Best One-of-a-Kind Names for Boys

Wed Sep 09 2020By Sophie Kihm

Unique names that nobody — and by nobody, we mean zero people in the US the last year counted — is using for their baby boys in America include the following fascinating boy names.

Some of the coolest one-of-a-kind boy names are international favorites such as Pim, Ngozi, Maxence, and Jadson. Other totally unique boy names include stylish surnames Osgood, Seaton, and Tolliver, and groundbreaking word names Drummer, Quartz, and Traveler.

On this list are many unusual yet classic boys' names as well as fresh, creative choices. If you are looking for truly unique names for your baby boy, any of these would be excellent choices.

One-of-a-Kind Boy Names

Acacius

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"thorny; or, innocent, not evil"
Description:
Acacius is a Latinized form of the Ancient Greek Akakios and can be interpreted to relate to the same root as the name Acacia, for the thorn bush, or Akakios which means "not evil." With the modern taste for ancient names that end in "us," this obscure but attractive choice may have a chance of new life. Acacius is the name of three early saints.

Acacius Continued

Tarquin

Origin:
Roman clan name of uncertain meaning
Description:
One of the few ancient Roman names that doesn't end in us, the rarely heard Tarquin has a decidedly creative, even dramatic flair, which could appeal to the parent looking for a strikingly original name. Sir Laurence Olivier used it for his oldest child, who was named Simon Tarquin but called by his middle name.

Tarquin Continued

Auberon

Origin:
English from German
Meaning:
"noble, bearlike"
Description:
Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. Possibly starting as a pet form of Aubrey, it was also infuenced by Oberon, the king of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Auberon Continued

Septimus

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"the seventh son"
Description:
Septimus is one of the more dashing of the birth-order Latin number names that were revived by the Victorians. So even if you don't anticipate son number 7, you might be bold enough to consider this relic, certainly preferable to sixth-son name Sextus.

Septimus Continued

Bard

Origin:
Irish variation of Baird, Scottish
Meaning:
"minstrel, poet"
Description:
Great Irish middle name choice for Shakespeare lovers.

Corentin

Origin:
French, Breton
Meaning:
"tempest, hurricane"
Description:
Corentin is an intriguing saint's name fashionable in France but virtually unknown here-- which you may consider a big plus. St. Corentin possessed a magical fish that regenerated itself each night, feeding himself and his lucky visitors in perpetuity.

Corentin Continued

Cicero

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"chickpea"
Description:
Roman statesman's name used here for slaves by owners trying to show off their classical education -- and rarely heard since. A bold baby namer could try to bring it into modern life.

Cicero Continued

Cadmus

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"one who excels"
Description:
Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet. Its ancient feel might appeal to modern parents — especially since Cadmus Peverell is a human Harry Potter character, one of the three original owners of the Deathly Hallows.

Cadmus Continued

Jem

Origin:
Diminutive of James or Jeremiah
Description:
This name of the ten-year-old boy in the much loved and acclaimed modern classic To Kill a Mockingbird could find favor along with that of the character's sister, Scout.

Gulliver

Origin:
Irish
Meaning:
"glutton"
Description:
Gulliver is an obscure Gaelic surname known almost solely through its literary Travels until actor Gary Oldman used it for his son, instantly transforming it into a lively option. British actors Damian Lewis, of Homeland, and Helen McCrory also have a son named Gulliver.

Gulliver Continued

Cathal

Origin:
Irish
Meaning:
"battle rule"
Description:
The name of an ancient Irish saint is in the contemporary Irish Top 50. While it's one of the rare Irish names for boys that hasn't immigrated to the U.S., it may follow brothers Aidan and Declan to our shores. The t is not pronounced.

Cathal Continued

Finlo

Origin:
Manx
Meaning:
"fair Lugh"
Description:
FInlo is a name from the Isle of Man, deriving from that island's pagan Sun God, Lugh. Given the popularity of all names Finn/Finley etc, Finlo could be a great alternative for people who love the "Fin" sound but want a more unusual name.

Finlo Continued

Mingus

Origin:
Scottish, variation of Menzies
Meaning:
"tenants of a manor"
Description:
Supermodel Helena Christensen named her son in honor of jazz great Charles Mingus, opening up a whole category of jazzy possibilities: Kenton, Calloway, Ellington, Gillespie, Mulligan, Tatum, and Thelonius.

Mingus Continued

Iniko

Origin:
Nigerian
Meaning:
"time of trouble"
Description:
African name with Niko-nickname option.

Iniko Continued

Florent

Origin:
French from Latin
Meaning:
"flowering"
Description:
Historically, the English name Florence was used for both sexes. Now that it's female-only, we have to look to other European languages for a male equivalent. Florent is a steady classic in France, booming there in the 1980s. Maybe it's time to import it, and show that boys can be floral too.

Florent Continued

Pim

Origin:
Dutch diminutive of Willem or William
Meaning:
"resolute protection"
Description:
The short, cute Pim is a Top 100 boys' name in The Netherlands though little-known outside that country. But in a family overrun with Williams, Pim could make an original nickname setting a modern child apart from father Will and grandpa Bill.

Roone

Origin:
Irish
Meaning:
"red-haired"
Description:
Roone is a lively, attractive and unusual redhead entry brought into the mix by the late TV sports and news executive Roone Arledge, who seemed to own it as a one-person name when he was alive.

Roone Continued

Aletris

Origin:
Flower name, from Greek
Meaning:
"corn grinder"
Description:
The bell-shaped flower Aletris is also known as Colic Root, Blazing Star, Unicorn Root, and Stargrass. Its roots have medicinal properties and are used to aid digestive and muscle problems. Its name derives from Greek aletris -- a female slave who ground corn -- because of the mealy texture of the flowers.

Aletris Continued

Gawain

Origin:
Welsh
Meaning:
"May hawk"
Description:
This name of the courteous Knight of the Round Table, the nephew of King Arthur, has long been superseded by its Scottish form, Gavin.

Gawain Continued

Tolliver

Origin:
English occupational name
Meaning:
"metalworker"
Description:
If you're tired of Oliver, you might consider this energetic three-syllable surname instead, so you could have a little Tolly instead of an Ollie.

Tolliver Continued

Clem

Origin:
, English, diminutive of Clement
Description:
Laid-back and humble, with a distinctive down-home charm.

Puck

Origin:
Literary name
Description:
Puck was Shakespeare's mischievous pixie whose only known real-life incarnation was the insufferable neohippie on an early season of MTV's "Real World." Now, though, the attractive bad boy character on "GLEE" is giving Puck new possibilities, at least as a nickname.

Piran

Origin:
Irish
Meaning:
"prayer"
Description:
It may be a longshot – especially since it was given to less than 5 boys in the US in 2018 – but Piran could conceivably be a future Kieran, which is shaping up to being the next Kevin. Piran is the patron saint of miners and of Cornwall.

Piran Continued

Yarrow

Origin:
Botanical name, English
Meaning:
"rough stream"
Description:
Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achille, who was said to carry yarrow into battle.

Yarrow Continued

Aragon

Origin:
Spanish place name
Description:
Equally strong, dramatic and romantic, this name of an old kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula and a modern Spanish community as well, would give a boy an instant pedigree.

Aragon Continued

Flavian

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"yellow hair"
Description:
A Latin clan name that may rise again along with other things Roman.

Flavian Continued

Maxence

Origin:
French form of Latin Maximus
Meaning:
"greatest"
Description:
A cute and fresh way to get to Max, this was the name of a sixth century saint.

Maxence Continued

Ruskin

Origin:
Scottish
Meaning:
"from a family of tanners"
Description:
British-sounding literary surname choice.

Ruskin Continued

Ugo

Origin:
Italian variation of Hugh
Meaning:
"mind, intellect"
Description:
Ugo is very common in Italy, but here it might call to mind that little Yugoslavian car.

Scorpio

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"scorpion"
Description:
Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy.

Scorpio Continued

Mies

Origin:
Dutch, diminutive of Bartholomeus
Meaning:
"son of the earth"
Description:
Apt choice for an architect's child, honoring German-born Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a central figure in modern design, and universally referred to as Mies.

Geordie

Origin:
British English demonym
Description:
Though it looks, to the untrained American eye, like a yoonek spelling of Jordy, Geordie actually refers to people from Tyneside in Northeast England and the local dialect there. To give you a sense of what it implies to Brits, Geordie Shore is British MTV's long-running answer to Jersey Shore.

Geordie Continued

Rodion

Origin:
Russian from Greek
Meaning:
"song of the hero"
Description:
Well used in Russia, this is a distinctive and undiscovered choice here. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is the fictional protagonist of Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoyevsky.

Rodion Continued

Bas

Origin:
Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and Sebastian
Meaning:
"person from the city of Sebastia"
Description:
Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.

Pascoe

Origin:
Cornish variation of Pascal
Meaning:
"Easter"
Description:
Pascoe was popular in medieval times and is definitely deserving of revival, especially for a child born in the Easter season. Other spellings are Pasco and Pascow.

Pascoe Continued

Roald

Origin:
Norwegian
Meaning:
"famous ruler"
Description:
This intriguing Scandinavian name is associated with Roald Dahl, author of the juvenile classics James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can honor an ancestral Ronald just by dropping that middle 'n'.

Roald Continued

Alamo

Origin:
Place-name, Spanish
Meaning:
"poplar tree"
Description:
The unique O-ending makes this name memorable, especially for someone with ties to Texas.

Alamo Continued

Grove

Origin:
Nature name
Meaning:
"grove of trees"
Description:
If you find Grover too fusty and furry, this is a much cooler-sounding alternative.

Grove Continued

Tarian

Origin:
Welsh
Meaning:
"shield"
Description:
Country singer Travis Tritt is partial to the letter T for his children's names: he has a Tyler, a Tristan, and a son named Tarian. Tarian is a unisex Welsh name which, though used more for girls in Wales, would be perfectly acceptable here for a boy.

Tarian Continued

Spruce

Origin:
Nature name
Description:
A handsome, spruced-up post-Bruce tree name.

Spruce Continued

Wilkie

Origin:
Scottish surname from a diminutive of William
Meaning:
"resolute protection"
Description:
William was such a popular name, thanks to the Conquerer, in early England that it gave rise to a range of nicknames, including the distinctly Scottish Wilkie. Heard mostly as a surname these days, it's the middle name of Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick's son James and the first name of writer Collins. While Wilkie could make an adorable short form for a little boy, we'd recommend a more substantial full name such as, well, William.

Wilkie Continued

Dunstan

Origin:
English
Meaning:
"dark stone"
Description:
A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin.

Dunstan Continued

Quartz

Origin:
Mineral name
Description:
This may be a bit quirky to make it as a name, especially in first place. If you love it, you might try it in the middle.

Quartz Continued

Conran

Origin:
Irish, anglicization of O'conarain
Meaning:
"descendant of Conaran"
Description:
Associated with iconic British designer and retailer Terence Conran, who had an international impact on household design. Makes a nice variation on Conrad.

Conran Continued

Umberto

Origin:
Italian variation of Humbert
Meaning:
"renowned warrior"
Description:
A definite improvement over the English Humbert, Umberto has nevertheless been rarely heard outside the Italian community.

Umberto Continued

Akello

Origin:
Ugandan
Meaning:
"I have brought forth"
Description:
Energetic but mellow.

Akello Continued

Cassio

Origin:
Italian variation of Cassius
Meaning:
"hollow"
Description:
Cassio is a notable Shakespearean name that's a member of the ever-more-popular Cassius family of names. Cassio was Othello's young, good-looking, and flirtatious lieutenant.

Cassio Continued

Tristram

Origin:
Medieval English variation of Tristan, “noise or sorrowful"
Description:
This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy, is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still makes an interesting literary choice.

Tristram Continued

Crusoe

Origin:
Literary surname
Description:
Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. The character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name or mean a crossing of the river Nahe. Short form Cru was given to nearly 50 boys in a recent year.

Crusoe Continued

Kubo

Origin:
Japanese
Description:
The lead character of the Oscar-nominated 2016 film "Kubo and the Two Strings" lives in Edo-period Japan, but his name is more often heard as a surname in Japan. Still, fans of the animated movie may want to consider it.

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