User-created list
Unusual Boy Names
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Gallagher
Irish
"descendant of foreign helper"
Gallagher is, like so many of its genre, friendly, open, and optimistic. Some might associate it with the fraternal members of the band Oasis, Noel and Liam Gallagher.
Elton
English
"from the old town"
Elton is an unassuming, lesser-used place name belonging to several towns in the British Isles, the US and Canada, and even a lake in Russia. The singer Elton John gives it a bit of extra pizzazz.
Eberhard
German
"brave boar"
Much more niche and obviously Germanic than its anglicised cousins Everard and Everett, but with the same strong meaning. Eberhard is hardly ever used in the US - it's only made the charts once so…
Valdemar
Nordic variation of Vladimir
Ten years ago we would have advised people to steer clear of this name (and maybe choose the similar sounding Walter instead); but with the rise of other Nordic and Eastern European names like Viggo…
Salinger
French, Saint Léger
Fervent fans of The Catcher in the Rye might want to consider this as a literary tribute. More mainstream alternative: Holden.
Septimus
Latin
"the seventh son"
Septimus is one of the more dashing of the birth-order Latin number names that were revived by the Victorians. So even if you don't anticipate son number 7, you might be bold enough to consider this…
Clive
English
"lives near a high cliff"
Clive started life as a surname for someone who lived near a cliff, making it a secret outdoorsy name. Its use as a first name began in honor of Robert Clive (aka Clive of India), an…
Vittorio
Italian variation of Victor
"conqueror"
Was there ever a name that rolled more appealingly off the tongue? Vittorio calls to mind the glory days of Italian cinema, featuring names like Vittorio de Sica and Vittorio Gassman.
Bingham
British surname
"homestead at a hollow"
Bingham is the unusual surname name chosen by Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy for their son. It was Bellamy's mother's maiden name, and the nickname Bing, coincidentally, belongs to almost-stepfather…
Flint
English
"born near outcrop of flint"
Flint is one of the new macho names on the rise today, part old-school tough guy, part rebel. You won't find a tougher, steelier-sounding name; it's part of a genre on the rise along with cousins…
Ronson
Scottish
"son of Ronald"
Stronger and fresher than the original, though it may provoke the question, "Got a light?"
Yeats
Scottish, English
"the gates"
Admirers of the haunting works of esteemed Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats might consider this surname-style name, especially for the middle spot. Ultimately derived from the Old…
Ephron
Hebrew
"fawn-like"
Ephron was the Old Testament son of Zohar who sold his field and cave to Abraham to use as a family burial ground. Ephron is also a Biblical place-name, a mountain range that formed the northern…
Hazelton
English
"settlement near hazel trees"
Unless it was your grandmother's maiden name, and you're using it in the middle place, we don't think so. Could be confused with Hazelden, a leading rehab facility.
Fife
Scottish place name, German, French
"path; small shrill flute"
Also spelled Fyfe, this zippy sounding name would make a great middle name choice for music lovers or those with Scottish roots. The name has a double meaning: it is both a Scottish place name,…
Floyd
Welsh
"gray-haired"
Floyd was a Top 100 name from the 1880s to the 1940s that somehow developed an almost comical hayseed persona along with a touch of retro jazz cool; it's beginning to appeal to parents with a strong…
Viggo
Scandinavian
"war"
Though to most Americans Viggo is a one-person name attached to intense actor Mortensen, it is actually an old Norse name dating back to the Vikings, and is currently the 32nd most popular…
Toulouse
French place-name and surname
Creative choice, evoking the high-kicking can-can girls and other colorful figures in the works of Toulouse-Lautrec.
Rafferty
Irish
"floodtide, abundance, prosperity"
Jaunty and dapper, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son in 1996. Derived from the Irish, O'Raighbheartaigh, it means "(spring)…
Devereaux
French surname
"from Evreux; riverbank"
Devereaux is familiar to many English speakers as a surname but not as a first. It's a habitational name related to the town of Evreux in France, with the prefix de- denoting it likely referred to a…