When it comes to choosing a baby name, parents-to-be can, understandably, feel pressure — and, according to Taylor A. Humphrey, founder of What’s In a Baby Name, that may go double if they’re on the hunt for unique baby boy names.
“Parents tend to be more creative with girls’ names than with boys’ names,” says Humphrey. “But while we expect to see more innovation with girls’ names, I have been getting quite a few clients who are looking for more unique ‘masculine’ names.”
When it comes to more traditional boy or gender-neutral names, parents aren’t as attached to the name itself as they are to the meaning behind the name, Humphrey continues. “Where parents are more likely to choose a unique girl’s name because they simply love the sound, they seem less likely to do that for boys without having a deeper connection to the name,” she says.
Looking for unique baby boy names? Read on for ideas from Humphrey, Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of Nameberry and more.
“Girl-” inspired baby boy names
A trend Kihm is seeing for baby boys: Names that have, in the past, been “predominantly feminine.” These names are delightfully unexpected on baby boys, she says, making them both hip and unique:
- Artemis.
- Cleo.
- Eden.
- Harlow.
- June.
Eden, it should be noted, is the only one in the list above to break the top 1,000 for boys since 2020, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Currently, it’s ranked at 438 in the U.S. It is, however, in the top 100 in France, according to Nameberry.
Other names to consider that have have not broken the SSA top 300 for boys in the last year:
- Alexis. This name peaked in 2022, with a total number of 667 births.
- Kayce. Kayce went from 586 in 2022 to 459 in 2023.
- Shiloh. Shiloh is currently the most popular it’s ever been for boys, at 388.
- Reece. In 2023, the number of births with the name Reece was 686, which is about 0.037% of the total male births in 2023.
Cowboy-inspired baby boy names
These unique baby boy names are “choices that sound at home on the range,” notes Kihm:
- Colter. According to Nameberry, Colter is given to about 1,000 boys each year.
- Harlan. In 2013, Harlan first entered the top 1,000 for boys in the U.S.
Other cowboy-inspired names from Nameberry yet to make it to the top SSA 300 are:
- Boone.
- Arizona.
- Buck.
- Gunner.
- Abner.
- Amos.
- Bale.
- Bandit.
- Bowen.
- Bronson.
Baby boy names that end in “ai”
Names that end in “ai,” according to Kihm, have a globally appealing sound that’s found in names both historic and invented. A few to consider:
- Adlai.
- Jakai.
- Kenai.
- Masai.
None of the above names, it should be noted, broke the top 700 in the U.S. last year. Talk about unique boy baby names!
Other “-ai” names that haven’t broken the top 300 in the last year (per Behind the Name):
- Makai.
- Malakai.
- Jai.
- Nikolai.
- Shai.
- Tai.
- Mordechai.
- Dakarai.
Unique baby boy names with a plural ending
Consider these refreshing names that sound like plural nouns/surnames, per Kihm:
- Banks.
- Rhodes.
- Townes.
- Wells.
Note: Plural surname-sounding names are predicted to get even more popular, due to Justin and Hailey Bieber recently naming their son Jack Blues.
More unique names to consider, per Nameberry, that haven’t broken the top 300:
- Briggs.
- Anders.
- Barnes.
- Gates.
- Eames.
- Hawkins.
- Jennings.
- Oakes.
- Reynolds.
- Sanders.
- Yates.
Related:
Unique baby boy names that have main character energy
For parents who want their kid to make an impression, Kihm recommends these names, which have been taken from pop culture figures:
- Cassian (“Star Wars”).
- Chosen (“The Chosen”).
- Dutton (“Yellowstone”).
- Elio (“Call Me by Your Name”).
- Jiraiya (“Naruto”).
A few more boy names that haven’t broken the top 300:
- Chandler (“Friends”).
- Maximus (“Gladiator”).
- Morpheus (“The Matrix”).
- Napoleon (“Napoleon Dynamite”).
- Atreyu (“The NeverEnding Story”).
- Cosmo (“Seinfeld”).
First and middle combos
When Humphrey was recently working with a couple who had a “very ritzy, coastal, rock-n-roll style,” the names they were considering were two-fold. “They wanted gritty elements of 1970s New York, mixed with more high-falutin’, Titanic-era, beaux-arts characteristics,” she says. This meant choosing a first and middle name that went well together.
Here are a few Humphrey came up with for the task at hand:
- Merrick Sterling.
- William Kimball.
- Morrison Carlyle.
- Lachlan Conrad.
- Rocco Vernon.
- Warren Maxfield.
“These shiny, sturdy names offer both uniqueness and strength,” Humphrey notes.
Formerly unique baby boy names
If you’re looking for a truly unique baby boy name, there are a few Kihm says to be wary of, as many formerly-unique choices are now “quite well-used.”
Some of the trendiest new names that parents might not expect to be so popular include choices like:
- Stetson.
- Koa.
- Adonis.
- Tate.
- Thiago.
- Enzo.
- Atlas.
- Axel.
- Josue.
- Bodhi.
- Cyrus.
- Maximiliano.
- Otto.
- Atticus.
- Crew.
- King.
- Paxton.
- Elilan.
- Jett.
- Abel.
All of these, it should be noted, currently rank in the top U.S. 300, according to the SSA.
The bottom line
Finding unique baby boy names can be tricky, as names wax and wane in terms of popularity, so choosing a name you truly love — as opposed to one that’s simply obscure — is important.
And something else to keep in mind: What’s unique or popular in one part of the country will likely differ in another.
“As with girl name trends, today’s boy name trends are regional and vary across demographics,” notes Kihm. “The most stylish boy names in your city may be very unique on the other side of the country.”
