and Conor, Callum and Calum), decide whether you mind correcting people. Remember that the soft C names are sometimes heard as S names.
- Nicknames: check the table above. If you dislike the obvious short form, assume someone will use it anyway.
One more check is worth a minute if rarity matters to you: the SSA Popularity of a Name search shows how often a name has been given in the United States. The SSA leaves out names with fewer than 5 occurrences to protect privacy, so the very rarest names never appear in its lists.
Related Betteroo Guides
- Boy names that start with K
- Boy names that start with A
- Baby boy names
- Unique boy names
- Irish boy names
- Middle names
The Bottom Line
The letter C covers almost every style: classics like Christopher and Charles, occupational names like Carter and Cooper, Roman names like Cassius and Cato, Irish names like Cian and Conall, and names from Hebrew, Turkish, Hindi and Igbo. Shortlist three to five, check the meaning, test the initials and say each one out loud for a week.
And if no C name feels right yet, that is fine. Browse a different letter, come back in a few days, and see which name you still find yourself saying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most popular boy names that start with C?
No C name is in the boys’ top 10 for 2025, according to the Social Security Administration. Familiar C names in the United States include Christopher, Charles, Christian, Caleb, Carter, Colton, Connor, Cooper, Chase, Cole, Calvin and Cameron. The SSA counts each spelling separately, so Caden and Cayden or Connor and Conor are ranked on their own.
What are unique or rare C names for boys?
Rare C names include Cassian, Cato, Crispin, Crispus, Corwin, Chauncey, Camillus, Cosmas and the Irish names Cillian and Cahir. Many began as Roman family names or old surnames. The Social Security Administration leaves names with fewer than 5 occurrences out of its lists, so the very rarest names never appear there.
What are strong C names for boys?
Meaning can guide you. Conan comes from an Irish word for wolf or hound, Conall means rule of a wolf, Cathal combines battle and rule, and Cahir may mean battle man. Conrad means roughly brave counsel. Constantine was the name of the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity.
What are biblical boy names that start with C?
Caleb is the best known: he is one of the twelve spies Moses sent into Canaan in the Old Testament. Cyrus is the Persian king who let exiled Jews return home. Cornelius is a centurion in the Book of Acts, Cephas is the name Jesus gave Peter, and Cleopas is a disciple who meets Jesus after the resurrection.
What are short C names for boys?
Cy has just two letters and is a short form of Cyrus or Cyril. Three letter C names include Cal, Coy and Cem, and four letter choices include Cian, Colm, Cade, Chad, Clem, Cole, Cash, Clay, Cody, Cato and Cruz. Several began as short forms of longer names, such as Clem from Clement and Cliff from Clifford.
Which C names work for both boys and girls?
Cameron, Charlie, Casey, Carey, Carson, Chris, Channing, Campbell, Cassidy, Collins, Cruz, Claude, Cedar, Columba and the Igbo name Chidi are all listed by Behind the Name as both masculine and feminine. Many of the English ones began as Irish or Scottish surnames, and Cedar comes from the name of the tree.
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Related Betteroo Guides
7 Sources
- Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names (top 10 names of 2025).
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html - Social Security Administration. Background Information for Popular Names.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/background.html - Behind the Name. Browse Names: masculine names with the first letter C.
https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/masculine/letter/c - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Christopher.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/christopher - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Caleb.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/caleb - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Cyrus.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/cyrus - Behind the Name. Meaning, origin and history of the name Conall.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/conall
