Unique, Rare, and Uncommon Boy Names (with Meanings and Origins)

A surname name, most popularly associated with actor Heston, has a blue-blooded ring to it. Charlton is also a more unusual pathway to evergreen nickname Charlie.

Attractive Sanskrit boy name given to 22 American baby boys one recent year.

A really unusual choice that could be used to honor Grandpa Will.

Runyon is an Irish surname with considerable flair; some will connect it with Guys and Dolls writer Damon Runyon.

While Barthelemy does not garner much attention these days, it has a storied history in French-speaking countries. Notable bearers include geologist and explorer Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond, philosopher Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire, and historian and writer Jean-Barthélemy Hauréau, to name a few.

Charming Dickensian route to Nick.

Rare surname name deriving from an old German word meaning "foreigner" or "stranger". Ellender is actress Blake Lively's middle name.

There are lots of grandpa Daves and Davids out there, and Dawes can make an original honor name. It's right in step with the current craze for surname names that end in S: Brooks, Wells, Rhodes etc.

This Romani name may derive from the Yiddish name Zindel, which is itself a name derived from Alexander.

A rare yet familiar sounding Spanish compound name, blending Evaristo and Eduardo together. It also appears in the Oz novels by L. Frank Braum (the source of the musical Wicked).

Wave made, well, waves when it was revealed to be the name of Cardi B and Offset's son. Evocative of crashing waves at the beach, large surfing barrels, and tumultuous and stormy seas, Wave is a name with a lot of personalities.

Associated with iconic British designer and retailer Terence Conran, who had an international impact on household design. Makes a nice variation on Conrad.

A modern name likely inspired by the Latin phrase carpe diem meaning "seize the day".

An animal related name, associated with strength, Fahad is derived from the Arabic fahd which can refer to a variety of big cats. It may indicate someone who owns or trains panthers, leopards, or cheetahs, or the animals themselves. A fast rising choice in the UK in 2023, actor and producer Fahad Mustafa is a notable bearer.

Modern Hebrew form of Tobiah

The singular version sounds more contemporary.

Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.

Derived from the Xhosa and Zulu word for "hero", qhawe

If it's not too phlegmatic for you, this surname and name of a Scottish clan could honor a number of people, especially Alexander Fleming, the father of antibiotics, and Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.

Lazer has some biblical cred as a form of Eliezer, Eleazar, or Lazarus, all relatives, and it's also a modern bad boy name a la Ranger and Breaker. Our recommendation would be to use one of the biblical forms as the proper name and Lazer as a nickname.