Animal Names for Boys

The name of several rulers of Parthia and of the ill-fated admirer of the princess of Persian Armenia, Shirin. The story of Farhad's love for Shirin is one of the most famous stories in Persian literature.

An Irish surname — the Anglicized form of O’Duibhgeannáin — that would make a one-of-a-kind first name, unless you count the character in Wes Anderson's first film, Bottle Rocket. For fans of the auteur, perhaps Dignan is a better name for a pet — it may be extra appropriate to use the nickname Diggy.

Once a staple of the 1920s, like Leroy and Elwood, Elroy is languishing in style limbo now. One feature that might make it worth a second glance is its royal meaning, for those looking for a vintage twist on names like Royal and Reign. If you're in search of unique vintage baby names, this may be one for your list.

English surname most notably used by Ashley Hebert for her son in 2014.

Affable and creative and perfectly able to stand alone; there's nothing Scroogish about it, even though it is usually spelled Eben.

Brant, a no-nonsense one-syllable name, had some popularity in the early 1970s, but has been off the lists for a decade. Now, with similarly brisk names like Chase, Jace, Bryce, and Grant finding favor, Brant could make a comeback.

Vanishingly rare in its home country nowadays, this French form of Evaristus belongs to several notable historical figures, including poet Évariste Désiré de Forges de Parny and mathematics prodigy Évariste Galois, who died in a duel at the age of just 20.

Incredibly handsome and super smooth, Duarte sounds like it came straight out of a romance novel. You almost wouldn’t believe it’s derived from Edward.

Colvin is an English surname with a distinguished history; the Colvins were one of the leading colonial families of early British India, and Shawn Colvin is a popular American singer. We suspect, however, that most of the 18 parents who used Colvin as a boys' name in 2016 were thinking of it as a less popular alternative to other "Col-" names, like Colin and Colton.

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

The name of several legendary Danish kings, including one who declared universal peace.

Related to Amir and Amira, an antiquated name that holds some modern appeal.

Dagur, one of the top boys' names in Iceland, is the personification of day. His mother is Nott, or night, and together they are thought to ride in a chariot around the earth every 24 hours.

Variant spelling of the word name Sincere.

With word names, almost anything goes. But maybe not Ghost, unless you're naming a white dog.

One of the most common ancient Roman forenames, but extremely rare today. Other Roman names like Aurelius are trending upwards, so this could be an off-the-radar option.

Coriolanus comes from Corioli, the name of a Volscian city. The Shakespearean play Coriolanus is based on the life of Ancient Roman general Caius Marcius Coriolanus.

A boy with this name is certain to be bombarded with "What's up, doc?" every day of his life. Even Doctor would be preferable.

The popularity of Aiden has sparked many creative spellings - this one is understandably towards the bottom of the Top 1000.

A mash-up of Ezra and the popular -en ending for boys' names. It may be a modern invention, but Ezren sounds legitimate and very on-trend.