Ancient Boy Names

Unusual and simple: a winning combination. But it was the name of a fifteen-thousand-ton monster in a midcentury "Godzilla" movie.

Zenebe is an appealing name well-used in Ethiopia but rarely heard outside its native land. But it translates easily into English and Zen makes for a cool and attractive nickname. A winning choice for those looking for an African boys' names that bridges cultures.

Russian-born actor Yul (christened Yuliy) Brynner gives this short name a strong, steely image.

Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo, which refers to the Tibetan Buddhist state of suspension between one life and the next, resembling the Christian idea of Limbo. Bardo is also an ancient saint's name: Saint Bardo was the eleventh century bishop of Mainz, in Germany. Actress Sandra Bullock chose Bardo as her son's middle.

A Biblical name deriving from the Greek god Apollo. Apollos was a 1st century Alexandrian Jewish Christian and contemporary of Paul the Apostle mentioned several times in the New Testament.

Flavius is an ancient Roman family name associated with a dynasty of emperors. It has an appealingly flavorful first syllable, and is the name of a stylist in the Hunger Games series.

Rhythmic and unusual.

This is the original Roman form of Anthony, and it might just be ready for revival, now that Latin names like Maximus and Atticus have hit the big time. Antonius is also a form used in the Netherlands. The Roman general Mark Antony (as in Antony and Cleopatra) was born Marcus Antonius.

The revival of long-dormant Roman names would put this back in the lexicon if it wasn't so connected to a telecommunications network.

This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown- and black-skinned people in the style of European Old Masters, was born in Los Angeles of an African-American mother and a Yoruba father and was also a twin, thus his name. An attractive and creative choice for either gender.

One of the most familiar Vietnamese names, yet still hard on the Western tongue.

Vivaan is a life-related name from India that has made its way onto the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2014. While unusual, it has a familiar and appealing lively sound and feel. However, be aware that people unfamiliar with the name may misread and mispronounce it as Vivian.

Passé pasha image.

Used to honor Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of the independent Kenyan republic. The problem: with the name Kenya now used largely for girls, along with the vowel ending, Kenyatta sounds fairly feminine.

Its most famous bearer was Prince Osman the First, founder of the Ottoman Empire.

Name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad, with a particularly positive meaning.

Intriguing David alternative, though American tongues will have trouble wrapping themselves around three vowels in a row.

Parvaiz would certainly stand out in an American classroom.

Most parents looking for an ancient Roman name would probably prefer something less generic, like, say, MAGNUS or CLAUDIUS.

The ancient father of all the Stephen names. The modern Greek version is STEPHANOS.