Extra Unusual Boys Names

Adley

Variation of Adlai or Hadley

Adley is one of those rare unisex names that probably developed via different paths on the girls' and boys' sides, with the male Adley a phonetic spelling of the Hebrew Adlai, while the girls'…

Bray

Irish place-name, from French

"marsh"

Can't help thinking of a donkey.

Arbor

Latin

"tree"

Arbor is a quirky nature name with holiday vibes.

Abbott

English, Hebrew, Aramaic

"priest; father"

Abbott is a neglected masculine surname with religious overtones, used to describe the head of a monastery or a prominent church figure, such as a priest. Though the feminine nickname Abby could be…

Arliss

Hebrew

"pledge"

Best remembered as one of the boys in "Old Yeller" and the title of a late 1990s HBO sitcom, "Arliss," featuring sports agent Arliss Michaels. Also sometimes heard as a girl's name and a surname (as…

Cielo

Italian

"sky"

Expansive, sunny Italian word name.

Altair

Arabic

"falcon"

The eleventh brightest star in the sky has a celestial feel, but also could be the name of a commercial airline.

Arlington

English habitational surname, place name

"the noble's town"

Similar in sound to Arlo, Remington, and Arthur, this surname style and place name could make a patriotic choice in the US, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetery. Given to 7 girls and…

Buchanan

Scottish

"place of the cannon"

A lesser-used presidential choice, with a charming, buccaneering sound. Fictional bearers include the Marvel Comics character James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, as well as the heroine of F. Scott…

Anduin

Modern invented name

Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland in Tolkien’s fictional Middle-earth. The word means "long river" or "great river". Anduin is also a character name in the popular World…

Amory

German

"industrious"

Amory is the kind of executive-sounding surname name that became popular in the 1990s. Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, This Side of Paradise .

Carden

English occupational name

"wool carder"

Highly unusual but stylish-sounding occupational name, with a pleasant association with gardens.

Beric

Beric is a masculine name with medieval Anglo-Saxon origins, possibly derived from an Old English term meaning 'barley ruler' or 'grain farmer.' The name gained some recognition through George R.R.…

Carmichael

Scottish

"fort of Michael"

Most parents would prefer to leave the car part parked in the garage.

Adlai

Hebrew

"God is just"

Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth…

Calvert

English word name

"calf herder"

More common as a surname, a handful of boys get this bovine equivalent of Shepherd each year in the US. It may gain more exposure as one of the occupational names that are one of the most popular…

Breslin

Irish

"son of Breasal"

An Irish surname choice that could very well make its way into first name territory, though its father name Breasal is virtually unknown in the US.

Coburn

Coburn is a masculine name of English origin, derived from an Old English surname. It likely originated as a topographical surname for someone who lived near a stream or brook, combining the elements…

Colvin

English surname name

Colvin is an English surname with a distinguished history; the Colvins were one of the leading colonial families of early British India, and Shawn Colvin is a popular American singer. We suspect,…

Aegis

Greek

"young goat"

Often found as a brand name in the hi-tech and industrial worlds.