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Extra Unusual Boys Names

LaurenVD
By LaurenVD
Updated Fri May 12 2023
A list of unusual boy names I found throughout the web and various name books.
  1. Altair

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "falcon"

    • Description:

      The eleventh brightest star in the sky has a celestial feel, but also could be the name of a commercial airline.
  2. Cielo

    • Origin:

      Italian

    • Meaning:

      "sky"

    • Description:

      Expansive, sunny Italian word name.
  3. Amory

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "industrious"

    • Description:

      Amory is the kind of executive-sounding surname name that became popular in the 1990s. Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, This Side of Paradise.
  4. Adlai

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is just"

    • Description:

      Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth century. Now it's an unusual Biblical choice ripe for rediscovery.
  5. Buchanan

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "place of the cannon"

    • Description:

      A lesser-used presidential choice, with a charming, buccaneering sound. Fictional bearers include the Marvel Comics character James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, as well as the heroine of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby Daisy Buchanan.
  6. Abbott

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Aramaic

    • Meaning:

      "father"

    • Description:

      Abbott is a neglected masculine surname with religious overtones as the head of a monastery. Though the feminine nickname Abby could be a slight drawback, Abbott is still an attractive offbeat possibility.
  7. Aegis

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "young goat"

    • Description:

      Often found as a brand name in the hi-tech and industrial worlds.
  8. Arbor

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "tree"

    • Description:

      Arbor is a quirky nature name with holiday vibes.
  9. Arliss

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledge"

    • Description:

      Best remembered as one of the boys in "Old Yeller" and the title of a late 1990s HBO sitcom, "Arliss," featuring sports agent Arliss Michaels. Also sometimes heard as a girl's name and a surname (as in early film star George Arliss).
  10. Carmichael

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "fort of Michael"

    • Description:

      Most parents would prefer to leave the car part parked in the garage.
  11. Cagney

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "tribute"

    • Description:

      Cagney is one of the spunkiest Irish surnames around, and could make a lively and fresher successor to the tired Casey.
  12. Colyer

    • Description:

      Colyer is a masculine name with English origins, derived from an occupational surname that historically referred to someone who made or sold charcoal (from the Middle English 'col' meaning coal). As a first name, Colyer is extremely rare, representing the modern trend of adopting traditional surnames as given names. This practice often honors family heritage or creates a distinctive identity. The name carries a strong, professional tone with its hard consonants and historical connection to craftsmanship. Colyer might appeal to parents seeking an uncommon name with historical depth and a subtle connection to industrial traditions. Its rarity ensures individuality, though the unusual spelling may require regular clarification.
  13. Arlington

    • Origin:

      English habitational surname, place name

    • Meaning:

      "the noble's town"

    • Description:

      Similar in sound to Arlo, Remington, and Arthur, this surname style and place name could make a patriotic choice in the US, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetery. Given to 7 girls and 22 boys in a recent year, it is making moves up the charts, albeit small ones.
  14. Adley

    • Origin:

      Variation of Adlai or Hadley

    • Description:

      Adley is one of those rare unisex names that probably developed via different paths on the girls' and boys' sides, with the male Adley a phonetic spelling of the Hebrew Adlai, while the girls' version, which briefly made the Top 1000 in 2012, is an abbreviation of the trendy Hadley, an English place name and surname.
  15. Bayden

    • Description:

      Bayden is a variation of the more common names Baden or Brayden. It has English origins and is typically a masculine name. The name may derive from an Old English surname that referred to a person from Bath, a city in Somerset, England, known for its natural hot springs. Alternatively, it could be a modern variation of Brayden, which has Irish Gaelic roots meaning 'brave' or 'broad'. Bayden has gained modest popularity in English-speaking countries since the late 20th century as part of the trend favoring names with the '-en' or '-an' ending. Though not among the most common names, Bayden offers parents a slightly distinctive alternative to more popular counterparts while maintaining familiar pronunciation and spelling patterns.

  16. Branigan

    • Origin:

      irish

    • Meaning:

      "little raven"

    • Description:

      Branigan, also spelled Branagan or Brannigan, is an Irish name full of energy and cheer. It was the title of a 1975 John Wayne movie, and Zapp Brannigan is the antihero of the animated sitcom "Futurama." Branigan fans might also want to consider such related Irish names as Brennan and Breccan, Rafferty and Finnegan.
  17. Branley

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "raven meadow"

    • Description:

      The suffix Bran is familiar as raven-related since Game of Thrones, and the -ley suffix has been popular since the 1990s heyday of Ashley.
  18. Briac

    • Origin:

      Celtic, meaning uncertain.

    • Description:

      St Briac was an Irish saint who arrived in Northern France in the 6th century and gave his name to the small commune of Saint-Briac-sur-Mer in Brittany. The name is thought to be related to Brian, though it may be a completely separate name stemming from the Celtic word "bruaich" meaning "steep hill". Briac definitely brings a fresh continental feel and would be a good choice for those who would like a name with both French and Irish connections
  19. Burgess

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "inhabitant of a fortified town"

    • Description:

      Related to the word bourgeois; actor Burgess Meredith put this surname in first place.
  20. Anduin

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland in Tolkien’s fictional Middle-earth. The word means "long river" or "great river".