Animal Names for Boys

One of the aggressive new boys' names, ala Tracker and Heller, that have become fashionable among parents who are courting trouble.

Irie is an upbeat and modern name that originated as a Rastafarian term for "positive and powerful."

French form of Callistus or Callixtus, borne by several popes and saints.

Abbott is a neglected masculine surname with religious overtones as the head of a monastery. Though the feminine nickname Abby could be a slight drawback, Abbott is still an attractive offbeat possibility.

Egbert still suffers somewhat from being used as a stereotypical name for nerds and aristocrats. It would be a surprising choice, but with its edgy meaning and dusty charm, possibly it's so beyond cool that it's...actually kind of cool?

If you want to honor your grandfather Hal but can't work up much enthusiasm for his full name Harold, consider the more stylish (if a bit pretentious) capital of Nova Scotia.

An Asian favorite.

The Spanish word for "devil" makes for a very daring baby name, but in the era of babies names Hades, Azrael, Loki and even Lucifer, it feels like a plausible possibility. Indeed, 5 baby boys were named Diablo in 1975 – the only year the name has made the US extended list for either sex.

Azul is the Spanish word for "blue" and was first recorded as a baby name (for girls) in 1995. It's technically considered unisex today, although it is still much more common as a feminine name.

Upbeat Japanese name. Video game fans may recognize Genji as the name of a character from Overwatch.

Similar to Andrew, but with a refreshingly different origin and meaning.

A fresh, green, rising nature name for girls that would make a cool possibility for a baby boy as well. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 for boys a handful of times since naming records began.

The Welsh name Enfys is a unisex name, although it is more commonly used as a feminine name. It is rare even in the United Kingdom, used on only a handful of children each year.

Rugged and straightforward brand-new name, though you might not like the idea of branding your son.

Well used by Muslim parents across the world, Ibrahim is the Arabic variation of Abraham. Significant in multiple religions and with an international and well-travelled feel about it, Ibrahim has been in the US Top 1000 since the 1990s, and is currently popular in Azerbaijan, France, the UK, and Turkey.

A character name in George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, featured in the GOT prequel House of the Dragon, played by Tom Glynn-Carney.

In Scotland, a cairn is a heap of stones placed as a memorial or to support a beacon. This gives the name a rugged, timeless quality that is very appealing at present.

An Israeli place-name as well as being the Hebrew form of Gabriel.

A beaming, friendly Irish last-name-first-name waiting to be discovered.

New England Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas brought his Latinate name into the spotlight, and he has an equally unusual middle name--DONQUAIL.