Rare, Unique, and Unusual Boy Names

An attractive surname, but also the name of a popular cookie.

A preppy English surname. Newscaster Megyn Kelly used it as a middle name for her son in 2009.

All names Cas are cool right night, from Cassius to Cassian to Caspian to, yes, Casimir and its Latin form Casimiro. An attractive possibility in this appealing group.

With West one of the hottest names for boys, and North the name of a high-profile celebrity baby, can East be far behind? While Easton seems to be the version of choice for this directional name -- there were 5500 boys named Easton last year, versus, um, zero named East -- we like the simplicity of the gender-neutral East, especially for a middle name.

Besides having an unappealing sound, has long been identified with a much-mocked Ford car model; use of this name is now restricted to the Ford family.

English place name turned handsome surname name.

Classy-sounding surname name usually bypassed in favor of the simpler Landon.

Urie is a masculine name with rich multicultural origins. In Hebrew, it derives from 'Uri' meaning 'my light' or 'flame of God,' carrying spiritual significance. Japanese origins suggest meanings related to 'blessing' or 'prosperity.' The name also appears in Scottish surname traditions, possibly derived from place names or Norman influences. Urie has maintained modest usage throughout the years, experiencing slight increases in popularity due to cultural references, including musician Brendon Urie. The name's brevity and melodic quality give it modern appeal despite its ancient origins. Its cross-cultural presence makes it attractive to parents seeking a name with international relevance while remaining distinctive in most Western contexts.

Tree as a first name may have entered the lexicon via Taylor Swift's (female) publicist Tree Paine, but there's no reason Tree can't work for any gender. It's simple, it's nature-connected, it's modern.

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

The lead character of the Oscar-nominated 2016 film "Kubo and the Two Strings" lives in Edo-period Japan, but his name is more often heard as a surname in Japan. Still, fans of the animated movie may want to consider it.

Would often be confused with Madison.

Although Maguire is such a prominent Irish surname —it ranks in the Top 40 in the Emerald Isle —this lively and cheerful family name has rarely been used as a first, unlike more familiar examples like Ryan, Riley and Reagan. The powerful and distinguished Maguire clan was known for their courage, leadership and resilience. The name's many notable associations include the unionizing Pennsylvania coal miners known as the Molly Maguires, actor Tobey Maguire and Dixie Chick Martie Maguire. Other spellings are McGuire and McGwire; two other handsome Irish surnames to consider are Malone and Magee.

Edgy German capital with definite possibilities as a baby name.

With Galway and Ireland in play as names (not to mention Shannon and Kerry), there's no reason this one can't work, too.

An Irish surname choice that could very well make its way into first name territory, though its father name Breasal is virtually unknown in the US.

This one's cutting right to the chase, but with such names as Justice and Peace on the rise, why not? And we guarantee your seven-year-old son will love it, though your 17-year-old, maybe not so much. Could be used as a middle name, as Talisa Soto and Benjamin Bratt did.

Sharp and preppy.

More common as a surname, a handful of boys get this bovine equivalent of Shepherd each year in the US. It may gain more exposure as one of the occupational names that are one of the most popular classes of English names for boys.

With the current craze for ancient Roman names, variations of the Latin Augustus with its majestic meaning are becoming more popular in many cultures. Month name August, also drawn from the original Augustus, is the most popular form in the US, but Augusto may start showing up on international popularity lists.