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

Merritt is an English surname but spelled Merit it becomes a word name. Both variations are on the rise.

Twain can be thought of as a modernization (and possible namesake) of the dated Wayne, seasoned with the humor of Mark Twain, who adopted it from a river term.

Though some forward-looking parents are now choosing wood-related names like Oak, Pine, and Ash, this generic option would be even more avant garde.

So named because it emits sparks when struck with a stone.

New is a middle name name with meaning: Your baby, after all, is new to the world and you may hope will continue to approach life and experience as if everything is new and exciting.

Ravello is an Italian town on the Amalfi Coast. It's a popular travel destination and was a favorite spot for many notable creatives, including Virginia Woolf, Greta Garbo, and Tennessee Williams.

New, fast, cool, and chosen by director Robert Rodriguez, whose other sons are Rebel, Rocket, and Rogue, all somewhat risky options.

Another Spanish boys' name that relates to a goddess, the Egyptian Isis. San Isidro is the patron saint of Madrid.

Cooler and rarer than Pedro, but also has a slightly industrial sound.

The Latin word for an angel (and the male form of Angela) is a rare but smart and stately name. The Angelus is a Catholic devotion, and the name is also used for the church bell that traditionally accompanies it. In pop culture, Angelus is a previous incarnation of Angel in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe.

An undiscovered Persian gem that's zippy, short and sweet. It is used in Iran and neighboring countries as a first name and a family name. The British actress Afshan Azad played Parvati Patil in the Harry Potter movies.

Arnie is a nerdy-tipping-into-cute nickname that may rise again, if not for this generation of babies then for their babies. Look for it in the nurseries of 2050.

Pistol is one of the new names that entered the lexicon in the US in 2013, when it was given to nine babies of each gender. Call it an equal-opportunity badass baby name with an unfortunately violent image.

Virtually never heard in this country, with a quirky quality.

In addition to being the term for a job performing music, Gig has been used as a name, as in onetime actor Gig Young--who was born Byron but took his stage name from a character he played.

A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the Norman conquest and used occasionally as a given name ever since. Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell used the spelling variation Osborne in her final novel, Wives and Daughters.

A sharp and interesting Kurdish name derived from the name of a river and mountain in the region.

A form of Ahmad popular in Western Africa. It ranked in the French Top 500 for much of the 1980s.

Short but substantial, Russ does not need the full-form Russell to go on the birth certificate. Russ strikes a nice balance between familiar, friendly, and underused.