Amazing Boy Names

The surname of the great artist is pronounced the same way as Mathis, the German and French form of Matthew, so it's not a stretch for use as a first name.

Rarely used on its own and irrevocably tied to former House Speaker Gingrich -- who was christened Newton.

Ovid is the English form of the Roman family name Ovidius, which possibly comes from the word for sheep. It is the usual English name for the first-century poet Publius Ovidius Naso.

Philippe, pronounced fill-EEP, is Philip with Gallic flair.

European royal name, and to Americans a place-name evoking the majestic mountain in Washington state.

Gone with Richard and Rick, Ricky has been falling since the turn of the 21st century. Probably still suffering from overuse in the 1990s.

Rob has claimed Bob's turf.

This short form of Robert was borne by famous figures from Robbie Williams to Robbie Coltrane to Robbie Robertson. At one point, Robbie was the cool new Bobby, but now Robbie is cool only for girls.

This can be a cool and unusual way to honor your family Robert, conjuring up memories of Robinson Crusoe and Swiss Family Robinson, as well as narrative poet Robinson Jeffers, born John Robinson, who shared his mother's middle name.

Stuffy presidential choice: consider Hayes instead.

A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.

Out playing shuffleboard at his condo and not expected back for several generations -- unless it morphs into a girls' name, a la Sydney.

This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but there have been modern fictional Sorens as well, in The Matrix Reloaded and the book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Charlie and Lola, and Underworld.

Distinctive Talmadge could be an Anglo-Saxon name and English surname that was originally given to a person who carried a knapsack or pack, for example, a traveller or a pedlar. It comes from the Old French word, "talemache".

Unexplored Moroccan place name, conjuring up images of camels and palm trees and domed minarets.

Tesla, the surname of Serbian inventor Nikola Tesla that has more recently been used as the brand name for an electric car, is gaining some use as a first name for girls. Exactly 100 girls were named Tesla in the U.S. last year. You might think of the name as a Tessa/Isla hybrid, though with Tesla the s is not silent. There was also a rock band named Tesla.