Boy Names Ending in IE or Y – Which are the best ones?

Are you deciding your child’s name and are looking for those that end with a specific letter or combination of letters? It could be you’re stuck for inspiration or boggled down by the many suggestions, some of which are just connotations of common monikers. So, other than adding suffixes to David, George or Edward, are there original boys’ names ending in IE or Y?

Boy’s names that end in ‘ie’ or ‘y’ are unique, appealing, and easy sounding. While of standard spelling and pronunciation, these traditional names carry meaning, adding a touch of class. They are trendy and have root words of old English, French, German, and Hebrew.

You don’t want any old name, or common ones that’ll have your son sharing with four or five other boys in his preschool class. Options for names ending in ‘ie’ aren’t as many as those that end with y, which have been in use since the 1800s. Read on for some fine examples that rank highly in the current list of US Top 1000 baby names.

What Are the Popular Boy’s Names That End With ‘Ie’ or ‘Y’?

First appearing in what’s known as the Middle English period, the diminutive suffixes ‘ie’ and ‘y’ have remained an etymological mystery of our modern language. The name ‘baby’ a variation of the older babe, is considered the first appearance of this usage in 1377. Some think that the nursery word or caretaker speak, soon became standardized, which isn’t uncommon. An example is a daddy for father.

The suffix ‘ie’, on the other hand, arose from colloquial pronunciation for the sake of endearment. An instance is a word like dear, which turned in dearie or child into childie. Similar to names ending in y, these suffixes create a unique moniker that stands out among peers.

Baby names ending in ‘ie’ or ‘y’ rank among the top 100 in terms of popularity for boys. In 2019, for instance, the name Archie ranked 2nd while the girl’s name Elodie scored position 18th. As a bonus, certain popular boy names that end in ie or y are gender-neutral.

Here are several classic examples of boy names ending in ‘ie’ or ‘y’ that you can adopt for your new arrival.

Boy Names That End In ‘Ie’ or ‘Y’

Abby or Abbie

As a variation of Abbas, the name Abby or Abbie has Hebrew and Arabic origins as a shortened form for Abraham. The words stand for ‘father, somber or stern,’ and it can also be used as a girl’s name, in place of Abigail. It could also be a variation of Abel, although it loses one letter in this instance, which is Yiddish for vapor or breath.

Abbie also represents Hebrew Abner, meaning the ‘Father or light.’ Although less common today, this boy’s name ending in ‘ie’ was last recorded in 2000 for the top 100 baby names. An example of its usage is Abbie Hoffman, a political activist who’s made this moniker moderately familiar.

Archie or Archy

As a nickname for Archibald, Archie means bold, brave, or genuine. It can be also be used as a variation for Archer and has its origin in the old German and English languages. As a first name, it can pair with second names or surnames like Morrison, Dawson, Brandt, Mylo, or Lyam.

Archie was more popularly used in the 1800s with Archer and Archibald becoming less trendy. The boy’s, even when written with the suffix y instead of ie score high in the top 100 baby names. However, its use had waned between 1997 and 2009.

Averie or Avery

Averie is a boy’s name ending in ‘ie’ that’s derived from the name Avery. It has Germanic origins from Alberich, which means elf, power, or magical being, and can also be used for girls. Though it remains an unusual male moniker, successful pairings are possible with surnames like ford, Dayton, Slade, or Carter.

Barrie or Barry

Meaning fair-haired or a burned clearing, Barrie or Barry is derived from Irish, Gaelic, and old English. It’s an alternate of Barret or Barnet which means a meadow or white-colored. Common variations of these boys’ names include Barrey, Bari, Berry, and Barree.

The feminine form of Barrie or Barry is usually Barra while successful middle name pairings include valentine, Avraham, Hollis, Rush, and Adiel. As prominent surnames, these boys’ monikers first appeared in baby name listings between 1930 and 1939.

Beattie or Beatty

These are boys’ baby names that can be used for girls. Beattie or Beatty has Latin, Gaelic, and Irish origins where it’s thought to mean blessed or voyager, usually through life. While unusual for males today, these monikers were prominent surnames 118 years ago but seem to be making a comeback.

Popular middle name pairings for Beattie or Beatty include Monroe, Chaim, Jamar, Waylen, and Leon. An example is the late English soccer player warren Beattie, formerly from the Preston North End Football Club.

Chessie or Chessy

As boys’ names are also suitable for girls, Chessie or Chessy is the shortened form of Chester. It’s also the crypto-zoological equivalent for the sea monster Nessie, said to inhabit the Chesapeake Bay waters. Creative variations of these include Ches, Cheslin, or Cheste. Successful pairings with middle names are Deonte, Danilo, Milton Rian, and Umar.

Cowrie or Cowry

As names for shells used before money came about, cowrie or cowry have Eastern Africa origins but with a significant place in Afro-American culture. Variants of these monikers include Courey and Cowrey, while successful pairings are spotted with cowrie Ali, Case, Deandre, Hamilton, and Tanner.

Crosbie or Crosby

Crosbie is a boy’s name with Scandinavian origins, meaning at the cross. Singer Bing Crosby popularized this moniker whose variants include Crosbey, Crisbie, and Crosle. These names reached their popularity peak ten years ago, and common middle name pairings include Addison, Aharon, Chance, Lukas, Wylie, and Mohamed.

Crosby ranked position 576 in Think Baby Names’ 2018 listing. Since 2009 however, Crosbie continues to appear prominently as a first or last name.

Conclusion

The list goes on, and for each letter of the alphabet too. You’ll find Eddie or Eddy, Gillespie or Gillespy, Guthrie or Guthry up to Willie or Willy. These boys’ names have special meaning, and their use isn’t so wide as to not appear interesting. Whether you want to bring back tradition or aim for the future like Elon Musk, there’s always a sweet-sounding baby name that ends in ‘ie’ or ‘y.’