Eudora's list "Awesome Ancient Names - Boys" of 2 great name ideas: Ptolemy - Ulysses!

Awesome Ancient Names - Boys

Pronounced "TAHL-a-mee," this was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals and several Greco-Egyptian rulers, as well as the name of a famous Greek astronomer. Actress Gretchen Mol brought it into modern times when she chose it for her baby.

Ptolemy

Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey, the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which makes it distinguished, if a little weighty, for a modern boy. 
 
The Latinate form of the Greek Odysseus, the name means "wrathful" or "to hate", however, if you were after a more positive meaning, the word "odyssey" has come to mean "long, eventful journey". Ulysses was on the US popularity list until 2005, however, it has since declined, with 150 boys bearing the name in a recent year.
 Former SNLer Anna Gasteyer made this bold choice for her son, perhaps inspiring others to follow her lead. George Clooney's character name in the Coen brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? is Ulysses.
 Trivia tidbit: The presidential bearer was christened Hiram Ulysses Grant, but reputedly was all too happy when his first two names were reversed at West Point, as he had always been embarrassed by having the initials HUG.
 
The name more recently featured in the 2021 novel Still Life by Sarah Winman.