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Cool Classic Boy Names Below the Top 1000

Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Mon Mar 11 2024
Cool Classic Boy Names Below the Top 1000

These cool classic boy names include choices from ancient cultures and the Bible, names sailing out of style along with those heading in. 

How can a name be cool and classic at the same time? It needs to be deeply rooted in history, but also unusual and underused, and these boy names qualify on both counts.

Along with up-and-coming names such as Cormac and Orson, this list features undiscovered gems such as Alois, Benno, Inigo, Nahuel, and Wyclef — each of which were given to ten or fewer baby boys in 2021. 

Boy names outside of the Top 1000 are rare and really stand out from the crowd. If you're looking for cool classic names for a baby boy, check out these 100+ options, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Classic Boy Names

Unique Boy Names

  1. Ozias

    • Origin:

      Greek, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "my strength is God"

    • Description:

      A cool Biblical option that entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever in 2024, Ozias gets extra points for its user-friendly nicknames Oz and Ozzie or Ozzy. Given to around 280 boys in 2024, it is five times more popular than it was in 2014.
  2. Kit

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Christopher

    • Meaning:

      "bearer of Christ"

    • Description:

      Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son back in the 2000s, while actor Kit Connor of Heartstopper fame may have introduced it to a wider audience.
  3. Aurelius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"

    • Description:

      Since Aurelius was given the supermodel seal of approval by Elle Macpherson, it has joined Augustus as an ancient Roman name that feels usable today. Slightly mystical and magical, Aurelius is grounded by its similarity to rising stars Aurora, Aurelia, and Atticus, and its golden aura is certainly appealing.
  4. Emrys

    • Origin:

      Welsh, variation of Ambrose

    • Meaning:

      "immortal"

    • Description:

      If you're looking for a Welsh name less common than Dylan, Griffin, Evan, or Morgan, you might want to consider this offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin. It's currently in the Welsh top 100 and in the England and Wales top 1000 over all and has been rising in recent years.
  5. Stellan

    • Origin:

      Swedish, meaning unknown, possibly "calm"

    • Meaning:

      "calm"

    • Description:

      Stellan is a strong, attractive, Scandinavian possible up-and-comer, known through actor Stellan Skarsgard, and his namesake, the son of Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany. Its trendy 'an' ending and the similarity in sound to the popular Kellen/Kellan make it all the more accessible.
  6. Rafferty

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "floodtide, abundance, prosperity"

    • Description:

      Jaunty and raffish, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son. Fortunately, it doesn't still go by its original form: O'Raighbheartaigh.
  7. Caius

    • Origin:

      Variation of Gaius, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "rejoice"

    • Description:

      Caius is classical and serious but also has a simple, joyful quality. There was a third century pope named Caius, as well as an early Christian writer, several Shakespearean characters, and a Twilight vampire. We would pronounce the name to rhyme with eye-us though at Cambridge University in England, where it's the name of a college, it's pronounced keys.
  8. Phineas

    • Origin:

      English, Egyptian

    • Meaning:

      "the Nubian"

    • Description:

      Phineas is the English variation of Phinehas, a Hebrew name likely derived from the Egyptian name Pa-nehasi. Pa-nehasi, meaning "the Nubian" can also be translated as "the bronze-colored one." The Egyptians distinguished themselves from their Nubian neighbors through differences in skin tone.
  9. Leander

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "lion-man"

    • Description:

      Leander was once an almost unknown name, however, with the popularity of Leo and the rise of Leandro, it now feels like a perfectly accessible alternative to Leon or Alexander. In Greek legend, Leander was the powerful figure who swam across the Hellespont every night to visit his beloved Hero, a priestess of Venus.
  10. Cosmo

    • Origin:

      Italian, English, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "order, beauty, universe"

    • Description:

      With a touch of celestial power, a hint of clunky charm, and the totally cool -o ending, Cosmo may well be finally shaking itself free of both the Seinfeld association (which made it a punchline of a joke) and the cartoon fairy association from The Fairly OddParents. In fact, it is in the Top 1000 in the UK and a favorite on Nameberry.
  11. Lysander

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "liberator"

    • Description:

      Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary cred comes from one of the two star-struck young men in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as one of the twin sons (the other being Lorcan) of Luna Lovegood, whom we learn about in the Harry Potter epilogue.
  12. Percy

    • Origin:

      French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge

    • Description:

      Percy is an adorable old name that is finally shedding its pampered Little Lord Fauntleroy image in this new era of boys with soft yet traditionally male names like Jasper and Elijah. Originating as an aristocratic Norman name, Percy became fairly widespread in England--and to some extent in the US--as an offshoot of the fame of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.
  13. Ansel

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "with divine protection"

    • Description:

      Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, could make a creative artist-hero choice. For Adams it was a family name – he was named after his uncle, Ansel Easton. And, in turn, Adams was the namesake of young heartthrob Ansel Elgort, son of a photographer.
  14. Ignatius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "fiery"

    • Description:

      The striking Ignatius is making a truly surprising comeback, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities — Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson. With its fiery qualities and magical feel, Ignatius might just fit in with Blaze, Griffin, Ember, or Atticus.
  15. Torin

    • Origin:

      Irish, Spanish, French

    • Meaning:

      "little chief, little hill, mound; holding fast; bull"

    • Description:

      Though it has a Scandinavian ring (a la Thorfinn), Torin is in fact a multicultural choice, an occasional feature in the UK Top 1000, and given to around 150 boys in the US each year. Connected to nature, power, and astrology, it is a distinctive yet trendy sounding choice.
  16. Peregrine

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "traveler, pilgrim"

    • Description:

      Peregrine is considered to be an elegantly aristocratic name in England, but has never made it to the U.S., where it has been seen as extravagantly eccentric. In the new naming climate, though, it's not beyond consideration — in fact it's already been chosen by at least one Berry.
  17. Dashiell

    • Origin:

      Anglicization of French surname de Chiel, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      Dashiell, though missing from many other name sources, is among the hottest new names, chosen by such celebs as Cate Blanchett and author Helen (Bridget Jones) Fielding. With its great dash and panache, Dashiell is associated with detective writer Dashiell Hammett (born Samuel, as in Sam Spade, Dashiell being his mother's maiden name). Alice Cooper was ahead of the game: He named his son Dashiell in 1985.
  18. Lucius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "light"

    • Description:

      Lucius is an old Roman clan name that has lots of religious and literary resonance, yet is still vital today. It was the name of three popes, appears in several Shakespeare plays, and, like all the names beginning with 'luc' relates to the Latin word for light.It was one of a limited number of forenames used in ancient Rome, and because of its meaning was often given to boys born at dawn.
  19. Angus

    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Aonghus, Aonghas, Gaelic

    • Meaning:

      "one strength"

    • Description:

      Angus is a traditional yet stylish choice in the UK, especially in Scotland. And it's a cool choice for US parents too, particularly those whose roots go back to Glasgow. The ancient Celtic form Oenghus has important historical overtones in Scotland, and the Gaelic form Aonghas is associated with two distinguished modern poets. In Irish folklore, Angus Og is a chieftain-lord who used his magical powers for the pleasure and prosperity of mankind--and in Irish myth, Aonghus was the god of love and youth.
  20. Florian

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flowering"

    • Description:

      If Flora and Florence have returned full force, Florian, with its trendy Latinate ending, could also have a chance. Popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and France, St Florian was the venerated patron saint of those in danger from water and the patron saint of firefighters.