Boy Names Lists · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
Unique, Rare, and Uncommon Boy Names (with Meanings and Origins)
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Bowie
Scottish
"blond, yellow"
Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…
Boyer
English and French
"bow-maker, cattle herder"
Two completely different images come from its national pronunciations -- BOY-err or boy-AY -- the latter giving it an effete French accent.
Bram
Dutch variation of Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made…
Bramwell
English
"well where the gorse grows; bramble well"
An unexpected route to nicknames Bram or Wells, this English surname derives from a historical hamlet in England, whose exact location has been lost to time. It comes from the Old English word for…
Branch
Word name
Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds. Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color…
Brand
English
"firebrand, sword"
Rugged and straightforward brand-new name, though you might not like the idea of branding your son.
Barnett
English
"place cleared by burning"
Has some creative credibility via abstract painter Barnett Newman, but we'd prefer his nickname, Barney.
Bridges
English, word name and surname
"bridges"
Bridges is one of the new last names as first names ending in S that are so fashionable right now, joining Brooks, Wells, and Banks.
Brighton
English, place name meaning "bright town"
"bright town"
Brighton has long been known as a holiday resort town on the south coast of England. A cheery unisex name, it was used for his daughter by Jon Favreau, but was a boy on the TV show The Nanny .
Bristow
Bristow is a distinctive masculine name with English origins, derived from an Old English surname and place name meaning 'place by the bridge.' With its strong consonant sounds and crisp ending,…
Broder
Scandinavian
"brother"
One of the more unfamiliar Nordic choices, a perfect set-up for the nickname Brody.
Bryn
Welsh
"hill"
The simple and attractive Bryn is well used for boys in Wales, and does have a history as a male name in the US, although both Bryn and Brynn are currently far more popular for girls. Fans of British…
Byrd
English word name
"bird"
The name of the teenaged son on the dear departed television show "Huff."
Cadogan
Welsh
"honor in battle"
This surname borne by several early Welsh leaders has a lot of energy.
Caelus
Latin
"sky; heavens"
In Roman mythology, Caelus was the god of the sky prior to Jupiter. It's one of the few names that's virtually one-of-a-kind yet fits in with current stylish choices such as Caius and Callum (neither…
Barnes
English
"someone who lives or works near the barn"
This is a solid surname choice for people looking for a change from Cooper, Parker and Carson. Australian parents will probably instantly associate this name with famous rock legend Jimmy Barnes, but…
Anthem
American Word Name
"rousing, uplifting song"
A musical word name with a lot of strength behind it, Anthem is used to describe both an uplifting song connected to a particular belief or group, or a form of a religious text, performed by a church…
Calder
English
"rocky water"
A cool, rugged sounding name, Calder is connected to an ancient Scottish clan, an English village, and a Scottish River, along with the sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile (as in,…
Calian
Irish
"slender"
A variant of Caelan, from a Gaelic name meaning "slender".
Barnaby
English variation of Barnabas, Aramaic
"son of consolation"
Barnaby, a genial and energetic name with an Irish-sounding three-syllable lilt, is an ancient appellation that manages to be both unusual and highly attractive and deserves to be used more than it…