Uncommon Names for Baby Boys!

  1. Helios
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sun"
    • Description:

      The name of the young Greek sun god, brother to the moon goddess Selene, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses.
  2. Hendrix
    • Origin:

      Dutch and German, from first name Hendrik
    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"
    • Description:

      Hendrix is one of those hip rock and roll names, like Lennon, Jagger and Presley, that have been used by fellow celebs and others, to honor the seminal guitarist/singer/songwriter Jimi. And this one has the trendy 'x' ending, as well, helping to propel it up the charts and into the spotlight.
  3. Hero
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "demi-god"
    • Description:

      Though the mythological Hero was female, this name might prove too big a responsibility for a little guy to shoulder.
  4. Jaxx
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name, English
    • Meaning:

      "God is Gracious"
    • Description:

      Unusual letters like X and Z are often considered badass and cool, so by that logic, does having two Xs in one name make it next level awesome? This seems to have been the thinking of the parents to nearly 3000 babies named Jaxx in America since the spelling first came into use in the 90s.
  5. Jedi
    • Origin:

      Literary name or short form of Jedidiah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "Beloved by the Lord"
    • Description:

      Star Wars fans may know the lore behind the origin of the word and the concept Jedi well enough to confidently choose their name for their child. It has to do with balancing the forces of the universe.
  6. Killian
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "war strife or church"
    • Description:

      Killian – aka Cillian – is a spirited yet resonant Gaelic name that was borne by several Irish saints and could make a distinctive replacement for the dated Kelly. Kylian is another spelling that's gaining traction, thanks to French soccer star Kylian Mbappé. Possible downsides: an unsavory first syllable and a connection to the trendy brew.
  7. Kostas
    • Origin:

      Short form of Konstantinos, Greek form of Constantine
    • Meaning:

      "steadfast"
    • Description:

      Kostas makes the ancient emperor's name more approachable.
  8. Kylo
    • Origin:

      Variation of Kyle, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "narrow spit of land"
    • Description:

      The original Kyle has sparked many variations, including Kylie, Kyler, and Kylo, after Kylo Ren, the villain played by Adam Driver in the seventh Star Wars movie, released in December 2015.
  9. Link
    • Origin:

      Word name or diminutive of Lincoln
    • Description:

      Groovy Mod Squad name that still sounds retro cool.
  10. Locke
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "enclosure or fortified place"
    • Description:

      Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong one-syllable name is theoretically gender-neutral.
  11. Lorcan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little, fierce"
    • Description:

      Lorcan is a name rich in Irish history as belonging to several kings, including the grandfather of the most famous high king of Ireland, Brian Boru. Lorcan O'Toole, known in English as Laurence O'Toole, is the patron saint of Dublin, so it's not too surprising that Irish-born actor Peter O'Toole named his son Lorcan.
  12. Mars
    • Origin:

      Roman mythology
    • Meaning:

      "god of war; male; red planet"
    • Description:

      Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 150 boys - and 35 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable.
  13. Moose
    • Ned
      • Origin:

        English, diminutive of Edward
      • Meaning:

        "wealthy guardian"
      • Description:

        Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance.
    • Nero
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "stern"
      • Description:

        The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories.
    • Obsidian
      • Origin:

        English word name
      • Description:

        This rarely used boys name is one of the few gem names for a boy. Obsidian is actually a type of volcanic glass, formed when lava cools very quickly. This ultra-cool name might spark a love of volcanoes and geology in a little boy.
    • Onyx
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Meaning:

        "gem stone; claw, nail"
      • Description:

        Unlike Pearl and Ruby and more like Jasper, this gem name works well as a boys name. With its strong final X, it feels similar to Alex, Phoenix, Jax, and Rex, while the shiny black quality of the stone feels reminiscent of Orion. Chosen by musician Iggy Azalea for her son in 2020, it has accelerated up the charts and now sits just outside the Top 300.
    • Orpheus
      • Origin:

        Greek mythology name
      • Meaning:

        "the darkness of the night"
      • Description:

        Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
    • Orso
      • Orson
        • Origin:

          Latin and English
        • Meaning:

          "bear cub"
        • Description:

          In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator seemed to own the name during his lifetime, it's now an interesting possibility for any parent seeking an unusual yet solid name. It's started to appear to the celeb set too -- both Paz Vega and Lauren Ambrose have little Orsons.