Boy Names Lists · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
New Boy Names
Across 17 pages
of 17
Finnegan
Irish
"fair"
If you like the Finn names and love James Joyce, Finnegan is extremely winning. Will & Grace 's Eric McCormack chose the Finnigan spelling for his son. And of course Finnegan gains you access to the…
Ridge
English word name
"an elevated body part or structure"
Ridge may be the quintessential daytime drama name, but it's still better than most. This is one word name rising rapidly through the ranks, reentering the US Top 1000 in 2015 for the first time…
Rio
Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river; place of the cherry blossoms"
Rio is a reductive ranchero place-name with an attractive Tex-Mex lilt. No Doubt's Tom Dumont has a son named Rio Atticus. Also a South American place name, and associated with the Rio Grande, it's…
Eden
Hebrew
"place of pleasure, delight"
This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls in the US, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy…
Ledger
English surname
"people's spear; book of recordings"
Ledger, another surname-turned-first name, carries associations of the great and late Australian actor Heath Ledger. It appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2017, perhaps bolstered by…
Chosen
English word name
"one who is the object of choice or of divine favor"
Chosen is officially a baby name thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who chose (can't resist) the word as the name of his newborn son. While it may inspire bad puns, Chosen is…
Deacon
Greek
"messenger, servant"
This name was transposed from the word for a church officer to a baby name when Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe chose it for their son, after a baseball player ancestor, and Don Johnson followed…
Zakai
Variation of Zaccai, Hebrew
"pure"
Zakai bears a lot of resemblance to the ancient Hebrew name Zaccai, but many modern parents are using it as an elaboration of the popular name Kai, blending it with Zack. Jakai and Makai are other…
Clay
English word name; diminutive of Clayton
Clay is a rich, earthy one-syllable name with a southern-inflected handsome-rogue image, featured on soap operas and reality TV. Its longer forms are Clayton and Clayborne. There have been TV…
Rhodes
Greek
"where roses grow"
This is a name we've seen the potential of for some time now — A Greek island and a prestigious scholarship make for a preppy first name with the uber-stylish S ending. Needless to say we were not…
Jamari
Variation of Jamar, African American, Arabic
"beauty"
While Jamar fell out of the Top 1000 back in 2016, this sleek and modern elaboration remains popular. Inspired by Arabic Jamal and rising up the charts alongside Amari and Kamari, Jamari is given to…
Kylan
Modern invented name
"Kyle's land; little Kyle"
A new-style name based on Kyle and a cousin of Dylan, in spelling if not sound or image. Currently in the US Top 600, it is given to more than 500 boys each year. While its invented status means it's…
Maximo
Spanish variation of Maximus, Latin
"greatest"
With the ubiquitous Max heard at every playground across the US, international versions have been gaining traction in an attempt to provide a fresh avenue to the highly sought nickname. This Spanish…
Atreus
Greek
"fearless"
This unusual name from Greek mythology is gaining traction along with others in its class, such as Atlas, Artemis, and Apollo. The King of Mycenae (to where he'd been banished, after murdering his…
Eliel
Hebrew
"my God is God"
This Old Testament name fits in with a number of contemporary trends: boys names ending in -el , unusual Biblical choices, names with international flair, Eli- names, and softer sounding choices for…
Kason
Modern invented name
Jason with a K or Kase with an N or Karson without the R. Kason is one of many similar names that are extremely popular right now. Kayson is the most popular of the bunch, but besides Kason, there's…
Lachlan
Scottish
"from the fjord-land"
Lachlan is as Scottish as haggis and tartan plaid kilts—a favorite used throughout England, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand—and just beginning to be noticed in the US: it reached the Top 1000…
Kyro
Variation of Cairo, modern invention
"the conqueror"
Kyro is an even more modern twist on the stylish place name, Cairo. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 and has been rising quickly ever since. Less popular than Kairo and Cairo, Kyro is nevertheless…
Jakari
Invented name
Created in the style of Jabari, a fashionable Swahili name. Jakari is mainly used among African American families in the US.
Westley
Variation of Wesley
"west meadow"
This variation of Wesley moved into the Top 1000 among boys' names in the US in 2016, perhaps because it makes the name more Western, with the cowboy nickname West., or because parents have taken…