125+ Wonderful American Baby Boy Names Starting With C

The letter “C” carries a crisp, confident sound that makes for strong, memorable, and wonderfully appealing boy names. In American naming culture, “C” names range from timeless classics that have weathered generations to modern inventions that feel fresh and energetic. These names often strike a perfect balance between being familiar yet distinctive, friendly yet strong.

This comprehensive list features over 125 wonderful American baby boy names starting with C. Each name has been selected for its positive meaning, pleasant sound, and suitability for life in the modern United States. Whether you’re looking for a name that’s traditional, trendy, or uniquely cool, you’ll find plenty of wonderful options here.

The Ultimate List of Wonderful “C” Names for American Boys

Here is the complete list of first names, all starting with the letter C, perfect for your wonderful little boy.

1. Cade – “Round, barrel” – Short, strong, and modern.

2. Caden – “Spirit of battle” – A popular modern name.

3. Caesar – “Long-haired” – Historical and powerful.

4. Cai – “To rejoice” – A short, international form of Kai.

5. Cain – “Acquired” – Biblical and strong, though with a complex story.

6. Cairo – “Victorious” – The cosmopolitan Egyptian capital as a cool place name.

7. Cal – Short for Calvin or Caleb; friendly and simple.

8. Caleb – “Faithful, devotion” – A biblical name full of warmth and strength.

9. Calhoun – “From the narrow forest” – A distinguished surname-name.

10. Callan – “Rock, battle” – A melodic Irish name.

11. Callen – A variant spelling of Callan.

12. Callum – “Dove” – The Scottish form of Columba, gentle and strong.

13. Calvin – “Bald, hairless” – Intellectual and cool, thanks to Calvin Coolidge and Calvin Klein.

14. Camden – “Winding valley” – A trendy place-name.

15. Cameron – “Crooked nose” – A friendly, unisex Scottish clan name.

16. Campbell – “Crooked mouth” – A preppy and strong Scottish surname-name.

17. Camron – A modern spelling variant of Cameron.

18. Canaan – “Land of purple” – A biblical place-name with a pleasant sound.

19. Cannon – “Church official” – Strong and impactful.

20. Carl – “Free man” – The German form of Charles, solid and vintage.

21. Carlisle – “From the walled city” – Sophisticated and literary.

22. Carlo – The Italian form of Charles.

23. Carlos – The Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles.

24. Carlton – “Settlement of free men” – A distinguished surname-name.

25. Carmelo – “Garden, orchard” – The Italian form of Carmel.

26. Carmine – “Song” – An Italian color name (deep red).

27. Carrington – “Town of the marsh” – A preppy, long surname-name.

28. Carson – “Son of Carr” – A hugely popular surname-name.

29. Carter – “Cart driver” – An occupational name that’s stylish and strong.

30. Case – Short for Casey or standalone; modern and minimal.

31. Casen – A modern invented name.

32. Casey – “Vigilant, watchful” – A friendly, unisex Irish name.

33. Cash – “Maker of chests” – Cool, retro, and monetary.

34. Cason – A variant spelling of Carson.

35. Caspar – “Treasurer” – One of the Three Wise Men, charming and vintage.

36. Cassian – “Hollow” – Ancient and cool, with a modern sound.

37. Cassidy – “Curly-haired” – A unisex Irish surname-name.

38. Cassius – “Hollow” – Ancient Roman, known from Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali).

39. Castiel – “My cover is God” – Gained popularity from the show Supernatural.

40. Cato – “All-knowing” – Ancient Roman, short and strong.

41. Cavan – “Handsome” – An Irish place-name.

42. Cayden – A popular modern spelling variant of Caden.

43. Cayson – A modern invented name.

44. Cecil – “Blind” – A soft, vintage aristocratic name.

45. Cedric – “Bounty” – Literary, from Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe.

46. Celian – “Heaven” – A rare and celestial French name.

47. Cesar – The Spanish spelling of Caesar.

48. Chad – “Battle, warrior” – A straightforward 80s/90s name.

49. Chaim – “Life” – The Hebrew form of Hyman, meaningful and strong.

50. Chance – “Good fortune” – A cool, modern virtue name.

51. Chandler – “Candle maker” – Friendly, thanks to the Friends character.

52. Channing – “Young wolf” – A surname-name with a pleasant sound.

53. Charles – “Free man” – The ultimate classic, royal and enduring.

54. Charlie – The endlessly charming and popular nickname for Charles.

55. Charlton – “Settlement of free men” – Distinguished, as in Charlton Heston.

56. Chase – “Hunter” – An energetic and popular occupational name.

57. Chauncey – “Chancellor” – A distinguished, vintage name.

58. Chris – Short for Christopher/Christian; friendly and familiar.

59. Christian – “Follower of Christ” – A widely used and handsome classic.

60. Christopher – “Bearer of Christ” – A timeless, saintly name.

61. Chuck – The affable mid-century nickname for Charles.

62. Clark – “Scholar, clerk” – Strong, simple, and superheroic (Clark Kent).

63. Claude – “Lame, enclosure” – A soft, artistic French name.

64. Clay – “Mortal, clay worker” – Earthy, short, and strong.

65. Clayton – “Clay settlement” – A friendly surname-name.

66. Clement – “Merciful, gentle” – A lovely, vintage virtue name.

67. Cletus – “Illustrious” – A vintage name with character.

68. Cliff – Short for Clifford; nature-inspired and strong.

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69. Clifford – “Ford by a cliff” – A friendly, vintage name.

70. Clifton – “Settlement by a cliff” – A distinguished place-name.

71. Clint – “Settlement on a hill” – Rugged and cowboy-cool (Clint Eastwood).

72. Clinton – “Settlement on a hill” – The more formal version of Clint.

73. Clive – “Cliff-dweller” – A sharp, literary British name.

74. Clyde – “Warm, friendly” – A river name with a retro vibe.

75. Coby – “Supplanter” – A friendly, modern form of Jacob.

76. Cody – “Helpful, pillow” – A cheerful, all-American name.

77. Cohen – “Priest” – A Hebrew surname used as a first name.

78. Colby – “Dark village” – A friendly surname-name.

79. Cole – “Victorious people” – Sleek, strong, and single-syllable cool.

80. Coleman – “Charcoal burner” – A warm Irish surname-name.

81. Colin – “Young creature, pup” – A classic, friendly name.

82. Collin – A common spelling variant of Colin.

83. Colt – “Young horse” – Rugged, western, and energetic.

84. Colten – A modern variant of Colton.

85. Colton – “Coal town” – A hugely popular western-sounding name.

86. Conan – “Little wolf” – Strong and literary (Conan Doyle, Conan the Barbarian).

87. Conner – A common spelling of Connor.

88. Connor – “Lover of hounds” – A perennially popular Irish name.

89. Conor – The traditional Irish spelling.

90. Conrad – “Brave counsel” – Strong, vintage, and European.

91. Constantine – “Steadfast, constant” – Historical and grand.

92. Cooper – “Barrel maker” – A top-tier occupational surname-name.

93. Corbin – “Raven” – Darkly handsome and mysterious.

94. Cordell – “Rope maker” – A Southern-feeling surname-name.

95. Corey – “Hollow” – A friendly, unisex name.

96. Cormac – “Son of the charioteer” – A bold, legendary Irish name.

97. Cornelius – “Horn” – An ancient, distinguished name.

98. Cory – A spelling variant of Corey.

99. Cosmo – “Order, beauty” – Cosmic, quirky, and cool.

100. Coty – A modern variant of Cody.

101. Courtney – “Short nose” – Historically a male name, now more unisex.

102. Craig – “Rock” – A solid, no-nonsense Scottish name.

103. Crew – “A group, team” – A modern, preppy word name.

104. Cristian – A spelling variant of Christian.

105. Cristiano – The Italian and Portuguese form.

106. Crosby – “Village with crosses” – A cheerful surname-name.

107. Cruz – “Cross” – A cool, one-syllable Spanish name.

108. Cullen – “Handsome, holly” – A literary name from Twilight.

109. Curtis – “Courteous, polite” – A friendly vintage name.

110. Cuthbert – “Famous, brilliant” – A very vintage, saintly British name.

111. Cutter – “Knife maker” – A sharp, occupational modern name.

112. Cyan – “Greenish-blue” – A modern color name.

113. Cypress – A majestic tree name.

114. Cyril – “Lordly, masterful” – An ancient saint’s name.

115. Cyrus – “Sun, lord” – Ancient Persian king’s name, strong and cool.

116. Cade – Repeated for its strong, modern appeal.

117. Calder – “Rough waters” – A strong Scottish river name.

118. Callahan – “Bright-headed” – A lively Irish surname-name.

119. Calvert – “Cow herd” – A distinguished, rare surname-name.

120. Cameran – Another spelling variant of Cameron.

121. Camren – A modern spelling variant.

122. Cardin – A modern invented name.

123. Caron – A variant of Karen or a Welsh name meaning “love.”

124. Carrick – “Rock” – A strong Irish place-name.

125. Cartier – “Transporter of goods” – A luxurious surname-name.

126. Cary – “From the river” – A gentle, vintage name (Cary Grant).

127. Cashel – “Stone fort” – An Irish place-name.

128. Caspian – “From Qazvin” – The majestic sea, literary and grand.

129. Castor – “Beaver” – A mythological twin brother name.

130. Cavanaugh – “Handsome” – A longer Irish surname-name.

131. Cayman – A cool island place-name.

132. Cian – “Ancient, enduring” – A classic Irish name (pronounced KEE-an).

133. Ciaran – “Little dark one” – A handsome Irish saint’s name.

134. Clancy – “Red-haired warrior” – A lively Irish surname-name.

135. Clarence – “Bright, clear” – A vintage, noble name.

Why Choose a “C” Name for Your Son?

American “C” names are incredibly versatile. They can sound classic (Charles), cool (Cash), friendly (Charlie), or rugged (Colt). They work well across different regions and cultures within the U.S. and often pair easily with a variety of middle and last names. A wonderful “C” name gives a boy a clear, confident start.

Final Thoughts

With so many wonderful options, the best way to choose is to say the names aloud, test them with your surname, and see which one feels like it fits your future son. Whether you’re drawn to the timeless strength of Christopher, the modern edge of Crew, the friendly charm of Charlie, or the cool factor of Cyrus, a “C” name offers a wonderful beginning full of potential and character.