User-created list
Experimental and Unisex Names for Boys
Across 15 pages
of 15
Rumi
Japanese
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"
While Rumi has received attention in the contemporary US as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's young daughter, it's most famously the name of a (male)13th century Muslim mystic and poet. The most famous…
Rune
German and Swedish
"secret"
Name with connotations both mystical and tragic, newly popular in Europe. For English speakers, though, this name might be ruined by its homonym ruin.
Rush
English
"basket weaver"
Might suggest speed, excitement, even danger, were it not for its best-known bearer, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.
Russet
English, French
"reddish brown"
Rustic and cosy, Russet is a color name, associated with the reddish-brown hues of earth and autumn, with homespun cloth, apples, and perhaps less appealingly, potatoes. While it has never featured…
Sabre
Sabre is a feminine name derived from the word for a type of curved sword, originating from the French "sabre," which came from the Hungarian "szablya." As a name, Sabre projects strength, sharpness,…
Sailor
Occupational word name
A word name that has sailed onto birth certificates of both genders, especially since Liv Tyler used it for her son. For boys, Saylor and Sailor are used about equally, but were together given to…
Salix
Latin, botanical name
An unusual name related to the willow family.
Sasha
Russian diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
The energetic Russian nickname name Sasha is being used increasingly on its own, though since the prominence of the First Daughter, more than 90% of the American babies named Sasha are girls. Sacha…
Saturn
Roman mythology name
If you've rejected all the names on earth, you might move on to the sixth planet from the sun, also the Roman god of agriculture and plenty, and the origin of Saturday.
Schuyler
Dutch
"scholar"
This worthy name, imported by the early Dutch colonists, has been all but overpowered by the phonetic spellings -- Skyler for boys and Skylar for girls. With the surnames-as-first-names trend,…
Scorpio
Latin
"scorpion"
Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy. In the soap…
Scout
Word name
Chosen for their daughter by Bruce and Demi (inspired by the To Kill a Mockingbird character), and for her son by Tai Babilonia, an interesting choice for either sex, with overtones of a "good scout"…
Seeley
English
"blessed, happy"
Seeley is a Medieval surname with a happy, fortunate meaning.
Seneca
Latin surname and Native American
"people of the standing rock"
Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.
Sequoia
Sequoia is a masculine name derived from the name of the massive redwood trees native to California, which were themselves named after Sequoyah (c.1770-1843), the Cherokee silversmith who created a…
Seren
Polish
"serene"
Seren, meaning "star", is one of the top girls' names in Wales, but as a boys' name it has a different derivation. It's a rare Polish form of the Latin Serenus, mostly used to refer to the Saint and…
Shasta
Place-name, Sanskrit
"teacher, guide, ruler"
A Californian mountain name revered by healers and spiritualists, Shasta has a New Age, cowboy feel. The mountain takes its name from the Indigenous American tribe, the Shasta people - though this…
Shea
Irish
"the stately, dauntless one; hawk"
Not to be confused with shea butter, this name is a common surname in Ireland, combining spirit, substance, and gentleness. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha (SHEH), though it could also be used…
Silver
English word name
This shimmery Age of Aquarius unisex flower child name is making a comeback, along with metal and gem names like Steel, Jade, and Ruby.
Sinclair
Scottish
"from the town of St. Clair"
Could be a novel way for a boy's name to honor an ancestral Claire.