the ultimate boys name list

Chester

Latin

"fortress, walled town,"

Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly. Chester was a Top 100 name in the US from the 1880s to 1929, gradually fading till it finally…

Cleon

Greek

"glorious, renowned"

Rare and distinctive name with intimations of antiquity, also a Shakespearean character.

Corin

Latin

"spear"

Corin was used by Shakespeare in As You Like It , an unusual name that could make a more distinctive alternative to Corey or Colin. It is a name used in the illustrious Redgrave family of actors.

Clovis

Teutonic, French, early form of Ludwig or Louis

An aromatic, unconventional name.

Phineas

English, Egyptian

"the Nubian, the bronze-colored one"

Phineas is the English variation of Phinehas, a Hebrew name likely derived from the Egyptian name Pa-nehasi. Pa-nehasi, meaning "the Nubian" can also be translated as "the bronze-colored one." The…

Spiro

Latin

"I breathe"

Grandparents are sure to link this to disgraced Nixon vice president Spiro Agnew.

Sylvan

Latin

"wood, forest"

One of the many variations of Silvanus, the name of the Roman forest god, and a little-used member of the freshly stylish Sylv- family of names. Silvan is the sleek German and Dutch form. Given to…

Mercer

French occupational name

"a merchant"

Mercer is an attractive possibility which is an occupational name that doesn't sound like one. Mercer and its cool, sophisticated short form Merce project a super creative image via their artistic…

Justus

Latin

"just"

More unusual than Justin, less word-like than Justice, this New Testament name could make an intriguing choice. After being off the popularity lists from 1904 to 1993, it is now being used in steady…

Forester

English

"dweller near the woods"

Woodsy names are fashionable for boys, as are surnames and occupational names, so Forester scores on all three. It can also be spelled Forrester.

Kahlil

Arabic

"friend"

Kahlil, spelled in various ways, was first brought into the American consciousness by the poet Kahlil Gibran, author of The Prophet.

Wylie

English, Scottish

"from the Wylye River, from the willow clearing; resolute protection"

Wylie is a friendly rodeo name with the unisex vibe of Riley and the cowboy air of Wesley and Wyatt. Also spelled as Wiley, two forms have been out of the US charts since the 1940s and 1970s…

Kenzie

Short form of Mackenzie, Scottish

"son of Kenneth"

Overwhelmingly feminine in the US, where parent name Mackenzie is wildly popular, but masculine in the UK, where Kenzie ranks among the Top 1000 names for baby boys.

Duncan

Scottish

"dark warrior"

Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity…

Clove

Nature name

Clove is one of a whole tantalizing genre of spice names that might work for a boy. Clovis could be considered a long form.

Lazaro

Italian variation of Lazarus and Eleazar

"God is my helper"

This sleek Italian name was raised from the dead by Mexican Mozart in the Jungle star Gael Garcia Bernal, who chose it for his son (he also has a daughter named Libertad). For athletic inspiration,…

Castor

Greek

"shining; wood; beaver"

If you can put aside the oil connection, Castor is a mythological option, borne by one of the (half) twins that make up the constellation Gemini, the other being Pollux. A son of Leda and a king of…

Arland

Arland is a masculine name with Germanic roots, derived from elements meaning "eagle" (arn) and "land" or "territory." It can be interpreted as "eagle's land" or "land of the eagle." The name has…

Noon

Word name

Cool middle name possibility.

Barnabe

Barnabe is a masculine name that represents the French and Spanish form of Barnabas, which derives from the Aramaic name Barnabba, meaning 'son of consolation' or 'son of encouragement.' This name…