Rare, Unique, and Unusual Boy Names

  1. CastorHeart
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pious one"
    • Description:

      Forget the oil. It's one of the twins that make up the constellation Gemini, and a mythological name on the cutting-edge of fashion; used by Metallica's James Hetfield.
  2. RomulusHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "citizen of Rome"
    • Description:

      He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics, including killing his twin brother and making Rome in his own image, and is later deified as Quinnius. Romy and Quinn might make good twin names.
  3. NedHeart
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Edward
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy guardian"
    • Description:

      Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance.
  4. GaiusHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "to rejoice"
    • Description:

      Stately Gaius (pronounced GUY-us) was in the name of many ancient Romans, including Julius Caesar. Little-used before the year 2000, it now feels like a fresh possibility in the revival of Latin boys' names like Atticus and Cassius. Caius and derivatives like Caio come from the same root, and in ancient Roman times Caius was probably pronounced as Gaius. You could also see Gaius as a male version of the earth-goddess name Gaia.
  5. CyprianHeart
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "man of Cyprus"
    • Description:

      With a long and noble history -- Cyprian was one of the great Christian Latin writers -- this could make a highly unusual but meaningful choice.
  6. AnselmHeart
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "with divine protection"
    • Description:

      A somewhat solemn appellation, Anselm is a saint's name, connected to the twelfth century archbishop of Canterbury, and in modern times tied to the German neo-expressionist painter Anselm Kiefer.
  7. CrispinHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "curly-haired"
    • Description:

      Crispin, which was introduced into the mainstream by actor Crispin Glover and which means "curly-haired" in Latin, has an image very much like its first syllable: crisp, autumnal, and colorful.
  8. WinslowHeart
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "friend's hill or burial mound"
    • Description:

      Winslow, despite its creative connection to the distinguished American painter Winslow Homer, does still retain remnants of the image of a Victorian boy in a sailor suit, making Winston or even just Win a preferable modern choice.
  9. XerxesHeart
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "hero among heroes"
    • Description:

      The two X's may be a challenge for even the most intrepid baby namer. Xerxes was the name of two early kings of Persia and the Handel opera Serse or Xerxes is loosely based on Xerxes I.
  10. OdieHeart
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Odell, Otis; English, German
    • Meaning:

      "of the valley; wealthy"
    • Description:

      This old-timey nickname for Otis and Odell is strongly tied to Garfield’s canine companion in the Garfield comic, movie, and TV franchise.
  11. IvesHeart
    • Origin:

      English variation of Yves
    • Meaning:

      "yew wood"
    • Description:

      Smooth and sleek one-syllable name, sometimes suggested for Sagittarius boys.
  12. ColmHeart
    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Latin Columba
    • Meaning:

      "dove"
    • Description:

      Colm is a popular Irish name for boys that could immigrate, especially with its peaceful meaning. Colm Toibin is a contemporary Irish novelist and critic, author of The Master and Brooklyn; Colm Meaney is an Irish actor. Pronunciation is two syllables instead of one, like Colin with an 'm' at the end. Colm is related to Columba, Colom, Colum, Callum, and Malcolm.
  13. HelioHeart
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "the sun"
    • Description:

      More familiar to English speakers in the Italian Elio form.
  14. HaleHeart
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "someone who lives in a hollow"
    • Description:

      This name projects a sense of well-being - hale and hearty - is unusual but accessible, with a clear simple sound, and a worthy namesake, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, as an added bonus.
  15. HuckleberryHeart
    • Origin:

      Word name and literary name
    • Description:

      Everybody knows Huckleberry Finn, the Mark Twain character named, Twain said, for the 19th century slang term for "humble." A few modern parents have put it on a birth certificate, including "Man Vs. Wild" star Bear Grylls, who, like many parents, will call the boy the much more manageable Huck. It was also the name of a child on TV's West Wing,
  16. FintanHeart
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "white fire or white bull"
    • Description:

      Fintan is an ancient Irish saints' name that in legend is also the name of the only person to survive The Flood. Popular in modern Ireland, Fintan is ripe for export to the US where it is rarely used but could make an excellent long form for the stylish Finn.
  17. MercuryHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "Roman messenger god"
    • Description:

      Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman god Mercury, which derives from the Latin words for trade or wages, is the patron of tradesmen and travelers and the fastest-moving planet in the solar system. Mercury is the planet associated with the sign of Virgo, so this is one of the prime names for Virgo babies.
  18. RolloHeart
    • Origin:

      Latin form of Rolf
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      Rollo is a livelier, roly-poly, o-ending version of Roland.
  19. HoratioHeart
    • Origin:

      English variation of Latin Horatius
    • Meaning:

      "hour, time"
    • Description:

      Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern reference is the charismatic TV character Horatio Caine played by David Caruso in CSI: Miami.
  20. BuddyHeart
    • Origin:

      English, nickname name
    • Description:

      Until recently it was rarely used as a proper name; Buddy Holly, for example, was christened Charles, and Salinger's Buddy Glass was born Webb. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did name his fourth child Buddy Bear Maurice--a fittingly named brother to Poppy Honey Rosie, Daisy Boo Pamela and Petal Blossom Rainbow, and singer Tom Fletcher has a double-nicknamed Buddy Bob.