100 Unique Names for Boys

Want an unconventional name for your little one? Check out these 100 unique boy names that burst with originality.

Fact checked by Karen Cilli

When it comes to choosing a baby name, many parents prefer unique and original options that won’t be on every book bag in preschool. If you’re among those who prioritize distinctive and creative monikers—and are on the hunt for a unique boy name—look no further.

In the past, the top 10 baby boy names in the U.S. were given to as many as one-third of all males. But today, the trend of choosing popular baby names is much less significant. According to a report by Namerology, the top 10 baby names now only account for one-fourteenth of all boys born in the U.S. That’s quite a bit of movement toward choosing a moniker that's unlike any other!

Here, we’ve compiled a list of 100 unique boy names for your little one. And even if you don’t find a name that suits your child, you can customize one of our picks to make it your own.

Although this article separates names by gender, your baby’s assigned sex at birth does not need to dictate the name you choose for them. Names are not inherently gendered or associated with a specific sex, and it's important to select a name that feels right for your little one and your family.

Best Unique Names for Boys

Choosing a unique name for a boy is not for the faint of heart. If you're like most parents, you want a name that's interesting and uncommon, but not so much that it causes your little guy embarrassment when they enter school. Here are some of our favorite unique boy names, including where they fall in terms of peak popularity.

Acton

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Village with oak trees, strong

• Famous Namesakes: Minor character in The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
  

• Peak Popularity: Acton is not on the list of top 1000 baby names, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

• Fun Fact: Acton is one of the highest peaks in Antarctica.

Beck

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Small stream

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Beckett, Becker, Beckham

• Famous Namesakes: Beck Hansen (singer), Beck Bennett (actor), Beck Oliver (character on show "Victorious")

• Peak Popularity: According to the SSA, Beck is not on the list of top 1000 baby names, but you will find it on other online lists.

Booker

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Scribe

• Famous Namesakes: Booker T. Washington (educator and reformer), Booker T. Jones (musician), Booker DeWitt (character in a video game), Devin Booker (NBA player)

• Peak Popularity: The SSA indicates that Booker was in the top 1000 from 1900 through 1966, when it was ranked 998. Since then, though, the name has not made the top 1000.

Brick

• Origin: German, Irish Gaelic, Yiddish

• Meaning: Strong, sturdy

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bryck, Bricker

• Famous Namesakes: Brick Dudley Smith (baseball player), Brick Sullivan (actor), Brick Pollitt (main character in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Brick (character on Kim Possible)

• Peak Popularity: The SSA reports that Brick has not broken through the top 1000 list of baby names.

Clement

• Origin: Latin

• Meaning: Mild, merciful

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Clem, Clemont

• Famous Namesakes: Clément Chabernaud (French model), Clement Clarke Moore (American poet and author)

• Peak Popularity: According to the SSA, Clement hasn't broken into the top 1000 list of names for baby boys since 1969. Before that, its traditional roots made it a popular name.

• Fun Fact: Clement has been the name of 14 popes and several saints.

Dru

• Origin: French

• Meaning: Sweetheart, dear one

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Drew, Andrew

• Famous Namesakes: Dru (brother of Gru on "Despicable Me 3")

• Peak Popularity: The SSA indicates that the name Dru has not been in the top 1000 list of names for baby boys. That said, the popular variation—Drew—has been in the top 1000 for years, peaking in 1985 with a ranking of 126.

Gareth

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Gentle

• Famous Namesakes: Gareth (brave knight in King Arthur's court), Gareth Reynolds (American comedian), Sol Gareth "Garry" Davis (American peace activist)

• Peak Popularity: Gareth has never broken into the top 1000 baby names for boys in the U.S., according to the SSA.

Gray

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Son of the bailiff

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Grayson, Grey

• Famous Namesakes: Gray Davis (former governor of California), Gray Grantham (character in the Pelican Brief), Gray Wing (character in Warriors book series)

• Peak Popularity: According the SSA, this name has not broken the top 1000 in baby boy names in the last 100 years.

Harden

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Valley of the hares

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Hardin, Hardyn

• Famous Namesakes: Harden M. McConnell (American chemist)

• Peak Popularity: The name Harden has never been part of the top 1000 baby boy names.

Kace

• Origin: Irish

• Meaning: Brave in battle

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cason, Kaison, Caiden, Kayden

• Peak Popularity: While still a unique name for a boy, Kace has broken though the top 1000 list and peaked at 760 in 2019.
  

Knightley

• Origin: English

• Meaning: Servant clearing

• Famous Namesakes: Mr. (George) Knightley (the love interest in Jane Austen's novel "Emma")

• Peak Popularity: Though those who love Jane Austen's work will recognize the moniker, the SSA notes that this name hasn't broken into the top 1000 in recent years.

Laird

• Origin: Scottish

• Meaning: Lord of the land

• Famous Namesakes: Laird Hamilton (American surfer), Laird Koenig (American novelist), Laird Mayhew (character in the film Why Him?)

• Peak Popularity: An SSA search indicates this name has not been listed in the top 1000 in the last century.

Price

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Son of Rhys

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pryce

• Peak Popularity: Neither Price nor Pryce has broken into the top 1000 in the last 100 years, according to the SSA.

Raiin

• Origin: Old English, German

• Meaning: Abundance from above

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Rain, Rayne, Rhayn, Reine

• Famous Namesakes: Rainn Wilson (American actor), Rain Dove (American model)

• Peak Popularity: Raiin has never been featured in the top 1000 for baby names, according to the SSA.

Ren

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Water lily; lotus

• Famous Namesakes: Ren (Korean singer of K Pop boy group NU'EST), Ren McCormack (main character in Footloose), Ren Höek (main character in Ren and Stimpy)

• Peak Popularity: According to the SSA, Ren has never made it into the top 1000 baby boy names in the U.S.
  

Runner

• Origin: Unknown

• Meaning: Lightly armed soldier, messenger

• Peak Popularity: The SSA has no data on the name Runner and it has never made the list of top 1000 baby names.

Slate

• Origin: Unknown

• Meaning: Strong

• Famous Namesakes: Slate Bartell Donovan (son of soccer player Landon Donovan)

• Peak Popularity: Slate is an uncommon name and has never broken into the top 1000 for boy names, according to the SSA.

Storm

• Origin: Unknown (but popular in Denmark and Sweden)

• Meaning: Windswept, dramatic

• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Stormer

• Famous Namesakes: Storm Thorgerson (album designer for Led Zeppelin and others)

• Peak Popularity: Storm broke into the top 1000 baby names in 1991 and peaked at 841 in 1995. The name has not cracked the top 1000 on the SSA lists since 1997.

Torrin

• Origin: Irish

• Meaning: Chief

• Peak Popularity: Torrin has never made the list of top 1000 names in the U.S.

• Fun Fact: Torrin is a settlement in Scotland, located on the island of Skye.
  

Yale

• Origin: Welsh

• Meaning: Vigorous, fertile

• Famous Namesakes: Yale (Ivy League school), Yale Pollack (Woody Allen's best friend in Manhattan), Yale Boss (child actor)

• Peak Popularity: Yale is not a common name given to boys in the U.S. and has never broken into the top 1000 according to the SSA.

Related: 50 Unique Baby Names

Short Unique Boy Names

Short names seem to be all the rage lately, and if you want a mini moniker that's unlike any other, you might just find it on this list. Check out our round-up of short unique boy names below.

• Art

• Axe

• Axl

• Baer

• Beau

• Cash

• Cole

• Dax

• Finn

• Kai

• Jax

• Lorn

• Luca

• Nash

• Guy

• Roi

• Shaw

• Tru

• Van

• West

Related: 100 Color Baby Names

Classic Unique Boy Names

If you prefer traditional or vintage names, but want something that stands out in the crowd, you're sure to find a moniker on this list. Plus, once your child starts school, it's unlikely that other children in their class will have the same name.

• Ansel

• Ashby

• Callum

• Dexter

• Elias

• Faulkner

• Felix

• Franklin

• Garner

• Gideon

• Lorencio

• Jasper

• Marcel

• Mateo

• Oakley

• Rhodes

• Sebastian

• Urban

• Wallace

• Wyatt

Related: 50 Place and Location Baby Names

Cute Unique Names for Boys

Looking for a name that's as cute as it is unique? Look no further than this list of cute—yet unique—monikers for boys.

• Barrett

• Blaine

• Carson

• Colt

• Crew

• Easton

• Flynn

• Grayson

• Griffin

• Hudson

• Kane

• Knox

• Levi

• Maddox

• Miles

• Ollie

• Oscar

• Paxton

• Sully

• Zane

Related: 200+ Baby Nicknames That Are as Cute as Your New Baby

Other Uncommon Names for Boys

If you're like most parents, the more names you have to choose from, the better. Check out these unique boy names that will help your little one stand out in a crowd, yet still fit in with their generation.

• Arlo

• Bodie

• Cruz

• Dray

• Enzo

• Galen

• Heath

• Justus

• Kade

• Kendry

• Kyler

• Kyrie

• Luis

• Pascal

• Quinlan

• Reese

• Weston

• Whitman

• Wilder

• Zakkai

Related: 130 Baby Names Inspired by Fictional Characters

Tips for Naming Your Child

Choosing a name for your baby is both exciting and intimidating, especially if you want something unique. That's because a name should fit your little one's personality (or who you imagine them to be), while not being too over-the-top. Finding a balance between the two is key. Here are a few tips to consider as you make your decision.

1. Choose a name that you like, has meaning, or represents something important to you.

2. Consider other factors of the name besides its uniqueness, like what it means or how it could be interpreted by others.

3. Think about whether the name could be mispronounced or mistaken for another name.

4. Make sure the spelling of the name is something your child will be able to master once they start school.

5. Think about how other kids could use the name, and whether it has the potential to become something they're teased about.

6. Consider whether your baby's unique name will fit every stage of their life—you want the name to be just as appropriate in preschool as it is in the workforce.

7. Research the name you're considering to ensure it's not associated with something negative or a person who has questionable character.

8. Think about how other people might shorten the name and how those abbreviations might impact your child.

9. Look at your child's initials to avoid any unfortunate acronyms.

10. Strive to choose a name that can stand the test of time, even though it's unique.
    

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