Animal Names for Boys

This Native American tribe name is an attractive option for a boy or a girl. Tia Mowry used it for her son in 2011.

In Russian mythology, Indrik is the beast king of all animals. It lives on a "The Holy Mountain", where no other foot may tread. Indrik is depicted as a giant bull with the legs of a deer, the head of a horse, and an enormous horn in its snout.

The kind of hybrid name -- it sounds like a blend of the popular Caleb and Colton -- that could catch on despite its lack of pedigree.

A peaceful Dutch name that many English speakers will find tough to pronounce.

Another appealing member of the Alexandrian clan.

One of the most modern-sounding Old Testament names, Imri is short and sweet enough to travel easily around the world. It is the name of two minor biblical figures, and also used by modern Hebrew speakers.

The Brits say BARK-lee, but we pronounce it the same as the name of the California college: either way it's quite pretentious and of another era.

Isidore and variants are remarkably underused and ripe for revival, a la Theodore and company.

The meaning of Edern is disputed, with some saying it comes from the Latin name Aeturnus, meaning "eternal" or "immortal." The more plausible etymology is that Edern derives from the Welsh edyrn, meaning "great," "immense," or "wonderful."

Has a nice flamenco flavor.

The surname Benz derived from the personal name Berthold and was used as a short form of Bernhard and Benedict as well. A small number of American boys are given Benz as a first name each year, likely in homage to the luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz. The company was named after Karl Benz, inventor of the world's first practical automobile.

A famous bearer is Carwyn Jones, leader of the Welsh Labour Party and First Minister of Wales since 2009. Feminine version is Carwen.

Romanian form of Cosmas

There have been manly men called Fran, like football great Fran Tarkenton and Hannah's boyfriend in one season of Girls, but that doesn't mean it works for babies anymore of either gender. Pope Francis may have inspired many little namesakes, but they're called Francis or Frances or Francesca....or maybe Frank or Frankie or Franny. Not Fran.

Gardener is surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options, calling up images of green grass and budding blooms. The name can also be spelled without the first 'e', as in Gardner (born George Cadogan Gardner) McCay, a hunky TV heartthrob of the 1950s and 60s. Gardner is a much more common surname spelling, associated with screen legend Ava, mystery writer Erle Stanley and art collector and patron Isabella Stewart, founder of Boston's Gardner Museum.

Ukrainian Artem (ar-TEM) and Russian Artyom/Artiom (which can also be transcribed as Artem, though still pronounced ar-TYOM in Russian) are ultimately derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis: goddess of the moon and hunting. The meaning of her name is unknown, though it may be related to the Greek for "safe" or for "butcher".

In Hungarian mythology, Erlik is the god of death and the underworld.

A patriotic spin on Armie, with roughly the same meaning whether you consider it a variation or a totally separate word name.