Alek

The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern Anglo-American poet W.H. Auden.

Auden

Anthem

Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10.  Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name.  Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.

Bastiaan

Booker would make for a very cool name, for writers, reformers, R & B fans and those wanting to pay tribute to Booker T. Washington.

Booker T. Washington, born into enslavement, became a dominant figure in African-American history. Musician Booker T. Jones, of Booker T. and the M.G's, was named for Booker T.Washington. "Booker" was also the name of a short-lived TV crime drama series, spun off from "21 Jump Street".

Another reference plus for literary-minded parents, beyond the obvious book: the U.K. Man Booker Prize, awarded annually to the best novel.

 No longer on the US popularity list, it was as high as Number 177 in 1910 and would make for an old-school cool option today.

Booker

This one's cutting right to the chase, but with such names as Justice and Peace on the rise, why not?  And we guarantee your seven-year-old son will love it, though your 17-year-old, maybe not so much.  Could be used as a middle name, as Talisa Soto and Benjamin Bratt did.

Bravery

This Irish name of a saint from the Isle of Aran also appears in myth and fantasy fiction, giving it an intriguing, mystical air. 
 Some modern parents are attempting to update the spelling, as in the actor Breckin (middle name Erin) Meyer or the most popular form of the name, Brecken.

Breccan

This is an Anglicized form of various names; the Irish Gaelic O Bruic; German, Bruck or Breck, meaning "swamp" or "wood"; Yiddish, Brik, "bridge"; and Slovenian, Bric, "dweller from a hilly place." Gosh, and we thought it was just a macho word name invented by Tennessee Williams for the hero of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Brick

Bane

Brixx

Pronounced KAY-nan, this Old Testament place name has a strong modern feel. It was one of the fastest-rising names of 2015, breaking into the Top 1000.

Canaan

With the popular 'ash' sound and a contemporary feel, Cash is a widely used name in the US. Used occasionally before the 2000s, Cash really took off in 2003, following the death of American musical legend, Johnny Cash. 
 
Cash could be considered an old occupational name, derived from the Latin capsa, meaning someone who makes boxes. It also, and perhaps more obviously, is an English word for money, giving it a slightly celebrity-name vibe, along the lines of Saint, Sir, and Legendary. 
 An alternative origin for the name could be as a derivative of the Roman names, Cassius and Cassian, which are sometimes pronounced as "cash-us" or "cash-un". This could lend the name some additional history, along with the meaning "empty" "hollow" or "vain" (and therefore, maybe just a touch of irony).
 Celebrities including Annabeth Gish, Joshua Morrow, John Rich, Finola Hughes and Russell Young, have used Cash for their sons, and as of 2023, it is a Top 200 choice in the US.
 Until 2021, Cash was always the preferred spelling, however in more recent years, the variation Kash has ranked slightly higher. Given to over 1100 babies each year, Cash has seen a slightly decline, but nevertheless, remains in style.

Cash

Caster

Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman antiquity.
 The Roman statesman known as Cato the Elder was born Marcus Portius, the Cato added in tribute to his natural sagacity, practical wisdom and political expertise.
 Cato appears in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and, to go from the sublime to the ridiculous, in the Pink Panther movies--and Kato was The Green Hornet's valet. Cato is also a 21st century Hunger Games name, which could do more to spur its popularity than all its past history.

Cato

Crew is yet another word name that was added to the baby name lexicon when this one was chosen by The Young and the Restless star Joshua Morrow for his son. It debuted on the Top 1000 in 2010. We've also heard spelling variations Cru and Crue.

Crew

Evocative word name that's refreshingly straightforward.  Overtones of Christianity and penalty.  More subtle option: Cruz.

Cross

Castle

Prime example of the aggressive word names that are an off-the-grid branch of the new macho names.  Makes Cannon, Maverick, and Ranger feel almost soft and sensitive by comparison. 

Danger

Dash is a nickname that can stand on its own and sounds, well, dashing. Connected these days with Kardashian enterprises.
 Dash can stand on its own—as is evidenced by its entry into the US Top 1000 in 2014—or as a nickname for Dashiell.

Dash

A word name in the Puritan vein, à la Remember or Experience, which a few daring namers are beginning to consider. 

Declare

Brings to mind the qualities of the fabric: hardworking, cool and versatile. Singer Toni Braxton chose this name for her son in 2001, and parents have been using it for boys and girls ever since.

Denim

Adventurous word choice, but still quite a burden for a child to bear. 

Discovery

Dashen

Destery

Encarnacion

Ever's timeless quality would make this evocative word a positive middle name choice for a boy or girl. Alanis Morissette and Souleye named their son Ever Imre.
Ever also seems to have ties to a Scandinavian name meaning "wild as a boar" and a Hebrew name meaning "beyond,"-- a variation of the name Eber.

Ever

More unusual than Forest or Forrest, Field is a nature name that is simple, evocative, and fresh--sort of the male equivalent of Meadow.
Field and Fields are both relatively common surnames, noted bearers including department store owner Marshall Field, poet Eugene Field (Wynken, Blynken and Nod) and actress Sally. Those with the plural include W.C. Fields, cookie company founder Debbi, and entertainers Gracie and Kim Fields.
 Fielding is a very usable extension.

Field

There are many fire-related names, from Aidan to Fiammetta, but the Flame isn't one that's often found on birth certificates. It's a highly symbolic word: flames can represent faith, passion and cleansing, for example, as well as straightforward heat and light.

Flame

The Forest variation of Forrest, used by actor Whitaker, nudges the meaning more toward the woods and away from the woodsman.

Forest

Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other seasonal weather names like Winter and Snow.
 Some forward-thinking parents are beginning to warm to the icy simplicity of Frost, placing it among the most fitting <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>.

Frost

Feral

Fierce

Furnace

Glade

An appealing Hawaiian name which belongs to a town, river and bay on Kauaʻi island in Hawaii. The two possible meanings of the name, "crescent bay" or "garland (lei) valley" both describe the beauty of the place.
 
Hanalei is a unisex name which is sometimes used for boys as a Hawaiian version of Henry, although the names are not etymologically related.

Hanalei

Like Harbor, one of the new generation of word names with appealing meanings, though (female) memoirist Haven Kimmel has tipped it decidedly toward the girls' side.

There are now more than ten female babies named Haven for every boy. But Haven is an equally appealing name for a baby of any gender.

Haven

Hostile

Jacen

Jachob

Jackob

Jackquet

Jacksen

Jacksin

Jackub

Jacson

Jax is the Dex-Jex-Pax type of x-ending cool -- possibly too cool -- variation of Jack or nickname for Jaxon or Jackson.
 Jax was a soap opera character name way back when; most recently he's been seen as Jackson "Jax" Teller, the central character on Sons of Anarchy, the national president of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club.

Like Jaxon, Jaxen is an attempt to switch things up from the more popular Jackson. News flash - Jackson is cooler.

Jaxen

Jaxon has been mostly climbing in popularity since it entered the Top 1000 in 1997, proving that many parents have decided to rev up the cool factor of Jackson by giving it this streamlined spelling. (Though we still prefer the original.) 
 
This name's host of trendy spellings, which also include Jaxson and Jaxxon, vault it into the Top 10 when counted all together.
 
Kristin Cavallari used Jaxon for her son.

Jaxon

Jaxsen

Jaxsin

One of several phonetic spellings of Jackson moving up the charts, Jaxson entered the Top 100 in 2013 and has remained there since. It's also picking up steam in England and Wales.. Actor Eric Mabius used it as his son Rylan's middle name.

Jaxson

Jaxsun

Jaxun

Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion. 

Judge

Justian

Jayceson

Jeren

Jhase

Kain

Whether you think of it as Cale with a K, or a pet form of Kalen or Kaleb, this is just the kind of short, synthetic name finding a lot of favor now, but remember -- it's also the name of a vegetable. 

Kale

Kano

Kardashian style transforms many traditional C names to Ks, and this is a kase in point.

Kase

Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.
 Though Kenyon appears in English records as far back as the fourteenth century and arrived in America in the seventeenth, it sounds cooler these days than the more traditional Kenneth. Kenyon has literary ties to the prestigious journal The Kenyon Review, originating from Ohio's Kenyon College, and sports enthusiasts will recognize it as the name of basketball star Kenyon Martin (nicknamed K-Mart), the first pick of the 2000 NBA draft, who plays for the LA Clippers.

Kenyon

Kesean

Keeper

Evocative modern unisex choice brought into the spotlight by actress Lake Bell. 

Lake

Lyall

The name of the Roman god of war began to sound less intimidating when Erykah Badu gave it to her daughter, and musicians Thomas and Bruno Mars (the latter born Peter Hernandez) have given it a modern edge. Mars actually could make a pleasant, planetary middle name for either sex.
In Roman mythology, Mars was the god of not just war, but also agriculture, and was more down-to-earth and less cold and ruthless than his Greek counterpart Ares. He was considered a father of Rome, as he was the father of mythical founder Romulus.

Mars

Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman god Mercury, which derives from the Latin words for trade or wages, is the patron of tradesmen and travelers and the fastest-moving planet in the solar system. Mercury is the planet associated with the sign of Virgo, so this is one of the prime <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/zodiac-baby-names-ideas-for-your-virgo-babe">names for Virgo babies</a>.

 Music lovers will also appreciate the connection to the legendary Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara.

Mercury

A Basque and Scandinavian form of Michael, pronounced MEE-kel. In the US, it is sometimes chosen as a modern alternative spelling of Michael.

Mikel

Mykel

Mutiny

This Roman mythology (and planet) name would be very hard to handle. It derives from a root meaning cloud.

Neptune

Quaden

Quesean

Pronounced KILL-on, might lead a young boy astray--though that doesn't seem to have halted the progress of the popular Killian.

Quillon

Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble.  We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign.

Reign

Rage

Regal

Regret

Sagan

Sebastian is an ancient martyr's name turned literary, and Little Mermaid hero—think Sebastian the Crab—that's more popular than ever, as a classic-yet-unconventional compatriot for fellow British favorites T Theodore and Oliver.
 Sebastian is derived from the Greek Sebastianos, meaning "from Sebastia." Sebastia was a city in Asia Minor—modern day Sivas, Turkey. Sebastian is a name with a substantial history, first as the third-century martyr whose sufferings were a favorite subject of medieval artists, then as the name of memorable characters in such varied works as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and The Tempest and Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.
 Sebastian is high on the lists in countries as widespread as Austria, Denmark, Romania, Australia and Chile. Some more down-to-earth nicknames for the relatively elaborate Sebastian not often heard in this country are Seb, Baz and Bas. 
Several celebs have chosen the sophisticated Sebastian for their sons, including James Spader, Kim Fields, Malin Akerman and Tommy Hilfiger.

Sebastian

Also an English surname, Sender derives from Alexander and has an attractive modern sound. Though given to only a handful of baby boys per year, it nevertheless is in step with the brotherhood of er-ending choices fashionable today.

Sender

This number name first came to public attention when Erykah Badu and Andre 3000 chose if for their son, Seven Sirius Benjamin, born in 1997. Over a decade later, David and Victoria Beckham used it as their daughter's middle name, and now in these days of unisex word names, it's rising for both sexes. It's certainly one of the most name-like numbers: after all, it's only a letter away from Steven.

Seven

We are more than a bit surprised this name is as used as it is. 

Sincere

Evoking the image of a shady glen, Slade could make a distinctive middle name. It entered the Top 1000 in 2007, and has been seen as a character name on the TV show "Smallville."  It's also a name that pops up in comic books and video games.

Slade

Slater has a more genial, friendly feel than most trade names. Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance used it for one of their twins. 
 On the nineties TV show Saved by the Bell, the character A.C. Slater, played by Mario Lopez, was usually referred to by his surname. Christian Slater is a well-known real life bearer--though he was born Christian Hawkins.

Slater

A new unisex word name with a lot of charm, especially appropriate for the child of writers. Soleil Moon Frye named her second baby boy Story and Jenna Elfman called her son Story Elias.


Story

Sinful

Slayer

Though some forward-looking parents are now choosing wood-related names like Oak, Pine, and Ash, this generic option would be even more avant garde. 

Timber

As Tyler has begun to recede, a number of parents, including the Wayne Gretzkys, have cut straight to the livelier short form. One thing that may be holding the name back is the tarnished legacy of baseball hall of famer Ty Cobb, who gained a reputation for racist and violent behavior.

Torment

Tragedy

Tragic

wish_on_a_star's list "Unusual Boy Names" of 104 great name ideas: Alek - Zakkery!

Unusual Boy Names

Some unusual boy names and some different spellings of boy names