Ancient Names for Boys (You'll Love Right Now)

Tarak

Sanskrit

"star, protector"

A strong, handsome Indian name with cross-cultural appeal.

Decimus

Latin

"tenth"

Decimus is one of the Roman numeral names used in large Victorian families--in this case for the tenth child. It is now seeing some new life thanks to the cutting-edge fashion for ancient Roman…

Silvanus

Latin

"wood; forest"

In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of the forests. He protected farmers and fields and was credited with developing a system for marking field boundaries. Silvanus is the name of a disciple in…

Owain

Welsh variation of Eugene or Celtic "well-born; born of sheep"

"well-born; born of sheep"

Owain is much more unusual than its brother name Owen, and feels a little more rugged, a little more adventurous and ancient. Possibly an Old Welsh form of the Latin Eugenius, or, deriving from other…

Arcturus

Greek

"bear guardian"

The brightest star in the constellation Boötes, and the third-brightest in the night sky. According to Greek myth, Arcturus was placed in the sky by Zeus to protect the two bears — the adjacent…

Claudius

Latin

"lame; enclosure"

Claudius is one of the most user-friendly of the ancient Roman names – even though it's associated with the villainous character in Shakespeare's Hamlet . But as with feminine form Claudia, the…

Horatio

English variation of Latin Horatius

"hour, time"

Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern…

Philo

Greek

"loving"

Could Philo be the next Milo? We love the o-ending and sweet meaning of this dynamic and distinctive Greek name, often used in literature, but never particularly popular. The ancient Philo (aka Philo…

Cicero

Latin

"chickpea"

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.

Nguyen

Vietnamese

"sleep"

One of the most familiar Vietnamese names, yet still hard on the Western tongue.

Valdemar

Nordic variation of Vladimir

Ten years ago we would have advised people to steer clear of this name (and maybe choose the similar sounding Walter instead); but with the rise of other Nordic and Eastern European names like Viggo…

Yul

Mongolian or Latin

"beyond the horizon; youthful, downy-bearded"

Russian-born actor Yul (christened Yuliy) Brynner gives this short name a strong, steely image.

Zinedine

Arabic

"beauty of the faith"

Zinedine Zidane is France's biggest soccer star, spawning a legion of little Zinedines in that country.

Hamilcar

Phoenician

"brother of Melqart"

A historical name with a modern sound, best known for Hamilcar Barca, a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian general and father of the famous Hannibal. The name's meaning, brother of Melqart, refers to…

Ichiro

Japanese

"firstborn son"

Ichiro is a good classic choice for the first boy in a Japanese family.

Kehinde

Yoruba

"second-born of twins or one who falls behind"

This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown-…

Kenyatta

African hero name

Used to honor Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of the independent Kenyan republic. The problem: with the name Kenya now used largely for girls, along with the vowel ending, Kenyatta sounds fairly…

Niran

Thai, Hebrew, Yoruba, Arabic

"eternal; plowed field; first-born son; memory, vision; fires"

Simple, attractive, and worldly, would fit in with the Kierans and Kylans in the preschool class. It has its origins in Thai, from which it means "eternal", and in Hebrew, from which it may be a…

Bardo

Short form of Bardolph or Aboriginal

"water"

Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo , which refers to the Tibetan…

Azizi

Swahili

"precious treasure"

Two z's equal double pizzazz.