25 Cute Cottagecore Baby Names for Boys That Celebrate the Humble Pleasures of Rural Life

Do you imagine a life that is akin to a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale? One that entails venturing through a deep thicket of green to arrive at your hidden cottage in the woods? Whether you know it or not, a pocket of the internet has been idealizing rural life filled with baking fresh bread, foraging for wild delicacies, and constructing plenty of thatched roofs. The movement has been dubbed “cottagecore” and its followers are all about that cottage way of life.

Cottagecore baby names also celebrate the pastoral and sound as if they’ve been ripped from Pride & Prejudice or Little House on the Prairie. Cottagecore baby names for boys sound vintage, stately, and romantic all at once which makes them attractive for almost any expecting parents. Here are 25 cottagecore baby names for boys that are beaming with bucolic charm!

25. Silas

Silas might be the perfect cottagecore name for a boy because it actually means “wood, forest.” This name has both Latin and English roots and is a form of the Roman name Silvanus. The name is casual enough to fit a baby but strong enough to grow into adulthood. The name is more popular today than ever before in the US.

24. Edmund

Edmund fell off the top 1000 baby names list several years ago after appearing on it since 1880. It’s a shame that the name has fallen out of favor. Edmund is a proper name with English origins that means “fortunate protector.” If Edmund is too mundane for your tastes, consider it’s playful, Irish counterpart, Eamon.

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23. Ambrose

Ambrose is a wonderful name that’s also fallen from popularity for decades. However, the name is currently trending on baby name databases like Nameberry and BabyNames.com. If they’re any indication (they are), the name is set to make a comeback! Ambrose shares the same Latin roots as the food of the gods, ambrosia. Thus, the name means “immortal.”

22. Theodore

Theodore is seeing its biggest surge of popularity in 100 years. Theodore and the nicknames Teddy or Ted all seem fit for a little boy who is set for a life of adventure in the woods. You’ll recall that Laurie from Little Women was actually named Theodore Laurence. Theodore has Greek origins and means “gift of God.”

21. Amias

Amias sounds like a Biblical name, but it’s not! The origins of Amias are unclear it may be a shortened form of Amadeus or a male counterpart of Amy (which is a rare occurrence!). The root of this name is Latin and means “loved.” Parents are discovering the name and it landed in the top 1000 for the first time ever in 2019!

20. Linus

In Greek myth, Linus is both a musician and poet, the inventor of rhythm and melody who taught music to Hercules. The name has not been popular in the US since the 1940s and we think it’s time to bring this humble name back to life! Linus means “flax.” That seems perfectly cottagecore to us!

19. Jack

Jack is a derivative of John that originated in medieval England. Jack has been one of the most popular names in the English-speaking world for centuries. For good reason! The name is attractive and simple and is unfussy next to a complicated surname. Jack and John share the same meaning, “God is gracious.”

18. Oscar

Oscar’s origins are murky and English, Irish, and even Norse traditions contain a form of the name. We’re going with the Irish form of the name because its intended meaning is the most cottagecore of them all! “Deer-lover” is how the name translates from its Gaelic origins. Can’t you just imagine your little Oscar befriending cute deer?

17. Finn

Finn is an Irish name for boys that has been enjoying favor in the US since 2000 and it’s more popular today than ever before! The name means “fair.” Finn seems like the perfect name for an adventurer with enormous energy. You will win if you choose Finn.

16. Winston

Winston seems like it’s a popularizing option for many parents as it’s seen dramatic highs and lows through the years. We think the name is a perfect little charmer that sounds just as cute as it does stately. Winston has English origins and means “wine’s town.” Cheers!

15. Otto

Otto is currently enjoying a Renaissance after falling from favor from the seventies through the early aughts. Now, you’ll hear this marvelous moniker more often than at any time before WWII. Otto sounds playful yet refined and we totally feel the cottagecore vibes it puts off. The German name means “wealthy.”

14. Amos

Amos is a storied Biblical name that was popular for Puritans and others who colonized what would become the United States of America. Amos is another name that’s making a comeback as parents see it as an alternative option to more popular Biblical names. As you might expect, Amos has Hebrew origins and means “carried by God.”

13. Griffin

Griffin has been a top 1000 name since record-keeping began. Today, you’ll hear the name for boys more than ever before! Griffin is the Welsh form of Griffith which comes from Latin and means “strong lord.” The name makes us think of the mythological creature that’s half eagle and half lion. It never hurts for a name to carry a little magic with it!

12. Ansel

Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, would be reason enough to choose this fabulous name. Ansel hasn’t been in the top 1000 since the twenties, so it’s safe to say this name is ripe for the taking. Ansel, even though it sounds fresh, is a medieval Germanic name that means “with divine protection.”

11. Byron

“She walks in beauty, like the night / Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright / Meet in her aspect and her eyes; Thus mellowed to that tender light / Which heaven to gaudy day denies …”

Romantic Poet, Lord Byron helped popularize this amazing name. The poetry of Byron would be reason enough to choose this name, but we also love the fact that it means “barn for cows.”

10. Homer

Homer is a name that has ventured from the ancient Greek scribe of the great classical epics to Bart Simpson’s daft dad. It’s due to the later that this name has fallen from favor. Forget about The Simpsons and go with this romantic name anyway! Homer sounds contemporary even though it’s origins can be traced to ancient Greece. The name means “pledge.”

9. Levi

We know that Levi is having a moment and that it’s more popular than ever before. This amazing Hebrew name sounds far more current and casual than many other Biblical options which is why it’s attracting many new parents. Levi means “He will join.”

Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy features a character with this name. The novel presents both an idyllic and challenging view of farm life in Victorian England which makes it rather apt as a cottagecore option.

8. Preston

Preston is an English surname name that means “priest’s estate.” Preston is a name that’s been in the top 500 since 1880. The name has a more buttoned-up sound to it than most others on this list for those fancy cottagecore parents out there!

7. Ezra

Like Levi, Ezra is another Hebrew name in the Bible that has a more forgiving sound than most others. Ezra sounds light and airy and full of promise. Ezra means “help” as the name belonged to a Biblical character who rescued fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. 

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6. Rufus

We would very much for Rufus to make a comeback. The name has Latin origins and means “redhead.” King William was called this name due to his fiery red hair. Rufus has vintage charm which so many cottagecore parents are looking for.

5. Clement

With the surprising revival of Clementine for girls, we see a possibility of the classic name Clement as a possibility for boys. Clement has Latin origins and means “merciful.” Clement feels like a treasured antique. We’d love to see this name shined up and put to good use!

4. Jasper

Thankfully, the name Jasper is on the rise once more! This pleasant Persian choice means “bringer of treasure” which is associated with the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the Biblical infant Christ. Jasper also has a posh reputation in that it’s also the name to a variety of quartz.

In 2018, the New York Times named artist, Jasper Johns as the “foremost living artist” in the United States. He famously paints rustic-looking American flags.

3. Lyle

You’ll find the name Lyle in English, Scottish, and French naming traditions as a name for a “person who lives on an Island.” Lyle seems like a distinctly pastoral choice that brings to mind musician Lyle Lovett who celebrated Americana music. We feel this name is probably one of the most cottagecore on this list!

2. Asher

Asher was nearly forgotten by most American parents until its resurgence in the 1990s. It had nearly fallen out of the top 1000 for 100 years. Asher is a hit these days landing in the top 50. It’s got a lot going for it in that it’s a name featured in the Old Testament and it produces the remarkable nickname Ash. Asher has Hebrew origins, of course, and means “blessed.”

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1. Asa

James Fenimore Cooper’s The Prairie: A Tale featured a character named Asa when it debuted in 1827. The name, however, is much older and was beloved by the Puritans. It has Hebrew origins and means “healer.” The name is humble and gentle and growing in popularity again! We think Asa is the perfect cottagecore name!

There you go! What did you think of these cottagecore baby names for boys? We hope you found inspiration in this list and will consider these names and others like them. Many offer universal appeal. If you live in a city and have a dream of moving to the woods, these names will be at home in either setting.