The Best Rare Names of WWII - Boys

Voitto

Finnish

"victory"

The Finnish word for "victory" is a rare name even throughout the Nordic country, but with its on-trend V sound it could make a striking choice.

Whitaker

Whitaker is a masculine name originating as an English surname meaning 'white field' or 'wheat field.' Derived from Old English elements 'hwit' (white) and 'aecer' (field), it was traditionally a…

Wycliffe

Wycliffe is a masculine name of English origin, directly inspired by John Wycliffe, the influential 14th-century philosopher, theologian, and religious reformer who first translated the Bible into…

Wyndham

English

"from the windy village"

This artistic and aristocratic surname is a bold and daring choice, but with nature inspired names like Wren on the rise, and surnames-as-first-names being in vogue, Wyndham was a fast riser in 2023.…

Yves

French

"yew wood"

On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler…

Zephaniah

Hebrew

"God has hidden"

A minor prophet who has his own Book, Zephaniah is another Old Testament gem waiting to be rediscovered now that Noah and Abraham are becoming too trendy. The vowel-sound ending of Zephaniah is…

Zoltan

Hungarian

"sultan"

Though a common name in Hungary, with the spelling Zoltán, the relatively rare Z sound is striking to English speakers. Penn Gillette used the Zolten spelling for his son; it was also the name of…

Zuma

American place-name and Arabic

"peace"

Zuma was entered in the American name lexicon when musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale chose it for their son. Californians will recognize Zuma as the name of a beautiful beach in Malibu, and…