Awesome and Unusual Boy Names

Alaric

German

"all-powerful ruler"

Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West…

Alto

Latin

"high"

With its musical allusions, a harmonious possibility.

Zen

Japanese

"meditation"

A spiritual word name used by actor Zoe Saldana for her son as well as more recently Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott for their late son. Zen has been trending in recent years along with other spiritual…

Ephraim

Hebrew

"fruitful, fertile, productive"

Ephraim is an Old Testament name we would place high on the list of neglected Biblical possibilities, solid but not solemn. In Genesis, Ephraim is the second son of Joseph, and founder of one of the…

Aurelius

Latin

"the golden one"

Since Aurelius was given the supermodel seal of approval by Elle Macpherson, it has joined Augustus as an ancient Roman name that feels usable today. Slightly mystical and magical with a golden hue,…

Raven

Word name

Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.

Theron

Greek

"hunter"

Theron is best known these days as the surname of actress Charlize, but it does have a long history as a first name, ranking in the Top 500 in the early part of the 20th century and only dropping out…

Caio

Variation of Latin Caius

"rejoice"

Joyful-sounding name that makes a really original option.

Euan

Gaelic, Anglicized form of Eoghann

"born of the yew tree"

The attractive Euan and Ewan are just coming onto the U.S. radar, via actor Ewan MacGregor and Harry Potter 's Euan Abercrombie.

Eoghan

Irish Gaelic

"born of the yew tree"

Pronounced like Owen, this was the name of several early Irish kings and saints, as well as a celebrated Ulster hero. Often spelled with two 'n's in Scotland, it has been Anglicized as Ewan, Ewen,…

Lonan

Manx, Irish

"little blackbird"

Typically spelled as Lonán in Ireland, Lonan is its Manx form, though it could also be considered the anglicized form too. The name comes from the Irish lon meaning "blackbird", paired with a…

Amadeo

Italian

"lover of God"

Amadeo and Amedeo are both valid Italian forms of the Roman Amadeus, most famous as the middle name of the composer Mozart as well as the title of a movie about him. Mozart's name was actually the…

Lynx

Animal name

One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.

Lysander

Greek

"liberator"

Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary…

Osias

Greek

"salvation"

Osias has a Latinate and biblical feel without making an appearance in the Bible. The related Ozias, on the other hand, is a form of Uzziah, found in the Greek and Latin Old Testament, and could make…

Amadeus

Latin

"lover of God"

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's middle name could make an interesting pick for music-loving parents--if only in middle place. Amadeus is the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film…

Odion

Esan

"first born of twins"

Strong name from the Esan language of Nigeria, with a satisfyingly specific meaning for a child's place in the family.

Zephyr

Greek

"west wind"

If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…

Echo

Greek mythology name

"echo or sound"

Although this is traditionally seen as a female name, via the classical mythological nymph who pined away for Narcissus until all that remained of her was a disembodied voice — it can also be used…