Boy Names Lists · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
Unique, Rare, and Uncommon Boy Names (with Meanings and Origins)
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Selby
English
"from the willow farm"
British last name that, though rather gentle, feels like a sharper, sleeker Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.
Sender
Yiddish
"defender of men"
Also an English surname, Sender derives from Alexander and has an attractive modern sound. Though given to only a handful of baby boys per year, it nevertheless is in step with the brotherhood of…
Sequoia
Sequoia is a masculine name derived from the name of the massive redwood trees native to California, which were themselves named after Sequoyah (c.1770-1843), the Cherokee silversmith who created a…
Severin
French variation of Severus; Latin
"stern, serious"
Severin is an ancient Roman family name borne by several early saints. It's still alive throughout Europe, and could be ready for import here. Severin Winter is a wrestling prodigy character in John…
Seymour
English
"marshy land near the sea"
Out playing shuffleboard at his condo and not expected back for several generations -- unless it morphs into a girls' name, a la Sydney.
Shai
Hebrew
"gift"
Shai, pronounced like shy, might morph to rhyme with may among native English speakers. This simple and attractive name is sometimes confused with or anglicized as Shay or even the Irish Shea.
Shalom
Hebrew
"peace"
Familiar as the most common form of greeting in Hebrew, but also associated with top female model Shalom Harlow.
Shep
Diminutive of Shepherd
Three Stooges name (he's the one who wasn't Moe or Curly).
Sheridan
Irish
"searcher"
Sheridan is one surname-name that hasn't come into style for either gender, though it was lightly used for boys around the turn of the 20th century and girls 100 years later. The name does have an…
Sheriff
Word name
Sheriff may sound law-abiding, but it also has a Wild West feel.
Sherlock
English
"fair-haired"
If ever there was a one-person name, it's probably Sherlock. But Sherlock Holmes the character has arguably never been hotter: he's been played by Robert Downey Jr., Ian McKellen, Jonny Lee Miller…
Sherman
English occupational name
"shearer of woolen cloth"
Not quite as over-the-hill as Herman, but not far behind either.
Simcha
Hebrew
"gladness, joy"
A celebratory choice with a bright sound, Simcha is also used as a word to describe Jewish festivities and joyful occasions such as a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah.
Simeon
Hebrew
"he [God] has heard"
Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek…
Sinjon
English, phonetic spelling of St
See ST.
Sire
Word name
"royalty; father, senior"
Historically, Sire was a formal term for addressing male royalty, particularly a king. Sire can also mean "father" or "senior" as both a noun and a verb. Now, like Prince, Sir, Messiah, and Saint,…
Skandar
Arabic, variation of Alexander
Skandar is a shortened form of Iskandar, an Arabic form of Alexander. It is most familiar as the name of Skandar Keynes, the actor who played Edmund Pevensie in the Chronicles of Narnia. Skandar is a…
Sky
Nature name
Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls , played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we…
Slater
English occupational name
"maker of slates"
Slater has a more genial, friendly feel than most trade names. Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance used it for one of their twins. On the nineties TV show Saved by the Bell , the character A.C.…
Smith
English occupational name
"blacksmith"
Even if it is the Number one surname in the U.S.--with more than 2.5 million bearers--we still think that Smith would make a cool first or middle name, whether or not it has family history. Though…