Under-used and Under-appreciated Boys' Names

  1. Finnley
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Finley, Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"
    • Description:

      This variation adds a second n to the more popular Finley, presumably to provide a more direct link to nickname Finn. Both spellings create a distinctly unisex name. The Finnley version, however, entered the US Top 1000 for boys in 2014, and it remains unranked for girls.
  2. Fólkí
    • Gulliver
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "glutton"
      • Description:

        Gulliver is an obscure Gaelic surname known almost solely through its literary Travels until actor Gary Oldman used it for his son, instantly transforming it into a lively option. British actors Damian Lewis, of Homeland, and Helen McCrory also have a son named Gulliver.
    • Gunnar
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian variation of Gunther
      • Meaning:

        "bold warrior"
      • Description:

        A key figure in Norse legend and a traditional Scandinavian favorite making inroads here.
    • Harbor
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Description:

        If you like names that are not really names -- some say, the wave of the future -- Harbor has an attractive sound as well as an appealing meaning and image.
    • Isaac
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "laughter"
      • Description:

        Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the US list of top boy names.
    • Jack
      • Origin:

        English, diminutive of John
      • Meaning:

        "God is gracious"
      • Description:

        Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular boy names starting with J.
    • Jonah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "dove"
      • Description:

        Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common than Jacob or Joshua, yet not too obscure. Plus, Jonah comes with a ready-made nursery-decorating motif.
    • Jonas
      • Origin:

        Greek variation of Jonah
      • Meaning:

        "dove"
      • Description:

        Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge wave of popularity in Europe, where it ranks highly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norway.
    • Jude
      • Origin:

        Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "praised"
      • Description:

        Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
    • Kenneth
      • Origin:

        Scottish and Irish
      • Meaning:

        "born of fire, handsome"
      • Description:

        Kenneth may have lost much of its luster now, but Kenneth has had its moments of glory. The first king of Scotland was Kenneth, and Sir Kenneth, a Christian crusader, was the hero of the Sir Walter Scott novel The Talisman.
    • Kevin
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "handsome"
      • Description:

        Kevin came to the US with the large wave of Irish Immigrants after World War I, hitting the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1921 and never leaving.
    • Killian
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "war strife or church"
      • Description:

        Killian – aka Cillian – is a spirited yet resonant Gaelic name that was borne by several Irish saints and could make a distinctive replacement for the dated Kelly. Kylian is another spelling that's gaining traction, thanks to French soccer star Kylian Mbappé. Possible downsides: an unsavory first syllable and a connection to the trendy brew.
    • Leaf
      • Origin:

        Nature name
      • Description:

        The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.
    • Luca
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
      • Meaning:

        "man from Lucania"
      • Description:

        The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
    • Lucas
      • Origin:

        Latin form of Luke
      • Meaning:

        "man from Lucania"
      • Description:

        Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even more popular than they are.
    • Luke
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "man from Lucania"
      • Description:

        Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker.
    • Madoc
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "fortunate, benefactor's son"
      • Description:

        Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's oldest child, is a stronger and more familiar choice.
    • Majora
      • Origin:

        Modern invented name
      • Description:

        Majora's Mask was the title of a lauded Nintendo 64 game in the Legend of Zelda series, in which Majora was the main villain. The character's name was reportedly coined by the game's art director, Takaya Imamura, using Japanese characters from his own name and the title of the movie Jumanji.
    • Makai
      • Origin:

        Modern variation of Michael, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "Who is like God"
      • Description:

        Michael was the Number 1 boys' name for 50 years, so today parents are choosing or inventing modern variations to take its place.