Animal Names for Boys

A very rare Cas name with that cool and cozy -wyn ending.

A lively English surname that was popularly given as a male first name in the Victorian period, and is ripe for revival today.

This name from the ancient Gilgamesh Epic would be a challenging choice; Hamish makes a more user-friendly option.

Boreas was the Greek god of the north wind, deriving from the same root as the Latin name of the Northern Lights, aurora borealis.

Gianni, the Italian form of Johnny, has gotten popular in the US, and there's a good chance Giannis will be next, thanks to rising star basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is Greek. It makes an original spin on John or Jonas - though, it should be noted that the traditional Greek pronunciation would be YAH-nees. Other spelling variations are Iannis and Yanis - the latter perhaps being popular in France and on the rise in the UK.

Grafton is the name of dozens of towns, mostly in England, Canada and Australia, and has occasionally been used as a boys' name, with the surprisingly fun and quirky nickname Graf.

Elroi can be considered a variation of Leroy, which uses the Spanish "El" instead of the French "Le", and the Roi spelling over the Roy option, either to make the pronunciation clearer, to mirror French Eloi, or just to be different. In this case, the name would mean "the king".

Even if you're hoping for a fiery child, this seems like playing with fire. One celebrity--Steve Vai--was bold enough to use it for his son.

Emmitt is a new spelling spin borne of the popularity of Emmett.

Form of Ivar most common in Estonia.

The modern Hebrew form of Asaph, which was the name of several characters in the Old Testament.

Old-timey surname that's been very rarely used.

Gioele is among the Top 50 names for boys in Italy, though the Italian version would cause pronunciation and spelling problems for English speakers. In the US, UK, or Australia, stick with the sleek and simple Joel.