Favorite Unique Boy Names

Theodore

Greek

"gift of God"

Classic and elegant but with boyish charm, Theodore has become hit name in recent years, vaulting into the US Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and into the Top 5 in 2024. A favorite in English…

Henry

German

"estate ruler"

Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a…

Luca

Italian variation of Luke and Lucas

"man from Lucania"

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. That's an astonishing success…

Hudson

English place-name and surname

"Hugh's son"

Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion…

Asher

Hebrew

"fortunate, blessed, happy one"

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a…

Rowan

Scottish and Irish

"rowan tree; little redhead"

With its gentle sounds and earthy vibes, the name Rowan feels like a fusion of different styles. A word name, a surname, and a gender-neutral name, Rowan is rustic but trendy, blending the vibes of…

Nathan

Hebrew

"given"

Nathan is an Old Testament name that's ranked among the Top 100 names for boys for 50 years, and could well stay there for another 50. Strong, solid, and attractive, It's a name familiar to every…

Enzo

Italian variation of Heinz or Henry, German, or diminutive form of -enzo names, "estate ruler"

"estate ruler"

Internationally popular, Enzo is a confident and captivating name, playful but down to earth. Similar in sound or style to the likes of Leo, Luca, Eli, and Ezra, and in tune with Mateo, Gabriel, and…

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…

River

Nature name

River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named…

Graham

Scottish

"gravelly homestead"

Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here. Among the best known bearers are novelist Graham Greene, racing driver Graham Hill and…

Arlo

Irish or English

"between two hills"

Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry. Along with its Irish and English…

Jude

Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic

"praised; to be generous, to be good to others"

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", both responsible for…

Rhett

English from Dutch

"advice"

Rhett has been more tied to Gone with the Wind than even Scarlett, but now we're hearing rumblings of its finding new and independent favor among parents, perhaps emboldened by the growing popularity…

Callan

Gaelic

"descendent of Cathalan; descendent of the battle ruler"

This anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cathaláin links back to the Irish given name, Cathal. Similar to Callum, Caleb, and Calvin, it might feel more usable outside of Ireland and Scotland than…

Cohen

Hebrew

"priest"

Cohen is a common last name among Jews and an important spiritual name in the Jewish religion, associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron. As a result of its…

Ellis

English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh

"my God is Yahweh; benevolent"

Ellis is a former Old Man Name turned gender-neutral choice for the 21st century. It's one of the less used names in the currently popular El-family, unless you're in the UK, where it's a Top 100…

Bowen

Welsh, Chinese

"son of Owen; wave of writing, wave of literature"

Bowen is a Celtic surname representing two separate Celtic strains, one Welsh and one Irish, and entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011. Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees named his son…

Atticus

Latin

"from Attica"

Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird , is a real winner among boy names . Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004…

Holden

English

"hollow valley"

Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the…