Unusual names for boys and girls

August

German form of Latin Augustus

"great, magnificent"

The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US – and deservedly so. With its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames, 2024 saw…

Landon

English

"long hill"

Landon is a popular surname name; it's been dropping slightly in recent years but has surpassed its once more popular rhyming cousin Brandon. For some it may bring back nostalgic memories of Little…

Ryder

British surname

"cavalryman, messenger"

Ryder, one of the current favorite er-ending boys’ names , has been in the spotlight since Kate Hudson and her rocker husband Chris Robinson chose it for their son in 2004. Very popular in several…

Felix

Latin

"happy, fortunate"

Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks…

Cade

English

"round, barrel; battle"

Strong and modern, Cade shot up the popularity lists around the millennium—it was as high as Number 201 in 2001. Now, it has declined in popularity slightly, but nevertheless remains in the US Top…

Zander

Diminutive of Alexander

"defending men"

On the rise as an independent name: Zander and Xander are both widely used can increasingly be found as characters in movies and on TV.

Lucca

Spelling variation of Luca; Italian place name

Lucca first entered the US Top 1000 in 2012 and has been trending upwards. For those of you who are musically inclined, Lucca (with the double c ) is the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, which should…

Layton

Old English

"settlement with a leek garden"

This first name was once a surname derived from Old English. Used quietly a century ago, the current fashion for two-syllable boy names ending in n makes this one a new hit.

Franco

Italian variation of Francis

"Frenchman or free man"

A classic Italian name still heard in the Italian-American community. Once tainted by the association with the Spanish dictator, it's now more likely to call up actor James Franco. The bright o…

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…

Ansel

German

"with divine protection"

Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, could make a creative artist-hero choice. For Adams it was a…

Wolf

Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German

" traveling wolf"

Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…