Uncommon Names for Baby Boys!

Archer

English

"bowman"

Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the…

Ryker

German

"rich"

As a stylish name, Ryker has three big things going for it: its Ry beginning (as in Riley, Ryder, and Rylan), its two-syllable rhythm, and its er ending. A nice surprise for many is it's "rich"…

Tate

English from Norse

"cheerful"

A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates. Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton named her second son Tate Lee. Tate also has a…

Finn

Irish, Scandinavian, Norse

"fair, white; from Finland"

Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as…

Atticus

Latin

"from Attica"

Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird , is a real winner among boy names . Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004…

Sterling

English

"of the highest quality"

A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets, though it could easily be seen as a virtue-adjacent choice, like Merit, Chosen, or Hero. It has been…

Hendrix

Dutch and German, from first name Hendrik

"estate ruler"

Hendrix is one of those hip rock and roll names, like Lennon, Jagger and Presley, that have been used by fellow celebs and others, to honor the seminal guitarist/singer/songwriter Jimi. And this one…

Onyx

Word name

"gem stone; claw, nail"

Unlike Pearl and Ruby and more like Jasper, this gem name works well as a boys name. With its strong final X, it feels similar to Alex, Phoenix, Jax, and Rex, while the shiny black quality of the…

Kylo

Variation of Kyle, Scottish

"narrow spit of land"

The original Kyle has sparked many variations, including Kylie, Kyler, and Kylo, after Kylo Ren, the villain played by Adam Driver in the seventh Star Wars movie, released in December 2015. .Kylo,…

Killian

Irish

"war strife or church"

Killian – aka Cillian – is a spirited yet resonant Gaelic name that was borne by several Irish saints and could make a distinctive replacement for the dated Kelly. Kylian is another spelling that's…

Soren

Danish, Norwegian

"stern"

This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but…

Corbin

English and French surname

"crow, raven"

Corbin, the name of the castle where the Holy Grail was said to be hidden, came to the fore in the 1980s via actor Corbin Bernsen when he was the high profile star of LA Law , but its use is only now…

Troy

Greek, French

"of Troyes"

Troy shot to popularity as a first name in tandem with that of 1960s heartthrob Troy (born Merle) Donahue; its image has now, thanks in part to the Brad Pitt-starring epic, Troy , receded back to…

Fletcher

English occupational name

"arrow-maker"

Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to…

Azrael

Hebrew, variation of Azriel

"help of God"

This is the name of Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim tradition, but that isn't putting contemporary parents off. With its cool letter Z and popular -ael ending, Azrael has been in the US Top 1000…

Blaze

English word name

"fire"

Originally a form of the saint's name Blaise, though now more likely to be a hot word name used for both sexes, though heavily weighted toward the boys. It has been in the boys' Top 1000 since the…

Bear

Animal name

"bear"

Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape. Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his…

Blaine

Irish and Scottish

"yellow"

Attractive Scottish and Irish surname name of a seventh-century saint, associated with the illusionist and escape artist David Blaine.

Arrow

Word name

Words are not always easy to translate into baby names , but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o -sound ending, which…

Axe

Word name

Axe, spelled like this, is used for a handful of baby boys in the US each year. You can see it as one of the new weapon names, along with Dagger and Beretta, or as an abbreviation of the very popular…