100 Rare and Unique Boy Names (With Meanings) You Won't Hear Anywhere Else

These rare boy names are uncommon and unique name choices for your baby boy!

Updated May 23, 2023

Do you want your baby boy to stand out in a crowd and not be one of six “Jaydens” or “Jacobs” or “Liams” in their class? Choosing an uncommon baby boy name rather than a trending baby name will make your little boy feel super special!

There are lots of beautiful names for boys that are uncommon, unusual, or unique. Some countries have strict laws about naming babies. The problem can be finding the perfect one: the baby name that stands out from the rest and is perhaps a bit exotic, but that is also easy to remember.

Looking for rare boy names? Try some of these unpopular names for boys that you won’t find on most baby name lists.

Rare Boy Names Starting with A to D

Ambrose - Ambrose is of Greek and Latin origin and means “immortal.”
Amir - Amir is of Arabic origin and means "prince, ruler, treetop."
Apollo - Apollo is the Greek god whose chariot pulls the sun across the sky each day.
Asher -Asher is a Hebrew boy’s name that means “fortunate” or “ash tree.”
Atlas - Atlas is of Greek origin and is the name of a mythical Titan who supported the Earth on his back in Greek mythology.
Axel - Looking for an Old German name? Look no further.
August - It’s not just the eighth month; it also means strong and robust.
Baldwin - If you like literary names, try the name of writer James Baldwin.
Basil - Basil is a Greek name that means “royal.”
Booker - Booker T. Washington was a Black leader and advisor to several presidents during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Burke - Burke is a German name that means “castle.”
Callum - The name Callum is of Irish origin and means "of Saint Columba."
Caspian - The name of a sea and a popular literary character, Caspian is dreamy and strong.
Colton - Colton is of English origin and means "from the coal or dark town."
Dante - An Italian boy’s name meaning “enduring one”

Rare Boy Names Starting with E to L

Elias - A derivative of the Hebrew name Eliyahu which means "Jehovah is God."
Elijah - A derivative of the Hebrew name Eliyahu which means "Jehovah is God."
Elon - Elon is a Hebrew name meaning "oak."
Ellington - If you love musical-inspired names, Ellington is as cool as they come.
Falconer - If you want your child to have a unique career, this could be the perfect name.
Finnegan - Can’t get enough Irish names? Finnegan means “blond.”
Foster - An Old French name meaning “forest keeper.”
Fraser - This popular Scottish name means strawberry.
Gael - A Welsh boy’s name meaning “Gaelic.”
Gannon - Gannon is another Irish name that means “fair-haired.”
Gideon - In the Bible, Gideon used intelligence to lead his small army to victory over a much larger one.
Hale - Hale is an Anglo-Saxon name that means “hollow” or “nook.”
Hudson - Hudson is of English origin and means "Hugh's son."
Griffith - More commonly a last name, Griffith is a great alternative to Griffin.
Jericho - Jericho is a Biblical name that derives from Greek. It means “bright moon.”
Jett - The name Jett is a mineral name that means "excellence."
Kallan - An Irish name meaning “powerful in battle.”
Killian - Killian is an Irish name that means “bright-haired.”
Laird - Laird is the Scottish word for “Lord.”
Lake - This Old English name means “body of water.”

Rare Boy Names Starting with M to Z

Mason - An Old French boy’s name that means “stoneworker.”
Marv - An English boy’s name meaning “beautiful sea.”
Maxfield - Tired of Maximillian or Maxwell? What about Maxfield?
Oberon - A name of Germanic origin that means “Noble Bear.”
Odell - Odell is a Hebrew name meaning “wealthy.”
Orson - Orson is another name that means “bear.” Are we sensing a theme?
Pascal - Having a baby around Easter? Pascal means “born during Easter.”
Reggie - A Latin name meaning “queenly” or “regal.”
Rockwell - This English name means “rock spring.”
Roman - Roman is of Hebrew origin and means “strong, powerful.”
Roy - Easy to say and remember, “Roy” is unique in its rarity. It’s of French origin and means “King.”
Royal - An Old French name meaning “regal one.”
Rex - Rex also means “King,” only in Latin.
Rufus - Having a redhead baby? Consider naming him Rufus, which means “red-haired.”
Silas - Silas is a Latin boy’s name meaning “wood.”
Stellan - This starry-sounding name means “calm.”
Tarik - Tarik, or Tariq, is an Arabic name that means “morning star.”
Tiberius - Low key nerd? This is the middle name of Captain Kirk from Star Trek.
Thor - Thor is an Old Norse name that means “Thunder.”
Tobias - Tobias is a Hebrew name meaning “God is Good.”
Trey - Trey is of Middle English origin and means "Third-born."
Vaughn - This Welsh name is a common last name meaning “small.”
Vincent - Vincent is of Latin origin and means "conquering."
Werner - This German name isn’t particularly common, and that’s what makes it cool.
Willis - More commonly used as a last name, Willis makes an equally cool first name.
Wolfram - Wolfram is another name for Tungsten, one of the strongest and rarest metals on earth.
Yael - This Hebrew name means “mountain goat.”
Zahir - Zahir is a boy's name of Arabic origin meaning “evident.”
Zeke - Zeke is a make Arabic origin and means "The memory of the Lord."

Rare Gender-Neutral Names

Thinking about a unisex name for your new arrival? Try one of these.

Alexis - This gender-neutral name is of Russian origin, and means “defender.”
Amari - You’ll find this name across genders and in many cultures, including Yoruba, Hebrew, and Thai.
Arden - Arden is an English name that means “valley of the eagle.”
Auden - This English name means “old friend.”
Bradford - An Old English name that means “wide river crossing”
Branwen - This name comes from Welsh mythology and is a unisex variation on the feminine name “Bronwyn.”
Dale - This Old English name means “valley.”
Ellis - Ellis is of Welsh / English origin, and means “benevolent”
Ferris - Ferris is a gender-neutral Irish name meaning “rock.”
Gable - This unisex name is of German origin, and means “bright.”
Gael - This Irish name refers to the Gaelic people.
Halen - Helen is Swedish in origin, and means “Hall of light.”
Kai - A Hawaiian word that means “sea.”
Kalani - This Hawaiian name means “the Heavens,” and works well across genders.
Kensington - Obsessed with the royals? Kensington Palace is great for baby name inspiration.
Kiernan - Kiernan is another Irish name that works well across genders.
Kit - Short for Christopher or Catherine, it can also be a name in its own right.
Koda - Koda means “friend” or “ally” in some dialects of the Lakota Sioux language. It’s also a Japanese surname.
Lapis - Lapis Lazuli is a beautiful, bright blue stone.
Laris - This Scandinavian unisex name means “crowned with laurel.”
Lowen - This Cornish nonbinary name means “Joy.”
Luz - This name is Spanish for “light,” which is perfect for a baby.
Mika - Mika is a unisex name is found in Native American, Finnish, Hungarian, Japanese, and other cultures.
Monet - If you like artistic names, name your child after this famous French impressionist.
Octavius - Octavius is of Latin origin and means “eighth.”
Orson - Orson is a French name that means “bear cub.”
Quinn - Quinn is an Irish unisex name that means “Chief.”
Roman - Roman means “of Rome.” It’s a popular French name, but still picking up steam in English-speaking parts of the world.
Sage - Like the purifying aromatic herb, Sage is a fresh name suitable for all genders.
Shawn - Shawn has roots in both Hebrew and Irish cultures. It means “God is Gracious.”
Spencer - This surname makes a great first name choice for any gender.
Stevie - From Stevie Nicks to Stevie Ray Vaughn, this is a gender-neutral name for music lovers.
Tamsin - Having twins? Perhaps name one of them Tamsin, which means “twin.”
Tegan - Though many of us know Tegan and Sara, you could use it regardless of gender.
Walden - It’s more than an Instagram filter; Walden Pond is a famous landmark.
Wren - If “Robin” is too commonplace, try this unisex bird name instead.