Rare, Unique, and Unusual Boy Names

Intriguing twist on Jacob, but may be too strongly associated with Michael Jackson.

A grassy place with trees is a nice image to attach to a name.

A novel way to get to the nicknames Ash or Ford

The name from which Jordan arose, Yarden has a nice combination of river imagery and a sound connoting a garden. Like Jordan, used for both sexes.

Less common spelling variation of the up-and-coming Irish name Torin.

Daymond, with many different spellings most prominently Dayman, is an ancient English occupational surname and personal name, taken from the word deye which denotes someone who tended animals.

Orlando is such a romantically attractive name, why stunt it with this relatively flat-footed short form?

Four-syllable names can be tricky, but this rarely used Old Testament appellation has considerable potential. In the Bible, Eleazer is a son of Aaron and nephew of Moses who succeeds his father as High Priest.

Eaton's similarity to Eton gives it an upscale Old School feel, though in the U.S. a name that sound like eatin' could have teasin' potential. Eaton could also sound like the much-more-familiar Ethan with a tough-guy accent.

Dashing and highly unusual variation does the feminine original one better by sounding both more modern and more usable. Or you can spell it Monaco and call it a place name.

Hampus is a European name virtually unheard of in the US, a form of Hampo and Hampel. It may also be a nickname for Johannes, the German form of John.

Eber is far more approachable than its full forbidding form.

Italian variation of Aurelius.

Bates is a fresh version of Bartholomew, and feels more wearable than Bart. Bates could be considered a patriotic choice for American parents - Katharine Lee Bates was an author and professor best known for penning the words to "America the Beautiful".

Haskell has two separate forms of origin, the first being from the Ancient Norse given name Ásketill. The Normans converted Ásketill to Aschetil, then the English transformed Aschetil into Haskell, which was originally only used as a surname. Haskell is also considered a variant of Haskel, a Yiddish given name derived from Ezekiel.

One of the many rhythmically appealing Italian names newly up for consideration, with more substance than the modelly FABIO. Variations: FABIO, FABIAN, FABRIZIO

Heard more often as a surname in Italy, its meaning has also been linked to the dolphin--which would make a cool nursery motif.

Winner is an uplifting word name that can work for girls or boys. It was recently chosen by rapper Nya Lee for her daughter.

If Cornelius still seems too much to consider, Cornelio, its jauntier, Latinized counterpart may be a better fit.

Occasionally used in the African-American community to honor Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, known as "Emperor of the Kingdom of Africa," though his first name is more frequently chosen. Another possible namesake is baseball player Steve Garvey. Garvey sounds more modern than Harvey.