Rare gems for boys

Silas

Aramaic, Latin, Greek

"of the forest; or prayed for"

Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and…

Axel

Scandinavian variation of Absalom

"father of peace"

A classic in its native Scandinavia, Axel has a cool rock 'n' roll flavor in the US, thanks to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose (born William). With its distinctive letter 'x', it has an effortlessly cool…

Arran

Scottish place name

"ridged island"

Arran Island (not to be confused with the Aran Islands in Ireland) is a large island in Scotland's Firth (or bay) of Clyde. An attractive name, long popular in Scotland, but may be confused with the…

Lior

Hebrew

"I have a light"

Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar,"…

Lorenz

Lorenz is a masculine name of Germanic and Latin origin, derived from the Roman name Laurentius, meaning 'from Laurentum' or 'crowned with laurel,' symbolizing victory and honor in ancient Rome. This…

Roc

Arabic mythical name; Catalan form of Rocco

"rest"

An earthy rock'n'roll name with multiple origins. The Roc was a giant bird in Middle Eastern legend.

Storm

Word name

Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the…