998+ Unique, Rare, and Uncommon Boy Names (with Meanings and Origins)

Ramses was the name of several kings in Ancient Egypt, including the long-reigning Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great. Unfortuntely, some may associate it with the condom brand name.

Avni is derived from Avniel, a Hebrew first and surname with a strong meaning. It is also a separate masculine Albanian name meaning "helper." The nickname Avni has a fresh, gender-neutral feel, although it has separate origins for girls and boys. The feminine version of this name is Sanskrit and means "earth."

Hope is one meaning of the name Amil, which sounds similar to the German Emil; it can also mean unattainable in the sense of being so exalted as in royalty as to be out of reach. While Amil may not be familiar in the Western world, it's accessible and appealing.

Amaris is unisex name with a Musketeer-esque feel to it: gentle and poetic, but cool and adventurous too. A variation of the Biblical name Amariah, it is given to three times as many girls than boys, though this gap has been narrowing in recent years.

Bayou? No, but it sounds the same, and since both the Indonesian name and the English word have appealing nature meanings, this is a perfect choice for the family that wants to bridge cultures.

Garner is an unncommon word and surname with some prospect of garnering popularity, especially now that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have given it to son Samuel as his middle name, and Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have used it as the middle name of second daughter Haven. Garner is also Cash Warren's middle name. Gardner or Gardener is another, similar though unrelated possibility.

This alternate name for Apollo has a noble sound and can always be shortened to Xan.

Eleazar is a distinguished Biblical name--in which it appears several times-- ripe for the picking following the stardom of Eli, Elijah, and other similar names.

This sleek Italian name was raised from the dead by Mexican Mozart in the Jungle star Gael Garcia Bernal, who chose it for his son (he also has a daughter named Libertad). For athletic inspiration, Lazaro Alvarez, boxing for Cuba, is the three-time world champion lightweight boxer. Lazarus and root name Eleazar are both also destined for comebacks.

Didier is kind of a Desiree for boy--a lively, confident name that's widely used in France and has definite possibilities here. It's the name of an early French saint.

An established surname that fits well with today's trend for the "Ever" sound – and a similar-yet-different alternative to Emerson. Historically, it denoted a descendent of Evert, a form of Everard, meaning "brave boar", or a descendent of Eve or its medieval English diminutive Evot, meaning "life".

The final -e takes this from a daring word name to a literary honor name, for the inimitable Irish author, poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, infamous for his wit and flamboyance.

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

This ancient royal Scottish name had a brief vogue in midcentury America, but it would be far from a fresh choice for a baby boy now.

A handsome alternative to Adrian or Dorian, derived from the Latin word aurum "gold".

This Mediterranean island name would be a plausible choice for parents with a Greek or Turkish heritage.

Three Stooges name (he's the one who wasn't Moe or Curly).

Drexel is an occupational surname but the original meaning of what a person who "turned" for a living actually did is unclear: It may mean turning the soil or making hay or spinning cloth or creating decorative objects. With the rise of the similar-sounding Dexter, Drexel might catch on.

Journey is one of the hot new spiritual names. Although Journey was given in 2015 to over 1100 baby girls and fewer than 100 baby boys, it's more visible on the celebrity baby scene as a boys' name: Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green just chose the name for their third son, who also has the unisex middle name River.

Historically, the French and English name Florence was used for both sexes. And Florent is a steady classic in France, booming there in the 1980s. Maybe it's time to import it, and show that boys can be floral too.