Adams

This title name definitely makes a statement. Will Admiral fit in with the Saints, Kings, and Knights joining the playground?

Admiral

With its musical allusions, a harmonious possibility. 

Alto

Edison's middle name is a fabulous option for parents looking for something with history and a soft sound. This could be the name you're looking for if you like Tesla's scientific pedigree but think that it has become too corporate with the advent of Elon Musk's company.

Alva

Softer, milder, and sans chipmunk references, Alwin is a likable alternative to Alvin. Win makes a nice nickname.

Alwin

Anatole is one of the unique boys' names with an unusual-ish feel but an uncertain provenance, with a meaning related to sunrise and thus to fire. While it's Greek in origin, it is associated more closely with France. Anatole Kuragin is a dashing, roguish prince in Tolstoy's War and Peace.

 Fewer than five baby boys were named Anatole in the US last year, making it a good choice if you're looking for a truly uncommon boy's name that has a solid history.

Anatole

Arch can be used as a nickname for Archibald or a stand-alone word name — perhaps for the child of an architect.

Arch

Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur., coming from an ancient word for ""a bear,"" and used in the sense of ""outstanding warrior"" or ""champion."" A pagan High King of Ireland, Art’s rule was so honest that two angels hovered over him in battle.

This Ashley-like surname name actually made the US Top 1000 around the turn of the 20th century. Used very quietly today in equal numbers -- about a dozen each -- for boys and girls. Ashby is a major thoroughfare in Berkeley, California.

Ashby

One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.

Baldwin

Ballard

The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than Barnabas. However, Barney is a more difficult sell in America, due to Barney the Dinosaur and Barney Gumble, the loveable lout from The Simpsons. In the positive column for Barney are jazz clarinetist Barney Bigard and guitarist Barney Kessel. For those who love the name but can't get past the dinosaur, may we suggest the related names Bernard or Barnaby?

Barney

Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid. 

Bart

It's been shown that notable political figures often impact the use of their names, and the same can — sort of — be said about Bernie Sanders. His name increased in use by 47% between 2015 and 2016 (albeit, to a peak of only 21 baby boys given the name). By 2017, Bernie has decreased in usage by almost 60%.

Bernie

A once-popular nickname for Albert and Bertram now being polished up by hip Brits, but still hibernating in the Land of Nerd over here. 

Bert

This name of famed philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell becomes slightly more plausible with the French pronunciation, bare-TRAHN. Another noted bearer is French director and screenwriter Bertrand Tavernier.

Bertrand

Billie

A name that's unusual in that changing the i to a y -- as in Byrd -- makes it more masculine.

Bird

This name is usually seen as a surname, but could be used as a first in the tradition of Cooper, Sawyer etc. 

Blanchard

If you use this for a boy, it had better be a family name, hidden away in the middle. 

Bliss

Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along.  Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.

Bobbie

Until recently it was rarely used as a proper name; Buddy Holly, for example, was christened Charles, and Salinger's Buddy Glass was born Webb. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did name his fourth child Buddy Bear Maurice--a fittingly named brother to Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela and Petal Blossom Rainbow, and singer Tom Fletcher has a double-nicknamed Buddy Bob.

Buddy

Burt

Burton

An old-fashioned nickname in the Bud/Buzz/Biff mold; this one's kind of belligerent. Michelle Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller moved outside the box when they used it for their son--given the safer middle name of Timothy.

Buster

Babe

Captain

Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders - Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy.

Carey

This name was consistently in the boys' Top 200 until WW2. It's a name with so many dimensions to it: the hyper-masculine meaning, the surname-as-firstname trendiness, and the softer sound and connotation since homophone Carol was favoured in the 1940s and '50s for daughters. We think it's time for a resurgence of Carrolls amongst the boys.

Carroll

Classic Italian name with celestial vibes. 

Celestino

Retro nickname for Charles that has the potential for revival, a la Hal, Ike, and Gus.
 
Ben Stiller played the high-strung but devoted Chas Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson’s 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums.

Chas

A popular American name in previous centuries in honor of famed Harvard President, Charles Chauncy. This name is burdened by an incredibly pompous sound and best left in the past.

Chauncy

Roman statesman's name with a cool and quirky sound. Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman scholar, orator and lawyer who had an immense impact on the Latin language. 

Cicero

Clair

Appealing short form of the stuffy Cleveland, occasionally used on its own. 

Cleve

Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.

Cliff

Associated with comedian Stephen Colbert, who uses the French pronunciation of his name as a bit (the rest of his family of origin use the English pronunciation).

Colbert

Colonel

This is a big name, both in heritage and sound. On the right child, this could be inspired, but others may shrink from all the connotations. While your preferred nickname for this option might be Col (or Kit if you're connecting it to Christopher Columbus), you may end up with the slightly more cumbersome "Bus" as the short-form. 

Columbus

One of those Old World nicknames -- think Sally and Patsy -- that long ago crossed over to the girls'
side.

Connie

Coolidge

Council

Short and to the point, muscular and strong. 

Curt

Cleo

Davey

Delbert

Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation to father name David . The name was borne by the fifth century St. Dewi, patron saint of Wales. Later references include the namesake of the library Dewey Decimal System, a Donald Duck nephew, the younger brother on Malcolm in the Middle and Lemony Snicket character Dewey Denouement. It has a strong but dewy feel and is appealing enough to be ripe for a modern revival.

Dewey

Vintage surname that's fallen out of use, but perhaps deserves a revival.

Dewitt

A boy with this name is certain to be bombarded with "What's up, doc?" every day of his life. Even Doctor would be preferable.

Doyle

It's easy to love a name that rhymes with "cuddly" and is also attached to the surname Do-Right -- once you ignore the "dud" connection. 
 Dudley has aristocratic roots--the name was originally famous via a sixteenth century noble British family, one member of which, Robert Dudley, came close to marrying Queen Elizabeth I.
 Dudley was the name of the angel played by Cary Grant in "The Bishop's Wife," later remade with Denzel Washington in the role, while Dudley Dursley is a Harry Potter character. The name's most well known bearer in modern times was comic actor Dudley Moore.

Dudley

Early is a word-turned-name, pleasantly suggesting the start of a bright new day.   Of the new word and day names, Early is one of the best.

Early

The most minimalist of names, Ed is decidedly out -- though that usually means it's due to swing back in.  More stylish these days: Ned or even Ted.

Rocking out on the porch with buddies Hubert, Norbert, and Osbert. 

Elbert

Name long associated with eloquent Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver and jazz great Roy Eldridge. 

Eldridge

Ellery is a rhythmic three-syllable boy's name that is familiar and yet rarely used--and just waiting to be discovered. It's long been identified with Ellery Queen--which was both the pen name of two cousins, Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee, and the detective they created.
 Laura Dern and Ben Harper chose it for their son.

Ellery

One of the many El- names for boys that boomed in the 1910s and 1920s, but has long been out of fashion. This surname/place name has an aristocratic flavor, and a creative namesake in the artist Ellsworth Kelly. Polar explorer Lincoln Ellsworth also gives it an adventurous connection.

Ellsworth

Ellwood

Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.)
 But Elmo also calls to mind the image of St. Elmo's fire--the light show sometimes visible around ships' masts during storms at sea, which is quite appropriate since Saint Elmo (another name for Erasmus) is the patron saint of sailors. St. Elmo's Fire was also the title of a classic Brat Pack film of the 1980s.
 There were a lot more Elmos around a century ago, when Elmo was in the top third of the popularity list.

Elmo

The Ephram spelling, a phonetic spin on the original, may gain ground as it's the one used for the hero's name in the novel Ruby by Cynthia Bond, the new pick for Oprah's book club.

Ephram

Ferdinand, a traditional name in the royal families of Spain and a handsome young prince shipwrecked on Prosper's island in Shakespeare's The Tempest has, unfortunately, to the American ear a somewhat heavy and clumsy feel – most likely because of the bull connection. In the 1880's it was in the 200's on the US pop list, but has been off completely since 1986. 

 The sleeker Spanish and Portuguese version Fernando, on the other hand, is Number 253 (and 28 in Chile, 59 in Spain). An interesting Dutch spin: the short form Dinand, after a popular singer.
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to cross the Pacific and the first person to circumnavigate the earth.

Ferdinand

Fielding isn't an occupational name, exactly, though it does relate to someone who works in or lives in a Field. Although there have been a handful of people, real and fictional, with the first name Fielding, the most famous Fielding is eighteenth century writer Henry Fielding, author of Tom Jones.

Fielding

Another meaningful word name that actually dates back to pre-Emancipation days. 

Freeman

Surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options.

Gardner

Despite the presidential pedigree, it's still hard to shake the image of the cartoon cat (named after his creator Jim Davis's grandfather). However, there are other Garfields, such as Barbadian cricket player Sir Garfield Sobers, who carries it with gravitas.

Garfield

A surprisingly wearable floral name for a boy.

Garland

One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, for both boys and girls, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl. But interestingly, Garnet means pomegranate, the fruit who shares a deep red color with the jewel.


Garnet

A name that took on a pronounced country twang via Nashville megastar Garth (born Troyal) Brooks. 

Garth

General as a name sounds more like a military rank than another word for "widespread". You may find your little General ruling the household.

General

Geo is of ancient origin but cutting-edge modern sound. It is starting to rise in popularity, partly for its cool science vibe, and partly as a soundalike for popular Italian diminutive Gio.
Geo is also a traditional written short form for Geoffrey.

A warm and cuddly nickname name, although he famously "kissed the girls and made them cry" in the old nursery rhyme. 

Georgie

One of those names that most Americans find just too too tea-sippingly British to consider; its meaning has led to occasional use for Capricorn boys. 

Giles

Glenwood

Governor is far from one of the established occupational names such as Porter or Cooper, but with babies names King and Prince, Governor certainly wouldn't seem as outlandish today as it once might have. 

Governor

Middle name possibility for a nature-loving family -- Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke used it for their son's middle name. 

Green

A classic Welsh name, softer than Griffin and friendlier to spell than Gruffudd - that hasn't had as much love as it deserves elsewhere. Namesakes range from medieval kings to the philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith, who left land to the city of Los Angeles. It's great in full, but Griff is cool too.

Griffith

If you find Grover too fusty and furry, this is a much cooler-sounding alternative. 

Grove

Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look. 
 President (Stephen) Grover Cleveland is actually a more than respectable namesake. The only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, he was well liked and respected. Many children were named in his honor, including the major league Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander. Another well known Grover is jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.
 Not surprisingly, Grover was at its most popular as a baby name around the time of Cleveland's presidency;it was Number 20 in 1884 and 1885.

Grover

The Dutch answer to Gus. Pronounce it like the English word and you have a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/643/names-that-mean-aire">name that means air</a>.

Gust

Gray-bearded name heard primarily in Sweden and Germany. 

Gustav

Could Hal be the Jack, Max, or Gus of the future? It just might happen in the new nickname environment. Hank Azaria put it on his son's birth certificate.
 Hal is a venerable nickname for Henry, Harry and Harold, famously used by Shakespeare in King Henry IV as the name of the king's son, the future Henry V.
 A number of show biz figures of a certain era have gone by the name, including Hals Roach, Wallis, Ashby, Holbrook, David and Linden. In the eponymous film, Jack Black played "Shallow Hal."
 As for the bad-guy machine in "2001: A Space Odyssey," that HAL stood for Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer.

Hays

Haywood

Bulky surname honoring Grandpa Henry or Saul Bellow's Rain King. 

Henderson

Herb

Herschel

Hobart

Homer is a name that has traveled from the ancient Greek scribe of the great classical epics to Bart Simpson's doltish dad, and has also become the surprise hot celebrity pick of such parents as Richard Gere (his father's name), Bill Murray, and Anne Heche. Simpsons creator Matt Groening has both a father and a son named Homer.
 Because of the epic scope of The Odyssey and The Iliad, the term "homeric" implies work on an enormous scale, while "homeric laughter" references the unrestrained laughter of the Greek gods.
 With its quirky resume, Homer could make an interesting choice.

Homer

A huve is 40 acres of land, so the occupational name Hoover refers to the farmer who owned and worked it. Hoover also relates to the rock band, the vacuum cleaner, the dam, and former FBI head J. Edgar.
Though outside the Top 1000, Hoover is one of the fastest-rising boys' names.

Hoover

Sweet and southern-feeling, maybe thanks to Horton Foote, author of Tender Mercies and The Trip to Bountiful, not to mention the Dr. Seuss connection. 

Horton

Hubbard

Humphrey is an old name that might have faded completely were it not for that Bogie flair. A royal name in Britain, where it's used somewhat more frequently, Humphrey might just have some life beyond Bogart here, especially with the recent interest in the names of Golden Age Hollywood stars. His first name was the maiden name of his mother, Maud Humphrey, a well-known illustrator who used baby H. as a model.
 Humphrey was brought to England by the Normans and was made famous by Duke Humphrey, the fifteenth century Duke of Gloucester and youngest son of Henry IV, a noted patron of literature, who appears in Shakespeare's Henry IV. In other literature, Humphrey Wasp is a character in Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, and the eponymous hero of Tobias Smollett's early novel Humphrey Clinker. In James Joyce's Finnegans Wake Humphrey Climpden Earwicker represents the everyman.
 Bottom line: An interesting name with a noirish edge.

Humphrey

Hunt

Hazel

Holton

An undiscovered surname possibility with upscale overtones, could be enlivened with nickname Ingo. 

Ingram

Irvine

Irwin

turnip's list "Forgotten Vintage Gems For Modern Baby Boys" of 193 great name ideas: Adams - Zeno!

Forgotten Vintage Gems For Modern Baby Boys

These vintage names were once in the top 1000 between the years of 1880-1930. Since then, they have plummeted and have yet to make a comeback. All names have not appeared within the top 3000 since the year 2010. Listed under each name is the most recent ranking in 2018. Grab them while they last!