Boy names from fantasy and science-fiction

Galen

Greek

"calm, healer"

Many will associate this name with Galen of Pergamon, the second-century physician considered to be the founding father of medicine. A more recent reference is Star Wars character Galen Erso. The…

Kaidan

Kaidan is a masculine name with multiple potential origins, most commonly associated with Japanese and Gaelic roots. In Japanese, it can mean "mysterious story" or "ghost story," while as an…

Shadow

English word name

A word name with a touch of mystery surrounding it, Shadow is a bold, edgy choice for a baby which some may find a bit ominous. While it is predominatly used for cats, dogs, and other furry friends,…

Gale

Nature name

Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games , it has new force for boys.

Thorn

English

"prickle"

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.

Topher

Diminutive of Christopher

The new kid on the block in terms of Christopher short forms, it was introduced into the mix by actor Topher Grace, who didn't like Chris.

Bran

Diminutive of Brandon

"broom-covered hill"

A little heavy on the fiber content; we prefer Bram. But Bran is also the Celtic god of the underworld, whose symbol is the raven. It's probably not a coincidence that George R.R. Martin chose this…

Cinna

Latin, family name

In The Hunger Games series, Cinna is the influential costume designer for Katniss. In ancient Rome, one Cinna was the father-in-law of Julius Caesar and another was a conspirator against Caesar.

Dunstan

English

"dark stone"

A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin.

Lancel

Literary name

Lancel Lannister is a minor character in Game of Thrones (the son of Kevan Lannister and first cousin to Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion) who plays a key part at several dramatic junctions in the series.