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Baby boy names beginning with C – with origins and meanings

Are you on the hunt for baby name ideas for a boy that start with the 3rd letter of the alphabet? Have a look at our list which is chock-full of captivating names along with their origin and meaning

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Looking for inspiration for a good baby boy name? Have a fondness for the letter C? Look through our list of names and their meanings to see whether your child could be a Cadao, Clerebold or Cyrus

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1. Cadao

• Origin: Vietnamese
• Meaning: ballad, song

2. Cadell

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: battle spirit

3. Cadfael

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: battle metal

4. Cadmus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: man from the east

5. Cadoc

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: battle; the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint and missionary

6. Cadwallader

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: battle leader

7. Cain

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: possession; the son of Adam and Eve who killed his brother Abel

8. Caleb

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: intrepid
• Also: Cale, Cal

8. Caley

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: slender

9. Calhoun

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: from the forest

9. Callum

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: a dove
• Also: Calum, Cally, Caley

10. Calvin

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: bald
• Also: Cal

11. Camden

• Origin: English
• Meaning: unknown; probably derived from the area of north London
• Also: Camdyn

12. Cameron

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: crooked nose
• Also: Camron

13. Campbell

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: crooked mouth

14. Canute

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: a knot
• Also: Cnut, Knut

15. Caquingora

• Origin: Incan
• Meaning: ibis-like bird

16. Caradoc

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: beloved

17. Carey

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: dweller in a castle

18. Carl

• Origin: German
• Meaning: strong, noble; a German form of Charles (below)
• Also: Karl

19. Carlo

• Origin: Italian
• Meaning: strong, noble; the Italian form of Charles (below)

20. Carlos

• Origin: Spanish
• Meaning: strong, noble; the Spanish form of Charles (below)

21. Carlton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: the peasant’s farm
• Also: Charlton

22. Carmichael

• Origin: Celtic
• Meaning: Michael’s fort

23. Carol

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: strong, noble; derived from the Latinised form of Charles (see below)
• Also: Karol, Karel

24. Carr

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: overgrown marsh

25. Carrick

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: a rock

26. Carter

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: driver or maker of carts

27. Carvel

• Origin: Manx
• Meaning: song

28. Carver

• Origin: Cornish
• Meaning: great rock

29. Carwyn

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: blessed love

30. Cary

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: dark brown

31. Casey

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: vigilant in war
• Also: Casimir

32. Cash

• Origin: English
• Meaning: maker of chests

33. Cashel

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: a stone fort

34. Caspar

• Origin: Perisan
• Meaning: keeper of the treasure; said to be the name of one of the wise men in the Christmas story
• Also: Jasper, Gasper, Gaspard

35. Cassidy

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: clever
• Also: Cass

36. Cassius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: hollow
• Also: Cassian, Cass

37. Cathal

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: war leader

38. Cato

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: wise one

39. Cavan

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: grassy hill

40. Cayden

• Origin: American
• Meaning: fighter

41. Cecil

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: blind

42. Cedric

• Origin: Celtic
• Meaning: kindly and loved; a character in Sir Walter Scott’s novel Ivanhoe; probably derived from the name Cerdic, a king of Wessex

43. Ceinwen

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: blessed or beautiful

44. Cephas

• Origin: Aramaic
• Meaning: stone

Looking for names for boys starting with other letters of the alphabet?

Complete your baby boy name shortlist by clicking on the letter you’re after 

A | B | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z 

45. Chad

• Origin: Anglo Saxon
• Meaning: battle warrior
• Also: Chadd, Chadrick, Chadwick

46. Chaim

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: a man full of life
• Also: Hyam

46. Chandan

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: sandalwood; this is a divine name in Hindu texts

47. Chander

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: the moon

48. Chandler

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: seller of candles

49. Chandrakant

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: loved by the moon

50. Chapman

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: merchant

51. Charles

• Origin: Old German
• Meaning: manly, strong
• Also: Charlie, Chas, Chuck, Chae, Chay

52. Charlton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: the peasant’s farm
• Also: Carlton

53. Charvik

• Origin: Indian
• Meaning: intelligent

54. Chase

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: hunter

55. Chauncey

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: chancellor
• Also: Chaunce, Chance, Chancey

55. Chester

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: fortified camp

56. Chetan

• Origin: Indian
• Meaning: awareness

57. Chevy

• Origin: Middle English
• Meaning: horseman, knight; derived from The Ballad of Chevy Chase, recounting the story of the battle of Otterburn in 1388

58. Chiazam

• Origin: Nigerian
• Meaning: answer from God

59. Chike

• Origin: Egyptian
• Meaning: God’s strength

60. Chilton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: a farm for children

61. Chomass

• Origin: Arabic
• Meaning: rain

62. Chris

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: short form of Christopher (below); bearing Christ; St Christopher is the patron saint of travellers

63. Christian

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: follower of Christ
• Also: Christie and Christy

64. Christmas

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: the celebration of the birth of Christ; often used for children born around Christmas time

65. Christopher

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: bearing Christ; St Christopher is the patron saint of travellers
• Also: Chris, Christie, Kit, Christoph, Kester

66. Chuck

• Origin: Old German
• Meaning: variant of Charles (above); manly, strong
• Also: Charlie, Chas, Chuck, Chae, Chay

67. Cian

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: ancient
• Also: Kean, Keane

68. Ciaran

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: little and black
• Also: Kieran

69. Cillian

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: little church
• Also: Killian

70. Clarence

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: bright, clear; derived from the Duke of Clarence, son of Edward III of England

71. Clark

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: clerk
• Also: Clarke

72. Claud

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: lame; derived from the Roman name Claudius
• Also: Claude, Claudio

73. Claus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: a form of Klaus, derived from Nicholas; victory of the people

74. Clayton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: a dwelling in clay
• Also: Clay

75. Clement

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: mild and merciful
• Also: Clem and Clemmie

76. Clerebold

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: clear and bold

77. Cleveland

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: hilly

78. Clifford

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: ford by the cliff
• Also: Cliff

79. Clifton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: on a cliff

80. Clinton

• Origin: Middle English
• Meaning: a settlement on a cliff or bank
• Also: Clint

81. Clive

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: one who lives by the cliff

82. Clovis

• Origin: Old German
• Meaning: warrior

83. Clyde

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: caring, friendly; an ancient name for a Scottish river

84. Cody

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: a helpful person

85. Colby

• Origin: Hebrew/Norse
• Meaning: faithful, dark-haired

86. Coleman

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: burner of charcoal
• Also: Col*,* Cole

87. Colin

• Origin: French
• Meaning: cub; a short form of Nicholas; the English form of Cuilen and Cailean
• Also: Collin

88. Collier

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: a charcoal burner
• Also: Colyer, Collyer

89. Colm

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: a dove

90. Colman

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: keeper of doves
• Also: Col, Cole

91. Colton

• Origin: English
• Meaning: from the coal or dark town

92. Conan

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: hound, wolf
• Also: Con

93. Conn

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: wisdom

94. Connall

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: brave man

95. Conor

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: lover of dogs
• Also: Connor, Con

96. Conrad

• Origin: Old German
• Meaning: bold counsellor
• Also: Con, Curt, Kurt, Konrad

97. Conroy

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: wise

98. Constant

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: faithful

99. Constantine

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: constant, firm; the name of the 1st Christian Emperor of Rome

100. Conway

• Origin: Irish/Welsh
• Meaning: hound of the plain; anglicised version of Conwy, a fortified town on the coast of North Wales

101. Cooper

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: barrel maker

102. Corbett

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: black-haired
• Also: Corbet

103. Corbin

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: raven

104. Corcoran

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: red-faced

105. Corey

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: hollow
• Also: Cory

106. Cormac

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: driver of chariots
• Also: Cormack, Cormick

107. Cornelius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: a horn; a Roman family name
• Also: Cornell

108. Corwin

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: dear friend

109. Cosmo

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: order
• Also: Cosimo

110. Courtney

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: probably from 'court nez', meaning short nose

111. Cowan

• Origin: Middle English
• Meaning: hooded robe, priest

112. Coy

• Origin: English
• Meaning: quiet

113. Craig

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: crag

114. Cranley

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: spring or meadow

115. Crawford

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: ford of the crows

116. Creed

• Origin: English
• Meaning: belief, guiding principle

117. Creighton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: a rock

118. Crew

• Origin: English
• Meaning: chariot; a reference to rowing

119. Crispin

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: curled hair
• Also: Crispian

120. Croft

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: small field or pasture

121. Cromwell

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: bent or crooked spring or well

122. Crosby

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: village or farm

123. Cullen

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: beyond the river

124. Culley

• Origin: Gaelic
• Meaning: woodland

125. Curran

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: dagger or spear

126. Curtis

• Origin: Old French
• Meaning: courteous

127. Cuthbert

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: bright, famous

128. Cynan

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: outstanding
• Also: Cynin, Cynon

129. Cyril

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: lord
• Also: Cy

130. Cyrus

• Origin: Persian
• Meaning: the sun
• Also: Cy, Cyro

About our author Catherine Ball

Catherine Ball is a freelance journalist who specialises in writing about parenting and health. She has been a journalist for 20 years, writing for a wide range of regional and national publications. She is also mum to 4 children between the ages 3 and 12, so has drawn up many, many lists of baby names over the past few years.

Illustration: Emma Winchester

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Read more:

• 1000 baby boy names – and their meanings
• Baby boy names beginning with B
• Baby boy names beginning with D

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