Best Unique Boy Names: Under 50 Births

  1. Adair
    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "oak tree ford"
    • Description:

      Adair has flair, the grace of a Fred Astaire. It's a Scottish surname which came from the first name Edgar.
  2. Isidore
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "gift of Isis"
    • Description:

      Isabel and Isadora are back: could it now be time for a more widespread revival of Isidore? In 2014, both Isidore and Isadore were on the list of fastest-rising names in the US.
  3. Altair
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "falcon"
    • Description:

      The eleventh brightest star in the sky has a celestial feel, but also could be the name of a commercial airline.
  4. Laszlo
    • Origin:

      Hungarian
    • Meaning:

      "glorious ruler"
    • Description:

      The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents.
  5. Cassidy
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "curly-headed"
    • Description:

      A lean and lanky Irish cowboy name with great nickname potential to boot (Cass or Sid are both options). This is one of the great under-rated American names!
  6. Merlin
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "sea fortress"
    • Description:

      This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin Olsen, whose father was named Merle.
  7. Marlow
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "driftwood"
    • Description:

      Marlow is a suave, unusual surname-name that was chosen by Celine designer Phoebe Philo for her older son. Caveat: it sounds just like the feminine Marlo and, with the addition of a final 'e', has begun to be used for girls.
  8. Hadrian
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "dark-haired"
    • Description:

      Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor.
  9. Ilya
    • Origin:

      Russian variation of Elijah
    • Meaning:

      "the Lord is my God"
    • Description:

      A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov." Unfortunately, he spends most of his life in his bathrobe and slippers.
  10. Sacha
    • Origin:

      French variation of Sasha
    • Meaning:

      "defending warrior"
    • Description:

      Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls. Its most prominent current bearer is Sacha Baron Cohen.
  11. Ives
    • Origin:

      English variation of Yves
    • Meaning:

      "yew wood"
    • Description:

      Smooth and sleek one-syllable name, sometimes suggested for Sagittarius boys.
  12. Moss
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Moses"
    • Description:

      This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take it With You.
  13. Aurelian
    • Origin:

      English form of Aurelius, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "golden one"
    • Description:

      Aurelian is an ancient name gaining contemporary visibility along with many other forms of the Ancient Roman Aurelius, including Aurelia and Aurelio.
  14. Ferris
    • Origin:

      Irish, English
    • Meaning:

      "strong man or ironworker"
    • Description:

      It’s been more than three decades since Ferris Bueller took his famous day off in the cult classic 1986 teen comedy movie, but we think the time for this name could and should be now! Especially with the recent rise of the hero's girlfriend, Sloane, up the baby name rankings. Half preppy, half rugged, it boasts that stylish S ending and has a cozy, retro feel.
  15. Lior
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "I have a light"
    • Description:

      Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar," though it's really lee-OR, with a long e sound and emphasis on the second syllable.
  16. Omri
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "my sheaf"
    • Description:

      Old Testament name of a king of Israel, related to the harvest.
  17. Anthem
    • Origin:

      American Word Name
    • Description:

      A musical word name with a lot of strength behind it
  18. Emeric
    • Origin:

      French form of German Emmerich
    • Meaning:

      "power"
    • Description:

      A name popular both in France (where it's Number 405) and within the Cajun population, it's more substantial than Eric, and occurs twice in the Harry Potter series.
  19. Aster
    • Origin:

      English from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "star"
    • Description:

      The name of the Aster flower, named by the English, was derived from the Greek word for star. Like many floral names, Aster is much more popular among baby girls.
  20. Rainier
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "wise army"
    • Description:

      European royal name, and to Americans a place-name evoking the majestic mountain in Washington state.