Boy Names Lists · Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Japanese
"devil, demon"
Nice baby name with a devilish meaning.
Vyse is an uncommon masculine name with English origins, likely derived from an old English surname. It may be related to the word 'wise' or possibly evolved from a place name or occupational…
Invented name
"dead and awake; bad deeds"
A name from the 1999 video game, Akuji the Heartless , this invented choice is borne by a playable voodoo priest and warrior, who is cursed to wander the Underworld after his heart was ripped out on…
Modern invented name
Two Zells of note: conservative southern senator Zell Miller, and video-game character Zell, a hero of "Final Fantasy."
French, English
"solitary, alone; a single jewel in a piece of jewelry"
Derived from the French word for "alone", Solitaire could have potential as a bold word name, thanks to its use on a character in the James Bond franchise and its similarity to the names Sol,…
Japanese; variation of Gorou
"fifth son"
Variation of Gorou.
Goemon is a masculine Japanese name with significant historical and cultural importance in Japan. It is most famously associated with Ishikawa Goemon, a legendary ninja and folk hero from the 16th…
Ico is a compact masculine name with multiple possible origins. In Japanese, it can mean 'first-born son' or relate to various kanji combinations with different meanings. It also appears in some…
Samuel Beckett, inspired by the French surname Godeau, created the name Godot for his play, Waiting for Godot . Americans tend to pronounce Godot with the emphasis on the second syllable, but Beckett…
Literary name
Istredd is the name of sorceress Yennefer's former lover in The Witcher series, created by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Some sources theorize that the name is related to the Scandinavian royal…
Cornish variation of Jacob or James
"supplanter"
A dashing alternative to the popular James and Jacob, Jago is the jaunty Cornish form of the Biblical names. Occasionally (or historically) appearing as Jagoe, Jego, and Jaego, it may have been…
The -ah ending makes Jedah read feminine, but it was actually created for a male character in the video game Darkstalkers . One of the many unique baby names inspired by the gaming world.
Upbeat Japanese name. Video game fans may recognize Genji as the name of a character from Overwatch .
Italian
"falcon"
Italian surname most Americans will associate with actress Edie Falco, of Sopranos fame.
Japanese word name
Kanji is the Japanese writing system that uses Han Chinese characters. It is occasionally used as a male given name in Japan. And as most names from Asian cultures have not yet emigrated to the west,…
"swordsman"
Kenshi is a single-player video game set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy universe. In Japan, it's the term for "swordsman" rather than a name. Nine sets of American parents named their sons Kenshi in…
Kialos is a rare masculine name with unclear origins, possibly having Greek or invented modern roots. The name has an exotic, melodic quality with its harmonious blend of vowels and consonants. It…
Klonoa is a masculine name with modern origins, most recognizably associated with the titular character from a Japanese video game series first released in 1997. Unlike many traditional names with…
Character from the Mortal Kombat video games. Could be an interesting way to get to the nickname Mac.
Swedish, Norwegian
"careful island; island defender; good luck"
Traditionally a feminine name in Scandinavian culture, where these days it's mostly considered a grandmother name. Americans may associate it with Eivor Varinsdottir, a character from Assassain's…
