Boy Names Lists · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Variation of Axel, Scandinavian version of Absalom
"father of peace"
Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel…
Place name
Rockers Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz put a new baby name on the map when they chose this downscale New York borough name for their son. The Bronx, the place, was named for early Dutch settler Jonas…
Japanese
"meditation"
A spiritual word name used by actor Zoe Saldana for her son as well as more recently Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott for their late son. Zen has been trending in recent years along with other spiritual…
Eritrean and Ethiopian variation of Jeremiah
"God will exalt"
The given name of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle, Ermias is a form of Jeremiah used in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It leapt into the charts in 2019 after the rapper's death, but has declined in use since…
English word name, German surname
"crucifix; by the crossroads; maker of mugs, jugs and pitchers"
Kross is one of the new generation of Christian word names with a twist, and joins the ranks of Chozen, Kruz, Zyon, Kannon, and Tru as options for boys. Given to around 20 babies in 2018, by 2019, it…
Spelling variation of Khalil
Kalel first entered the US Top 1000 as a one-off appearance in 2009, then reentered in 2013. It's possible that some parents see it as a spelling variant of the classic Arabic name Khalil, meaning…
Latin
"light"
Lux, one of the light-filled names that include Lucy and Lucian, broke onto the scene as a girls' name but now it's decidedly gender neutral. In fact, at the last count there were slightly more boys…
Derivation and meaning unknown
Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.
Arabic or Hawaiian
"benevolence; sea"
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik notably chose this name for their daughter in 2020, as a variation of Gigi's grandmother's name, Khairiah. In 2021, the name caught on for boys — Khai was a new debut on the…
English surname, elaboration of Max, Latin,"Maccas's homestead; greatest town"
"Maccas's homestead; greatest town"
Maxton is a new member of the ever-expanding Max clan of baby names, hitting the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011. It joined newfangled Maxon and stylish cousin Paxton, though it did drop out…
Sekani, Tumbuka
"people on the rocks; laugh"
Sekani was the fastest-rising boy name of 2019, inspired by the character Sekani Carter in the 2018 movie The Hate U Give . The Sekani, also spelled Tse’khene, are a First Nations culture in Canada.…
Swahili
"comforter, bringer of consolation"
Coolly attractive African name, with distinguished representatives in sports and literature. Jabari has been on the rise recently, returning to the US Top 1000 in 2023.
English
"small bay"
Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes... until COVID-19 hit. It remained steady in use for boys in 2021, but actually increased for…
English word name
"always, constantly, eternally"
Similar in sound to Evan and Everett, Ever is an evocative word name that's currently on the rise. Used by Alanis Morissette and Souleye back in 2010, Ever was given to more than 200 boys in 2024,…
Arabic
"treasure"
Khaza got a big boost when rapper Kevin Gates chose it for his son in 2014, and an even bigger boost with the release of his 2022 album of the same name. Gates' influence led to Khaza being one of…
Zavian is a modern masculine name that likely developed as a variant of Xavier or Zavier, or possibly as a unique creation combining popular name elements. The name has a contemporary feel with its…
Greek
"west wind"
If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…
English, Latin American
"god is gracious"
A respelling of Giovanni which makes the Italian pronunciation – three syllables, rather than four – more clear. Jovani and its variant Jovanni were both Top 1000 picks for the first decade and a…
Modern invented name
Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows , this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since…
Scottish, German, English
"resolute protection; from Wylye; clearing of willows"
Wiley may be considered a variation of Wylie, a Scottish diminutive of strong, classic William. As such, it may work an appealing way to honor a Bill, Will, or William, or as an alternative to…
