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Boy Names Inspired by Mythology
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Hadrian
Latin
"from the Adriatic; dark-haired"
Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor.
Herodotus
Ignatius
Latin
"fiery"
The striking Ignatius is making a truly surprising comeback, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities — Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson. With its fiery qualities and magical…
Icarius
Illian
Illion
Janus
Latin
"doorway"
The meaning of this ancient Roman god's name relates to transitions, hence its connection to the name of the first month of the new year, a time of fresh beginnings. Janus is usually depicted as a…
Laurus
Laurus is a masculine name with ancient Roman roots, derived from the Latin word for the laurel tree or bay laurel. In classical antiquity, laurel wreaths were symbols of victory and achievement,…
Lazarus
Latinized Greek variation of Hebrew Eleazar
"God is my helper"
Lazarus is a name that looks as if it could possibly be raised from the dead, just like its biblical bearer. Look for it in the next wave of Old Testament revivals that transcend their long-bearded…
Lir
Irish mythological name
Lir is the Irish god of the sea, the equivalent of the Welsh Llyr which some equate with Shakespeare's King Lear. This is one of those rare names that is simple and has a deep history with an…
Llew
Welsh
"lion, leader"
Welsh for "lion", or a nickname for Llewelyn. Could make a cooler substitute for the blander Lou.
Lloyd
Welsh
"gray"
This Welsh surname was taken up as a first in the English-speaking world in the early twentieth century, originally as a nickname for someone gray-haired. The original Welsh nickname was Llwyd,…
Llyr
Welsh
"the sea"
Llyr is a name with a great meaning and a lovely sound, but that sound is going to be next to impossible to get non-Welsh speaking people to pronounce (google the double L sound in Welsh). If you are…
Loch
Scottish Gaelic
"lake"
Loch is a watery word that sounds more like a name because it's one step removed from its English form. Pronounced as "lock," it's also a short form of the variously-spelled Lachlan.
Locke
English
"enclosure or fortified place"
Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong one-syllable name is theoretically…
Loren
Variation of Laurence, English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
A variant form of Laurence or Lawrence which ranked in the #200s in the US from the 1900s through to the 1960s. It didn't fall off the boys' Top 1000 until the late 1990s, following the huge…
Lucan
Irish variation of Luke
Lucan is a rarely heard Irish name, a Luke form with the trendy an ending.
Lucius
Latin
"light"
Lucius is an old Roman clan name that has lots of religious and literary resonance, yet is still vital today. It was the name of three popes, appears in several Shakespeare plays, and, like all the…
Marius
Latin, from a Roman family name related to Mars, the god of war
Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius…
Mars
Roman mythology
"god of war; male; red planet"
Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work…