Memorable But Unusual Boy Names To Consider

Looking for strong, but unusual boy names? Perhaps you want your boy to stand out amongst the rest, and you want to give him a good start by giving him a unique name. 

The trick is to give him a name that is memorable and unique, but not completely unheard of.

Two things to consider as you pick unusual boy names:

1. Go for names that are easy to spell and pronounce. This is especially important if you are looking for unusual boy names;
2. If you are choosing a name from a foreign language, make sure you understand the meaning and connotation of the name in different contexts.

For your convenience, this list of unusual boy names is listed in alphabetical order.

Abbott

Abbott means “father”. Abbott is a name with religious overtones as the head of a monastery.

Abner

Abner means “father of light”. Abner was the name of the commander of Saul’s army and appears twice in the New Testament.

Ace

Ace means “one, unity”. 

Albus

Albus means “white, bright”.

Alcide

Alcide means “glory of Hera” and pronounced as al-CEED.

Alden

Alden means “old, wise friend”. Aiden is a gender-neutral name.

Amias

Amias means “loved”.

Anakin

Anakin means “warrior”.

Apollo

Apollo means “to destroy”. Apollo is the Greek god of the sun. 

Archie

Archie means “truly brave”.

Arden

Arden means “to be eager” or “ardent”. Arden is a gender-neutral name.

Aristotle

Aristotle means “superior”. Aristotle is the name of a great philosopher.

Arlo

Arlo means “fortified hill” or “eagle’s hill”.

Armani

Armani means “freeman”. Armani is a gender-neutral name.

Arrow

Arrow is a common English word that some may use as a name. 

Asa

Asa means “healer; born in the morning”. Asa was the name of an important biblical king of Judah, who reigned for more than forty years. Asa is also a gender-neutral name.

Atlas

Atlas is a Greek god who is strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders.

Atticus

Atticus means “from Attica”. Atticus is the name of an important Roman literary figure named for the Greek region around Athens.

Auden

Auden means “old friend”.

Aurelio

Aurelio means “the golden one”.

Austin

Austin means “great, magnificent”. 

Autumn

Autumn is a season name. Autumn is a gender-neutral name.

Axl 

Axl means “father of peace”. Axl is a spelling variation of Axel. 

Baker

Baker is an occupational name. It’s also a common last-name.

Bartholomew

Bartholomew means “son of the furrow”.

Basil

Basil means “regal”.

Baxter

Baxter is an Anglo-Saxon and Scottish name, meaning “baker”.

Beck

Beck means “one living beside a small stream”. Beck is a gender-neutral name.

Benedict

Benedict means “blessed”.

Bentlee

Bentlee means “meadow with coarse grass”.

Birch

Birch is a tree name.

Blade

Blade is a common English word that some may use as a name.

Bobo

Bobo is a variation of Bob. Bob is a German baby name, which means “Famed; bright; shining.” In the English language, “bobo” may also refer to “fool.” 

Bond

Bond means “peasant farmer”.

Booth

Booth is sometimes used as a name, and means “small dwelling place, shed”.

Bowie

Bowie means “blond” and pronounced as BOWiy-. Bowie is a gender-neutral name. 

Bram

Bram means “father of multitudes”.

Braxton

Braxton means “Brock’s town” or “Brock’s settlement”.

Breccan

Breccan means “speckled” or “freckled”.

Bridger

Bridger means “to live near the bridge”.

Broderick

Broderick means “brother”.

Calix

Calix means “chalice”.

Calloway

Calloway means “pebbly place”.

Carlson

Carlson is a variation of Carlsen which means “Carl’s son”.

Cashel

Cashel means “castle, stone fort”.

Casimir

Casimir means “destroyer of peace” and pronounced as KAA-Ziy-Mih-R. Casimir is a traditional name of Polish kings.

Casper

Casper means “treasurer”.

Caspian

Caspian is a geographical name of the large salty sea between Asia and Europe.

Cassidy

Cassidy means “curly-headed”. Cassidy is a gender-neutral name.

Cato

Cato means “wise” or “all-knowing”. Cato is a name that has a large history in Ancient Rome, such as the man who opposed Julius Caesar. 

Cedar

Cedar is a tree name and pronounced as C-Der. Cedar is a gender-neutral name.

Chester

Chester means “fortress” or “walled town”.

Conan

Conan means “little wolf”. In Gaelic, Conan was the name of an illustrious seventh-century Irish saint, bishop of the Isle of Man.

Constantine

Constantine means “steadfast” and pronounced as KAAN-STahN-TiyN.  Constantine was the name of three medieval Scottish kings and the name of the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. Constantine is a gender-neutral name.

Cosmo

Cosmo means “order, beauty”. 

Crew

Crew is a common English word that some may use as a name.

Cullen

Cullen means “handsome” or “good-looking lad”, but in Celtic, the name means “cub”.

D’Artagnan

D’Artagnan means “from Artagnan” and pronounced as dar-TAN-yan. D’Artagnan is the name of a character in The Three Musketeers. 

Daxton

Daxton means  “from the French town, Dax”.

Declan

Declan means “man of prayer” and pronounced as DECK-lin. 

Dex

Dex is a diminutive of Dexter which means “dyer” or “right-handed”.

Dexter

Dexter means “dyer” or “right-handed”.

Dimitri

Dimitri means “follower of Demeter” and pronounced as dih-MEE-tree. 

Drexel

Drexel means “to turn”.

Elian

Elian means “The Lord is my God” or “God is family”.

Elias

Elias means “Yahweh is God”.

Elio

Elio means “sun”. Elio is a variation of Helios, the sun god in Greek mythology.

Ellington

Ellington means “Ellis’s town”. Ellington is a gender-neutral name.

Ephraim

Ephraim means “fruitful, fertile, productive”. 

Eustace

Eustace means “fruitful, productive” and pronounced as YUW-STahZ.

Evan

Evan means “the Lord is gracious”. Evan is a gender neutral name.

Everest

Everest is the name of the world’s tallest mountain. Everest is a gender-neutral name.

Ezra

Ezra means “help”. Ezra has a heroic Bible legacy. Ezra is a gender-neutral name.

Ferris

Ferris means “rock”. 

Finbar

Finbar means “fair-haired”.

Finch

Finch means “to swindle”. Finch is a gender-neutral name. 

Finnegan

Finnegan means “fair”.

Finnian

Finnian means “fair”. (Similar to Finnegan.) 

Fischer

Fischer is a spelling variation of Fisher which means “fisherman”. Pronounced as FIHSHer.

Fisher

Fisher means “fisherman”.

Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald means “son of Gerald” and pronounced as FIHTSJHehR-owLD. 

Ford

Ford means “river crossing” or “dweller at the ford”.

Fraser

Fraser means “strawberry” and pronounced as FRahSEH-R or FREY-Z-er.

Fulton

Fulton means “fields of the village”.

Gage

Gage means “oath, pledge”. 

Gene

Gene means “well-born, noble”. Gene is a gender-neutral name. Gene is also the diminutive of “Eugene.”

Gerrit

Gerrit is a German variation of Gerard which means “spear strength”.

Gibson

Gibson means “Gilbert’s son”.

Gray

Gray means “the son of the bailiff”. Gray is a gender-neutral name. It is also a common last name.

Gryffin

Gryffin means “strong lord”.

Hanan

Hanan means “graciousness”. Hanan is a gender-neutral name.

Hannes

Hannes means “God is gracious”. Hannes is a common name in Afrikaans and Dutch.

Hart

Hart means “stag”.

Hawk

Hawk is a bird name.

Hayes

Hayes means “hedge” or “brushwood”.

Holden

Holden means “hollow valley”.

Hollis

Hollis means “Dweller at the holly trees”. Hollis is a gender-neutral name.

Humphrey

Humphrey means “peaceful warrior”. 

Huxley

Huxley means “Hugh’s meadow” or “inhospitable place”.

Indigo

Indigo is a color-name and means “Indian dye”. Indigo is a gender-neutral name.

Inigo

Inigo means “fiery” and pronounced as IN-ih-go. 

Jansen

Jansen means “Jan’s son”.

Janus

Janus means “gateway”. Janus is the name of an ancient Roman god who is usually depicted as a two-faced god facing in opposite directions since he looks both to the future and the past.

Jayden

Jayden means “thankful”. Jayden is a gender-neutral name.

Jedi

Jedi means “invoker of the Lord”.

Jett

Jett means “free”.

Josiah

Josiah means “God supports, heals”.

Joziah

Joziah means “God supports and heals”. Joziah is a spelling variation of Josiah.

Kael

Kael means “slender” or “fair”.

Kamren

Kamren means “crooked nose”. Kamren is a gender-neutral name. Kamren is a spelling variation of Camren or Camron.

Keene

Keene means “proud” or “brave”.

Kensington

Kensington is a place-name in a posh area of London. Kensington is a gender-neutral name.

Kip

Kip means “from the pointed hill”.

Kirk

Kirk means “church”.

Kit

Kit means “Carrier of Christ”. Kit is a gender-neutral name.

Knute

Knute means “knot”. Knute is the name of the patron saint of Denmark.

Kohen

Kohen means “priest”.

Lachlan

Lachlan means “from the fjord-land” and pronounced as LACK-lin or LOCK-lin.

Lancelot

Lancelot means “servant”.

Landon

Landon means “long hill”.

Larson

Larson means “crowned with laurel”.

Laszlo

Laszlo means “glorious ruler” and pronounced as LAZ-lo.

Lawton

Lawton is the name of a place. Lawton is most notably thename of a handful of historical figures. It is also the fifth-largest town in Oklahoma.

Leif

Leif means “heir, descendant” and pronounced as LAYF or LEEF.

Leighton

Leighton means “meadow town” and pronounced as LAY-ton. Leighton is a gender-neutral name.

Leland

Leland means “meadow land” and pronounced as LEE-land. Leland is a gender-neutral name.

Leopold

Leopold means “brave people”.

Lev

Lev means “heart” or “lion” and pronounced as LehV or Liyeh-V.

Linus

Linus means “flax”.

Loyal

Loyal is a virtue name which means “faithful.”

Lucas

Lucas means “man from Lucania”.

Maguire

Maguire means “son of the beige one” and pronounced as MaaGWIHR-.

Matson

Matson means “son of Matthew”.

McCallister

McCallister means “son of Alistair”.

Mercer

Mercer means “a merchant”. Mercer is a gender-neutral name.

Miller

Miller is an occupation, (grinder of grain,) and now also a name.

Milo

Milo means  “soldier” or “merciful”.

Morrison

Morrison means “Son of Morris”.

Moss

Moss means “descendant of Moses”.

Night

Night is a common English word name that some use as a name.

Nile

Nile means “champion” and pronounced as NAHL. “The Nile” is also a river in Egypt. Nile is a gender-neutral name.

Norman

Norman means “northerner, Norseman”.

Octavius

Octavius means “eight”. Octavius was at one time used for the eighth child in a family.

Oden

Oden means “rage” or “frenzy”. Oden is a variation of the old Norse mythology name, Odin.

Odin

Odin means “rage” or “frenzy”. Odin is the name of the supreme Norse god of art, culture, wisdom, and law.

Olly

Olly is a diminutive of Oliver which means “olive tree”. Olly is a gender-neutral name. 

Orson

Orson means “bear cub”.

Otis

Otis means “wealthy”.

Otto

Otto means “fortune”. There were many Otto’s in Germanic history, appearing as emperors, kings, and chancellors.

Ozias

Ozias means “salvation” and pronounced as ow-ZIYYah-Z.

Pascal

Pascal means “of the Passover; Easter” and pronounced as PaeS-KAEL. Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter.

Paxon

Paxon is a spelling variation of Paxton which means “peace town”.

Paxton

Paxton means “peace town”. Paxton is a gender-neutral name.

Penn

Penn means “enclosure”.

Phineas

Phineas means “oracle”.

Porter

Porter means “keeper of the gate”. Porter is a common last name. It is also a gender-neutral name.

Prescott

Prescott means “priest’s cottage”. The name “Prescott” used to be common among the upper-middle-class.

Quest

Quest is a common English word that some may use as a name.

Raiden

Raiden means “thunder and lightning”.

Raleigh

Raleigh means “meadow of roe deer”.

Reef

Reef is a common English word that some may use as a name.

Reid

Reid means “red” or “red-haired”. Reid is a gender-neutral name.

Remington

Remington means “place on a riverbank”.

Reuben

Reuben means “behold, a son”. Reuben was the name of Jacob’s firstborn son by Leah and the founder of one of the tribes of Israel.

Rey

Rey means “king”. Rey is a gender-neutral name.

Rex

Rex means “king”. (Similar to Rey.)

Rhett

Rhett means “ardent; fiery”.

Rio

Rio means “river”.

Rockwell

Rockwell means “rock spring”.

Roland

Roland means “renowned land” or “famous throughout the land”.

Rollo

Rollo means “famed wolf”.

Roscoe

Roscoe means “deer forest” and pronounced as RAAS-koh. Roscoe is a gender-neutral name.

Rufus

Rufus means “red-head”. Rufus was the nickname for red-haired King William and was very popular with Roman saints and singers.

Rusty

Rusty means “redhead, fox-colored”.

Ryker

Ryker means “rich”.

Sayer

Sayer means “woodcutter” or “reciter”.

Scout

Scout means “to listen”.

Seeley

Seeley means “blessed” or “very happy”.

Shaw

Shaw means “dweller by the wood”. Shaw is a gender-neutral name.

Shelton

Shelton means “place on a ledge or bank”. 

Shepherd

Shepherd is an occupational name.

Sherlock

Sherlock means “fair-haired”. (Similar to Finbar.)

Silas

Silas means “wood, forest”.

Skylar

Skylar means “scholar”. Skylar is a gender-neutral name. 

Slate

Slate is a common English word that some may use as a name.

Slater

Slater means “maker of slates”.

Stellan

Stellan means “calm”.

Stephanius

There is no specific meaning for Stephanius.

Sullivan

Sullivan means “black-eyed one”. 

Summer

Summer is a season name. Summer is a gender-neutral name.

Sutton

Sutton means “from the southern homestead” and pronounced as SAHTTahN. Sutton is a gender-neutral name.

Sylar

Sylar means “maker of rope” or “lordly ruler”. Pronounced as SIY-lər. 

Tarek

Tarek means “trailblazer” and “morning star”.

Teo

Teo means “gift of God”.

Thaddeus

Thaddeus means “gift of God”. (Similar to Teo.)

Thatcher

Thatcher is an occupation name that has now become popular as a name. It means “roof thatcher”. 

Thornton

Thornton means “place in the thorns”.

Tilden

Tilden means “fertile valley”.

Tobias

Tobias means “God is good” and pronounced as Tah-BAY-ahS. Tobias is the name of several biblical figures but is primarily associated with the story of Tobias and the Angel.

True

True is a common English word that some may use as a name. True is a gender-neutral name.

Truett

Truett means “Dry wood meadow”. 

Truman

Truman means “trusty man”. 

Tyrell

Tyrell means “stubborn”.

Ulysses

Ulysses means “wrathful”. Ulysses is the Latin variation of the Greek Odysseus.

Valor

Valor means “value”.

Van

Van means “of, from”.

Vaughn

Vaughn means “small”. 

Ward

Ward means “guard” or “watchman”.

Warner

Warner means “protector” or “warrior”.

Webb

Webb means “to weave”.

Webster

Webster means “weaver”.

Wells

Wells mean “spring, stream”.

Werner

Werner means “protecting army” and pronounced as VER-ner.

West

West is a common English word that some may use as a name. West is a gender-neutral name.

Wilder

Wilder means “wild animal”.

Willis

Willis means “resolute protection”.

Win

Win is a diminutive of Winslow, Winthrop, or Winsto. Winslow means “friend’s hill or burial mound”, Winthrop means “friend’s village”, and Winston means “wine’s town”. Win is a gender-neutral name.

Windsor

Windsor means “riverbank with a winch”. 

Woods

Woods is a common English word that some may use as a name.

Wright

Wright means “worker, the one who shapes wood”.

Wyatt

Wyatt means “brave in war” and pronounced as WHA-yaT.

Wynn

Wynn means “white, fair, handsome”. Wynn is a gender-neutral name.

Xavier

Xavier means “new house” or “bright”. Pronounced as ex-ZAY-vee-er or ZAY-vee-er.

Xzander

Xzander is a variation of Xander which means “defending men”. Pronounced as zander. 

York

York means “from the yew estate”. York is a British royal family name.

Zachariah

Zachariah means “the Lord has remembered”. A spelling variation of Zechariah. 

Zaire

Zaire is a place-name. Zaire was the former name of the African country that is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo River was also formerly called the Zaire River. Zaire is a gender-neutral name. Pronounced Zah-eer.

Zane

Zane means “God is gracious” and pronounced as Zey-N. 

Zechariah

Zechariah means “the Lord has remembered”. In the Bible, Zechariah is the name of about 30 different personages, one of whom gave his name to the book of Zechariah. 

Zyan

Zyan means “tiny king” and pronounced as zye-an.