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

This surname borne by several early Welsh leaders has a lot of energy.

With the new trend of boys' names rising on the heels of their popular sisters, the unusual-yet-familiar-feeling Emilian might become better known thanks to its relationship to Emily and Emilia/Amelia. Rather than being two branches of the same tree, Emilian and Emily are actually one tree while Emmett and Emma hang on a whole separate tree. But all have a lot of modern appeal, and Emilian may be a more attractive and intriguing male form than Emil. There was a St. Emilian.

A chief member of the tribe of Benjamin, and another obscure Old Testament name that few parents, even those tired of Aaron and Zachary, would consider. But with a pronunciation that rhymes with Gannon, it has the strong, straightforward, two-syllable sound that's in step with modern style.

Might suggest speed, excitement, even danger, were it not for its best-known bearer, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.

Parks is a rare member of the fashionable single-syllable, S-ending surname crowd, which includes trending choices like Brooks, Banks, Hayes and Wells.

This traditional Arabic name, found throughout several other Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures, is one of the 99 names of Allah. Colorful and energetic, it was brought into the realm of crossover possibility via the lively personality of Aziz Ansari, stand-up comic and star of "Master of None" as well as a featured actor on "Parks and Recreation," playing cocky Tom Haverford (born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani).

An attractive, surprisingly uncommon variation of Josiah. To give you an idea of how comparatively rare Josias is, there were about 200 baby boys named Josias in the US last year, versus nearly 6000 named Josiah.

Alvie is the spelling parents tend to prefer, and may rise along with Archie, Alfie, and Albie. The Alvy variation is strongly associated with Alvy Singer, Woody Allen's character in Annie Hall.

This common Scandinavian name, also spelled Osmund, is only occasionally heard in this country.

British-sounding literary surname choice.

Pascoe was popular in medieval times and is definitely deserving of revival, especially for a child born in the Easter season. Other spellings are Pasco and Pascow.

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.

A very popular Japanese boys' name whose characters refer to the constellation Ursa Major. Short form Hiro might work better in the West, as may another popular Japanese boys' name, Ren.

Ephron was the Old Testament son of Zohar who sold his field and cave to Abraham to use as a family burial ground. Ephron is also a Biblical place-name, a mountain range that formed the northern border of the land of Judah.

Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light.

Has lots of energy, perhaps due to its association with top tap dancer Savion Glover.

This rare alternative to cool Biblical Ozias or Uzziah is full of energy and comes with cool nickname Oz.

The great sax player John Coltrane could be a cool naming inspiration for a jazz fan.

While Adri is an Indian male name, it is more often heard throughout Europe as a diminutive of Adrian in its many forms. Pronunciation might be ay-dree or ah-dree, depending on the pronunciation of Adrian or Adriano. In the Top 100 in several European countries, Adrian's roots are in ancient Rome.

A child might like to have a name connected to the legendary Quirin stone, which, when placed on a sleeping person's head, prompts him to expose his secret thoughts.