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Unusual and On-Trend
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Breccan
Irish
"freckled, speckled"
This Irish name of a saint from the Isle of Aran also appears in myth and fantasy fiction, giving it an intriguing, mystical air. Some modern parents are attempting to update the spelling, as in the…
Amata
Italian feminine variant of the Latin Amatus
"beloved"
Name that's virtually unknown here but has a lovely meaning and a simple sound and spelling.
Thais
Greek
"beloved, bandage"
A paramour of Alexander the Great and the heroine of a Jules Massenet opera based on the life of a fourth century Egyptian saint, this name is nothing if not dramatic. Often spelled with a diaeresis…
Currier
English occupational surname
"person who dressed leather after it was tanned"
Has a fresh occupational name feel, combined with old-fashioned Currier & Ives charm.
Walden
English
"valley of the Welsh"
Walden is a recent entrant to the en-ending boys' names trend, a name that summons up placid images of Thoreau's two-year stay contemplating nature near Walden Pond. A quite different image came into…
Huey
Variation of Hugh, English
"mind, intellect"
Once upon a time, in the 1930s, Huey was a Top 250 name, given to nearly 500 babies in a singer year. Traditionally a nickname for Hugo, Hugh, or Hubert, Huey has been notably borne by actor and…
Amerie
Modern invented name
Pop princess Amerie is half Korean, half African-American. Her name may relate to Amelia, Emily, Emery, or Amory, though there's no exact equivalent among historical names. But doubtless there will…
Calix
Male variation of Calixta or Latin
"chalice"
Calix is once-obscure name that is starting to see some use in the US, where 62 baby boys were named Calix in 2024. An indirect influence is the actress Calista Flockhart, who introduced Americans to…
Eban
Hebrew, diminutive of Ebenezer
"stone of help"
Affable and creative and perfectly able to stand alone; there's nothing Scroogish about it, even though it is usually spelled Eben.
Elea
Short form of Eleanor
A sweet, breezy short form of Eleanor, that happens to coincide with the name of an ancient Italian town. It is a popular choice in Switzerland, Finland, and France, though the spellings Eléa and…
Zeno
Anglicized form of Greek Zenon, related to Zeus, king of the gods
Zeno, the name of two ancient philosophers, has a muscular dynamism that's lightened by its cheerful final vowel, resulting in a kind of offbeat sci-fi feel. Zeno of Citium was the founder of the…
Torsten
Swedish from Old Norse
"Thor's stone"
Scandinavian names are fashionable these days, and Torsten is one that is used only occasionally: About 20 baby boys were named Torsten in the US last year.
Corwin
English
"heart's friend"
Corwin is an upstanding surname name that has been seen occasionally as a first in literature, but rarely in real life. But maybe with the recent acceptance of Darwin, that might change. In the Water…
Lars
Scandinavian from Latin Laurentius
"crowned with laurel"
Lars is a perfect candidate for a cross-cultural passport: it has been heard often enough here to sound familiar and friendly, yet retains the charisma of a charming foreigner. In this country Lars…
Britta
Scandinavian, variation of Birgit or Britt
"strength or exalted one"
If you want a pan-Scandinavian name with energy and style that could have been a winner, if not for the sound-alike water filtration company Brita.
Shaw
English
"dweller by the wood"
With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big…
Ramsey
English, Scottish
"garlic island"
Tough, cool, and rugged, Ramsey is a Scottish and English surname that has plenty of potential as a given name. Similar in style to Murray, Murphy, and Rafferty, it was chosen for around 90 boys and…
Prescott
English
"priest's cottage"
Prescott is one of several distinguished, upper-crusty surnames beginning with P. There are several historical surnamed Prescotts, including William, a Massachusetts Minuteman and commander at the…
Romer
German surname
"pilgrim; fame"
Romer might be considered a streamlined spelling of the German surname Rohmer, whose root means fame or renown, or a name that was given to those who made pilgrimages to Rome, which is related to…
Zoya
Russian and Greek variation of Zoe, Greek
"life"
Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.