Boy Names Lists · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 19 pages
of 19
Latin
"of the heart"
Kordian was created by Polish playwright Juliusz Słowacki for his eponymous romantic hero, based on Latin cor, cordis "heart". Cordian is the Anglicized form.
Invented name
"cilantro"
Though it appears as if it could be Irish, Cilan is an invented name from the Pokemon universe, derived directly from the word "cilantro."
Literary invented name
Reaver sure sounds like an occupational surname, thanks to its -er ending and similarity to names like Reeve, but it is actually a name invented by science fiction writers. The first documentation of…
Modern invented name
Rhaegar Targaryen is one of the most glamorous, noble characters in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series... even though he's been dead over a decade when the books begin. The reader…
"calf farm"
The kind of hybrid name -- it sounds like a blend of the popular Caleb and Colton -- that could catch on despite its lack of pedigree.
Riggan found fame as the first name of the hero of the Oscar-winning film Birdman, played by Michael Keaton. Riggan has the two-syllable n-ending surname feel so trendy for boys' names today. It may…
American invented name
"rose + banks"
Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman invented this name for their son Jonathan's middle. It's a combination of Anne's paternal grandfather's name, Roseline, and Adam's mother's maiden name Banks.
Grace and Adam Rodriguez created the faux-place name Bridgemont for their son in 2020. According to Adam, they loved the symbolism of a bridge as a connecting element and added -mont for familial…
Shakespearean invented name
"salary"
Shakespeare invented the names Salerio, Solanio, and Salarino for his play The Merchant of Venice . The names are puns on salario , the Italian word for "salary," as each character shows great…
Brendan, with an X factor.
Modern invented name. American.
Modern, none-too-classy elaboration of Shawn.
"with respect to the distant stars"
Sideræl was created by Grimes and Elon Musk, who used it as a middle name for their daughter Y, whose full name is Exa Dark Sideræl. They were inspired by the word sidereal , which Grimes explains…
The name of the lead character -- a purple dragon -- in a long-running series of video games. Technically also a variant of the classic Greek name Spiro/Spyros.
Modern invented literary name
The name of a controversial character in Game of Thrones , Stannis Baratheon. He's better liked by book readers -- who see him as the embodiment of rigorous law and order -- than show watchers. In…
Stevie Wonder was born Steveland, but it's not likely that many other babies will follow.
A Hollywood agent created the name Tab Hunter and poof -- the former Arthur Gelien became a fifties teen idol. We don't advise trying this at home.
Riler is a spelling spin on another new invented name Ryler, given in the US in 2024 to about 40 babies, about 80 percent of them male. You can think of it as a mashup of the trendy surname-names…
Jason with a Br.
Todrick, an invented name that combines Todd with -rick ending names such as Frederick, is heavily associated with performer Todrick Hall. Hall initially became recognized for his success on American…
Okay, it's a little bit like Trey, and a little bit like Taylor, but exactly like....trailer?
