harry-potter-esque names

Hedeon

Russian variation of Gideon

A not as appealing variation on an attractive original.

Junius

Latin

"born in June"

Junius is one of those names that's growing on us, along with many of its Roman countrymen such as Julius and Atticus. We once thought it was a combination of the least attractive elements of Junior…

March

English word name

"month name"

Along with August, March is one of the month names perfectly suited to boys. This brisk single-syllable name – which derives from the name of Mars, the Roman god of war – is worth considering as…

Maurice

English and French from Latin

"dark-skinned"

In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such…

Norvin

English

"northern friend"

Alvin, Melvin, Norvin -- most vin names, except maybe Kevin and Gavin -- are not vinners.

November

English word name

"month name"

November is one of a growing list of month names that can work for a baby boy, and is also one of the ideal names for November babies .

Orpheus

Greek mythology name

"the darkness of the night"

Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.

Quantavius

English, modern combination of Quan and Octavius

One of the more imposing and intriguing of the combo names.

Rodion

Russian from Greek

"song of the hero"

Well used in Russia, this is a distinctive and undiscovered choice here. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is the fictional protagonist of Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoyevsky.

Seraphim

Hebrew

"fiery"

This ephemeral name of the loving angels surrounding the throne of God is all but unheard of in the US, although its feminine forms Seraphine and Seraphina are catching on. In Russia, it's long been…

Sevastian

Sevastian is a masculine name that represents an alternative spelling of Sebastian, which originated from the Greek name Sebastianos, meaning "from Sebaste" or "venerable." Sebaste was an ancient…

Silvius

Latin

"wood, forest"

With the rise of ancient Roman names, the now-obscure Silvius may be rediscovered. Sleek and silvery, Silvius was the name of several legendary kings and an early saint. It survives in the…

Florin

Romanian, Latin

"flower; flourishing"

Florin is one of several names derived from the Latin root floris , making it a floral and prosperous choice for boys. A relative of Flora, Florence, and Florian, this form is most popularly heard in…