Rarely used, and for good reason. Alonzo is a preferable choice.
 Alphonse does have a mixed bag of notable namesakes—French novelist Alphonse Daudet, painter Alphonse Mucha, and it was the birth name of gangster Al Capone.

Alphonse

Amias or Amyas is a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/317/unique-baby-names">unique name</a> with an attractive sound and feel and a lovely meaning. Though it might sound like a Biblical name, it is not, but is a surname that may be related to Amadeus or even be a male version of Amy--which would make it one of the few boys' names to be derived from a girls'.
 The Amyas version became known via the hero of the mega-popular 1855 Charles Kingsley novel, Westward Ho!, Captain Sir Amyas Leigh.

Amias

Since the first production of Camille this has been considered one of the world's most romantic names, though it's one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/498/french-names-for-boys">French names for boys</a> rarely heard in this country.
 Actor Armie Hammer's first name is Armand.

Armand

Although it could well sound masculine, Artemis was actually the Greek goddess of the moon, the equivalent of the Roman Diana. Also spelled Artemas and Artemus, this name has a mythological, historical, Three Musketeer-ish ring.


Artemis

Argent 

Who knew there were so many soccer fans in the U.S.? Beckham -- as in British sensation David -- has exploded onto the baby name scene in the past decade.

Beckham

Booker would make for a very cool name, for writers, reformers, R & B fans and those wanting to pay tribute to Booker T. Washington.

Booker T. Washington, born into enslavement, became a dominant figure in African-American history. Musician Booker T. Jones, of Booker T. and the M.G's, was named for Booker T.Washington. "Booker" was also the name of a short-lived TV crime drama series, spun off from "21 Jump Street".

Another reference plus for literary-minded parents, beyond the obvious book: the U.K. Man Booker Prize, awarded annually to the best novel.

 No longer on the US popularity list, it was as high as Number 177 in 1910 and would make for an old-school cool option today.

Booker

Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) dyed it blond and gave it charisma. He changed his surname in 1965 to avoid confusion with the then popular Davy Jones of The Monkees, and especially since his death, his admirers have seen it as an increasingly viable baby name namesake. It is now Number 453 on Nameberry, and actor Jackson Rathbone even used it for his daughter.The name Bowie reputedly came about as a reference to the American hero of the Alamo, Jim Bowie. 
 Bowie successfully combines all these positive elements--Gaelic charm, a Western drawl and musical cred.

Bowie

Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.
 Another route to Bram is Bramwell, as in early actor Bramwell Fletcher, who &mdash; speaking of horror movies &mdash; was noted for his mad scenes in the 1932 film The Mummy.

Bram

Benevolence

Bronwen

While the variation Carmine is more familiar for boys, Carmen has also been used as a masculine name; consider the very macho Carmen Basilio — the American boxer famous for defeating the great Sugar Ray Robinson — or composer Carmen Dragon. 

Carmen

Whether it's an Asian surname-name or short for Channing, has a sound and feel that's both simple and stand-out.

Chan

Chaz

In ancient Greece, a student of Plato; in modern America, a cool guy. 

Dion

Scottish actor Dougray (born Stephen) Scott made us aware of this name when he took on his French grandmother's surname as his stage name. 

Dougray

Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland.
 Edgar has been a stalwart on the US <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> lists, not dipping below the Top 400 until 2022, and is especially popular (as is Edgardo) with Latino families.
 Edgar plays a key role in King Lear and has had several distinguished namesakes, including artist Degas, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, and author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. In terms of style, however, most would rate it a distant third to Edward and Edmund. 
 Trivia tidbit: Joan Rivers' daughter Melissa named her son Edgar after her father, but he is called by his middle name Cooper.

Edgar

Ellis is a former Old Man Name turned gender-neutral choice for the 21st century. It's one of the less used names in the currently popular El-family. 
 
 A popular Welsh name in its own right, sometimes spelled Elis, Ellis is also an English surname derived from Elijah, by way of the Greek Elias.
 Ellis Bell was the male pseudonym of Emily Bronte when she wrote Wuthering Heights. Ellis Marsalis is the paterfamilias of the noted jazz family, father of Wynton, Branford and others, and some might associate the name with Ellis Island, through which millions of immigrants entered the United States.
 There have been a number of Ellises on the big and small screen -- in The Wire, Grey's Anatomy and No Country for Old Men, among others. As a surname, it's associated with designer Perry, writer Bret Easton and psychologist Havelock.
 At one point all-male, Ellis is now a popular name for both boys and girls. Currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.

Ellis

The name of a mythically handsome youth – loved by Selene, the moon, who bore him fifty daughters.

Endymion

Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
 Ezra just misses being among the elite group of male names that's always been in the US Top 1000, having dipped below the cutoff in 1964 and '67. Ezra also makes the Top 100 for boys in other English-speaking countries along with the Netherlands.
 Ezra is an abbreviation for the Hebrew phrase Azaryahu, meaning "Yah helps". In the bible, Ezra led a group of fifteen hundred Israelites out of slavery in Babylon and back to Jerusalem. 
 
Other notable Ezras include poet Ezra Pound and New York Times political columnist Ezra Klein. Ezra Cornell was a founder of Western Union and co-founder of the university that bears his name and Ezra Jack Keats is a popular children's book author-illustrator. 
 Both Paul Reiser and Taylor Hanson are dads to boys named Ezra, and there are Ezras to be found in Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone and Daniel Deronda by George Eliot.
 And let's not forget the band—Better Than Ezra—along with rising actor Ezra Miller, Vampire Weekend musician Ezra Koenig or the character Ezra Fitz from Pretty Little Liars.
 As unlikely as it may seem, Ezra is also growing in popularity as a girls' name, making the girls' Top 1000 in 2018 ad still rising. About 450 baby girls were named Ezra last year, but about 8000 baby boys, which puts Ezra below our 10% minimum to be considered a unisex name.

Ezra

Griffin is one of the newer and most appealing of the two-syllable Celtic surnames. In English, griffin is the name of a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. It re-entered the list in 1983 after an absence of 75+ years.
 Brendan Fraser, Teri Polo and Joey McIntyre all chose Griffin for their sons. Actor Griffin Dunne's mother's maiden name was Griffin. Another well-known bearer was Griffin Bell, Jimmy Carter's Attorney General.
 Also worth considering: the original classic Welsh Gruffudd (dd=th).

Griffin

Halloran could be your solution if you love the nickname Hal, but not Harold or Henry.

Halloran

Previously used primarily by Latino families, this name of the great hero of the Trojan War as related in Homer's Iliad is beginning to be considered more seriously by others seeking noble ancient hero names as well--it was also the name of the knight who raised King Arthur as his own son.
 In addition to being used for many contemporary Hispanic movie and TV characters,
other Hectors appeared in such films as Mystic Pizza and Lars and the Real Girl. In literature, you can find Hectors in Thackeray's Vanity Fair and Balzac's Cousin Bette.
 Some notable real-life Hectors: composer Berlioz and actor Elizando.

Hector

Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the name of its hero, Holden Caulfield -- not coincidentally in tune with the Hudson-Hayden-Colton field of names. (Trivia note: Salinger supposedly came up with the name while looking at a movie poster promoting a film starring William Holden and Joan Caulfield, though other sources say he was named after Salinger's friend Holden Bowler.) Another impetus was provided by a soap opera character introduced in 1985.
 Among the celebs who have chosen Holden are Brendan Fraser and Mira Sorvino.
 In Australia, only a car-lover would choose this name, which is inextricably linked with the car-brand.

Holden

Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
 The Hudson River was named for 17th century British explorer Henry Hudson, who also gave him name to Canada's Hudson Bay. Hudson has long been a prominent surname. Along with Henry, there was also heartthrob Rock, director Hugh, the musical Hudson brothers, and Kate Hudson today. 
 As a first name, Hudson has been given to several celebrity children, including the sons of Robert Herjavec, Marcia Gay Harden, Gena Lee Nolan, and Drew Lachey.
 Hudson literally means 'son of Hudd', which was a nickname for both Hugh and Richard in the Middle Ages. Streamlined spelling Hud was the name of the macho title character of an iconic Paul Newman film; John Mellencamp has a son named Hud.
 James Barbour pulled a gender switch when he named his daughter Hudson in 2008.
 Along with its popularity in the US, Hudson also ranks in the Top 100 in other English-speaking countries. Its popularity has not, however, extended to other European countries, many of which have laws against using surnames as first names.

Hudson

Biblical Jacob ceded his Number 1 spot to biblical Noah, in 2013, after holding first place on the list of <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a> from 1999 to 2012, given a huge boost by the Twilight phenomenon.
 
Jacob has widespread appeal to a range of parents, with an image of honesty and warmth. Another plus is the friendly nickname Jake — also given on its own to thousands of boys every year — which shares the cool-yet-earthy appeal of equally stylish cousins Max and Sam. 
 Jacob comes from the Latin name Iacobus, which was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov. In the Old Testament, Jacob was one of the most important patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He was the youngest son of Isaac and Rebecca and the twin brother of Esau, as well as the husband of both Leah and Rachel. The 12 tribes of Israel evolved from his 12 sons.
 Jacob is still among the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a>, along with James, Jack, and Jackson, and is Number 1 for boys among <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/gen-z-names">Gen Z names</a>.
 
The downside is that Jacob is at this point way overused. Jacoby is one trendy variation. Jakob, meanwhile, is an alternate spelling used by the Dutch, Scandinavians and Germans. Some interesting international versions include the Scottish Hamish, the Cornish Jago, and the Dutch Jaap.

Jacob

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
 
Jasper has a lot going for it—it's been rocketing up the ranks in the US, after long being considered a posh and charming name in England. Distinctly masculine, Jasper represents a variety of quartz—one of the few gem <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">names for boys</a>—and is the first name of the great modern artist Jasper Johns. Our only caveat: Jasper is a favorite of a lot of hip parents, and has gotten even more popular since its strong appearance in the Twilight books and movies.
 Jasper has considerable literary cred as well, appearing in works by Sir Walter Scott, James Fenimore Cooper, Thackeray, and Thomas Hardy--as well as Stephenie Meyer. 
 Casper/Caspar is the German version.

Jasper

Actor Joaquin Phoenix (brother of River, Rain, Liberty and Summer) highlighted this one, then Kelly Ripa began talking about younger son Joaquin on her daily TV show, and presto—it's now one of the hottest and most appealing multicultural <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a>.
 Joaquin is currently enjoying high popularity in South America, especially in Argentina and Chile.
 Colorful poet Joaquin (born Cincinnatus) Miller was known as the "Byron of the Rockies." There is a teenage character in Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls named Joaquin, and San Joaquín is the Spanish version of Saint Joachim, the traditional name for the father of Mary, mother of Jesus.

Joaquin

Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.
 
In the US, the name Kai is most commonly referred to as being of Hawaiian derivation, meaning "sea." In Europe, Kai is largely considered to have Frisian origin as a diminutive of the name Kaimbe, meaning "warrior", or as a short form of Gerard "brave spear". 
 
Kai is also found as an independent name in African, Chinese, Turkish and Native American cultures. Kai is a strong, evocative multi-cultural name that packs a lot of power in its single syllable. 
 
Famous as the name of the boy enchanted by the fairy-tale Snow Queen, Kai was chosen for her son by actress Jennifer Connelly and as a middle name for son Samuel by Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber. 
 
Kai is popular with Berries as both a first and middle name choice. Perhaps because of its international familiarity, Kai is popular in video games. Its most prominent namesake is Danish-born jazz trombonist Kai Winding.
 
Kai ranks in the US Top 1000 for girls, but is used more than 90 percent of the time for boys. Donald Trump, Jr. has a daughter named Kai Madison and Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik named their daughter Khai in 2020.

Swaggering western place-name with a lot of cowboy bravado and panache. 

Laramie

Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts in the US and throughout the English-speaking world, along with a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland.
 
Long a popular choice in England, Australia and New Zealand, Oliver entered the list of Top 100 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a> in the U.S. for the first time in 2009, but has already jumped to the top of the charts. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness. 
 
Oliver derives from Olivier, the Norman French variation of the Ancient Germanic name Alfihar ("elf army") or the Old Norse Áleifr ("ancestor's relic"), from which comes Olaf. Olivier emerged as the dominant spelling for its associations with the Latin word oliva, meaning "olive tree."

Oliver was used as a given name in medieval England after the spread of the French epic poem ‘La Chanson de Roland,’ which features a character named Olivier. It lost favor after the seventeenth century rule of Oliver Cromwell, then was revived in the nineteenth century. 

Oliver's biggest boost in this country came from the hit book and movie Love Story, which also catapulted the name Jennifer to stardom. Notable namesakes range from Oliver Wendell Holmes to Oliver Hardy to Oliver Stone. In fiction, there is Oliver Twist, and Oliver is also a Harry Potter name.
 Oliver works particularly well with single-syllable surnames, as in Oliver Stone, North and Puck (son of Wolfgang). Other celebrities who have chosen Oliver include Bridget Fonda, Fred Savage, Stephen Stills, and Taylor Hawkes. 
 International forms include the French Olivier, the Spanish Olivero, and the Italian Oliviero.
 Parents considering Oliver for their sons might consider that with Olivia at the top of the charts for girls, there will be an awful lot of children with names starting with Oliv-.

Oliver

Patrick, long tied to a hyper-Irish image, is enjoying something of a renaissance as a stylish classic, as it has long been considered in England. Along with such choices as Charles and George, Patrick has escaped overuse in recent decades.
 Why has Patrick slipped from its high of Number 30 in the 1960s? Partly to blame might be its androgynous nicknames, Pat and Patsy. But with more and more parents calling their sons by their full names, this becomes less of an issue.
 An American hero name via Patrick ("Give me liberty or give me death") Henry, there are also a number of more recent noteworthy Patricks, including Ewing, Swayze, Dempsey, Buchanan, Stewart and Wilson. And Patrick is still a recent presence on such shows as The Mentalist and Desperate Housewives.
 You also may want to consider the name's native version, Padraig, which was used for his son by Patrick Ewing, or a European version such as Patrice (French), Patrizio (Italian) or Patricio (Spanish).
 Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, credited with converting his people to Christianity in the fifth century, which would give a son with this name a widely -- and raucously -- celebrated holiday.

Patrick

Most familiar as the name of the titular character in The Life of Pi, in which it was short for Piscine Molitor Patel.

Pueo

Riven

Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek substitute for Simeon. 
 The first known Simeon was Leah and Jacob's son, who gave his name to one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the Simeonites; in the New Testament it is the name of the man who blessed the infant Christ. Both Simeon and Simon were popular names for saints.
One caveat: Simeon is undeniably similar to the word meaning "apelike".

Simeon

This name of three early popes has been associated in recent years with a cocky cartoon cat ("Thufferin' thuccatash!") and the Italian Stallion hero of the Rocky and Rambo movies (who was born Michael) — and yet we think it just might be ready to move further back into the mainstream.
 
Sylvester was at its height in the 1920s, when it was in the Top 200, and hung on in the lower rungs of the ladder until 1994. Lately the name has been most visible as a surname — that of Sue Sylvester on Glee. Model Emily Ratajkowski named her son Sylvester Apollo in 2021.
 
Trivia tidbit--in the 1935 movie Sylvia Scarlett, the young Katharine Hepburn disguises herself as a boy named Sylvester — until she meets Cary Grant!

Sylvester

Soul

As unlikely as it may seem, Theodore is a hot new hit name, vaulting into the Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and rising three more points last year to rank at Number 7.

Friendly nickname Theo may be responsible for some of that, though there are plenty of baby boys given Theo as their full name too. Add their numbers together along with those for Mateo and Teo, and they hands-down become the Number 1 boys' name.

Theodore and Mateo are far from interchangeable names, for sure, and some Theodores are called Teddy....or Theodore. But we predict an overwhelming number of little boys called Theo or Teo on American playgrounds over the coming years.

Theodore is a derivative of the Latin Theodorus, a variation of the Greek name Theodōros. The components are from the Greek words theos, meaning "God," and dōron, meaning "gift," giving Theodore the meaning "God-given" or "gift of God." Names with similar origins include Theodora, Dorothy, and Dorothea.
 
When Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901, the name Theodore was in the Top 40 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boy names</a>, with Teds and Teddys everywhere. After some damaging stereotypes—the chubby Chipmunk Theodore and Beaver Cleaver's real name—Theodore went into a decline, from which it has definitely made a recovery, thanks in part to the popular and likable nickname Theo.
 Theodore has been the choice of several celebrities, including Ivanka Trump, Bryce Dallas Howard, Natascha McElhone, and Ali Larter, not to mention being the fictional son of Christian and Ana in Fifty Shades of Grey.
 The name has a distinguished history. In addition to being presidential, it was borne by novelist Dreiser, poet Roethke, and French painter Gericault, and it was the first name (spelled Theodor) of Dr. Seuss.
 Among the well-known Teds, baseball's Williams and musician Nugent were born Theodore, but Ted Turner was christened Robert, and Ted Kennedy and Ted Danson were originally Edward.
 The beloved character Laurie in Little Women was named Theodore Laurence.

Theodore

Theron is best known these days as the surname of actress Charlize, but it does have a long history as a first name, ranking in the Top 500 in the early part of the 20th century and only dropping out of the Top 1000 in the early 1990s.  Theon is a similar name made familiar by the popular series Game of Thrones: Might it and Theron rise in tandem?

Theron

Also related to the word for wolf, this name has a first syllable that's not appealing to the American ear. Better ic-ending choices: Dominic, Frederic, Eric. 

Ulric

The name of the greatest Roman poet and an early Irish saint who believed the earth was round, Virgil is heard most notably today as the name of designer Virgil Abloh of Off-White. 
 The first century poet known as Virgil, author of the influential epic Aeneid, was christened Publius Vergilius Maro. Centuries later, Virgil Tibbs was the noble police detective portrayed by Sidney Poitier in two films: In the Heat of the Night and They Call Me Mr. Tibbs. Currently, Virgil Minelli is a character on The Mentalist.
 Virgil was the name of one of Wyatt Earp's brothers, a Tombstone, Arizona marshall. Virgil Thomson was a noted composer and musicologist, cartoonist Virgil Franklin Partch signed his work VIP, and astronaut Gus Grissom was born Virgil.
 Virgil's greatest popularity took place in the early decades of the twentieth century: It was a Top 100 name for five nonconsecutive years.

Virgil

Wilder not wild enough for you? You may need to go all the way to Wylder or Wylie in your search for <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/317/unique-baby-names">unique baby names</a>.

Wylder

Briar_pros's list "My male quirks" of 46 great name ideas: Alphonse - Wylder!

My male quirks

This is my list of favorite boys names, the list is ever-growing. Some common, some unique, some foreign and some my own creations.