Looking for Cute, Unusual Boy Names? Here’s 60 That Are Pretty Cool!
Every mom dreams of finding that name. You know, the name that you just happen to hear or see and think, “Omg. That’s the one!”
For a lucky few of us, that does happen.
For most of us though, a baby name is selected after hours (read: months) of agonizing.
If you’re searching for cute unusual boy names that aren’t weird and aren’t totally overused…you’ve come to the right place. These are the kinds of names that someone hears and think, “Wow, I wish my name was that cool.”
And, to make your search a little easier, I’m also including origins, meanings, and some pop culture references. Fair warning though. I read a lot of fiction. Prepare for a lot of literary references.
I hope this list of unusual boy names helps you choose!
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60 Cool, Unique Boy Names with Meanings
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Alec
There are a million Alexs out there, but how many Alecs do you know? Like Alex, Alec is a diminutive of Alexander and means “defender of men.” Alec is technically Greek, but it was more popular with the British.
Anders
This Scandinavian name means “brave and manly.” Definitely a good choice if you’re searching for a strong unusual boy name! I discovered Anders a few years ago while playing Dragon Age 2 and absolutely fell in love with it.
Atlas
Atlas, the Greek titan who bears the weight of the world on his shoulders. Or, if you’re a Colleen Hoover fan, Lily’s burdens 😉 Atlas is timeless, historically interesting, and beautiful.
Bane
Ready for a twist on the popular unisex name, Blain? Bane is a Slavic name that means “glorious defender.” A little ironic, considering Bane is a major villain in the Batman comics.
Bently
I’ll admit, it doesn’t get any more millennial than Bently. This name soared to the top 100 charts a couple years ago. Now its popularity has dipped again, making it a unique boy name that fairly oozes coolness. Bently is old English for “coarse meadow.”
Cade
Kaden is a pretty popular name right now, so let’s check out it’s lesser known cousin, Cade. This name is of German origin and means “barrel.”
Cash
Do you love Johnny Cash? Give the legend some tribute. Cash is actually old English for “maker of chests.”
Cedric
Cedric is a classic celtic name that is rare enough to be unique. It means “kindly” and “loved.”
Dante
Do you love ancient literature? Dante is just one of those super cool boy names that your kid will probably always thank you for.
Dax
Any name that has an “x” is pretty much considered a cool unusual baby name! Dax is actually a French name meaning “leader.”
Declan
This is a traditional Irish boy name that has lost its popularity in recent years. It took me a while to warm up to Declan, but once I discovered the meaning I fell in love: “Man of prayer.”
Isn’t that sweet?
Elyon
Speaking of prayer, do you love Biblical baby names but aren’t really into the popular ones like David and Michael? Elyon is a Hebrew name for God, literally meaning “Most High God.” This is not to be confused with Elion, which references the Greek sun god.
Emery
If you’re waiting until your baby is born to find out the general, Emery could be a good fit. It’s a unisex name of norman origin, meaning “industrious” or “power.”
Fenix
This is an alternate spelling for “phoenix,” which means “dark red.”
Finn
Finn has definitely grown in popularity over the last few years, but I think it still definitely qualifies as a cute unusual boy name. You can take Finn as a shortened version of the Irish name, Finley. Finley means “fair-haired courageous one.”
Heck yea!
Greyson
Greyson means “son of a grey-haired man.” I don’t know about your partner, but my husband prefers silver-fox 😉
Griffin
Name your son after a mythological beast! Griffin gains its roots from the Welsh and means “lord or prince.”
Haden
This anglo-Saxon name was used to describe families that lived on hill of hays.
Harlow
This is such a beautiful unisex name! Harlow is another English name, meaning “rocky hill.”
Huxley
Are you a literary buff? Name your boy after the infamous author of Brave New World, Aldous Huxley. Huck or Hux are really cool nicknames you can consider for Huxley!
Jax
This is definitely one of my favorite names on this list. I love Jax. It references the original name, Jackson, which means son of Jack. Alternatively, you could name your little guy Jacks, if you’re a fan of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series!
Jett
And now for my favorite name. If my husband and I have a son, I’m pretty sure this is going to be the one we choose. Jett is an English name for “stone.” However, if you look at its Hebrew origins, it can also mean “excellence” or “abundance”.
Julian
This is another unisex name with Latin origins. It means “young at heart.” Perfect for a bounding, energetic baby!
Kai
Kai is an incredibly diverse name. If taken by it’s Hawaiian origins, it means “sea.” The Japanese meaning is “shell.” The Scandinavian meaning is “keeper of the earth.” In any case, this name is rustic with earthy connections.
Khalid
Khalid is not quite an uncommon baby boy name, but it is unique enough to be on this list! Last year it ranked in the top 500 in the US. It is Arabic for “immortal.”
Kolt
Colt is a familiar name, so why not mix it up by adding a K? It references a young male horse.
Leif
Does your family have Old Norse roots? Leif is a rare boy name you might consider! It means “heir” or “descent.”
Lex
Here’s another shortened version of the name Alexander. I think this one sounds casual and cool.
Luc
This is the French version of the Hebrew name Luke. Luc means “light” or “illumination.”
Mack
Mack stems from the name Maximillian, which means “greatest.” It’s a Latin name with old, old roots.
Maverick
Admittedly, I have a feeling this name is about to get a lot more popular with the release of the movie, Top Gun: Maverick. Having said that, Maverick is a cool unusual boy name you don’t want to miss.
Niall
Neal is so 90s. Check out this traditional version of the Irish name. It means “champion.”
Nico
This is a rendition of the Greek name Nicolas, which means “victory of the people.”
Nolan
Believe it or not, Nolan is actually considered a unisex name. It’s of Irish origin and means “champion.”
Oakley
Another cool boy name inspired by a brand! Oakley is old English name that means “meadow of oak trees.” If you’d rather references the brand, it actually was named after James Jannard’s Irish Setter, Oakley Anne.
Orian
In my opinion, any name that is a constellation is automatically cool and unique. Orian is Greek for “rising in the sky.”
Oryn
If Orion is too much of an unusual boy name, consider Oryn. It’s an English name meaning “river.” Oryn is also considered a name with Hebrew origins and means “laurel or pine tree.”
Phelan
Phelan is a rare boy name indeed. This Irish name means “wolf.”
Pip
This name is so fun and it comes from timeless literary roots. Pip is the protagonist from Great Expectations. Although Pip is technically a nickname, it means “lover of horses.”
Remington
Ready for another natural boy name? Remington means “place on a riverbank.” Remy is the cutest nickname!
Rowan
Although very popular right now as a girl name, Rowan can be used for boys as well. It is a strong Irish name, meaning “red-haired.”
Ryle
Not to be confused with Rylee. Ryle is an English name that means “dweller of the rye field.” You might recognize this name from Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, It Ends with Us.
Saylor
A few celebrities have hopped on the Saylor train, but it’s still growing as a boy name. Saylor is German meaning, of course, “boat man.”
Skye
Do you think Viking blood runs in your veins? Check out Skye. It’s a unisex name meaning “island of clouds.”
Talbert
To be sure, one of the most unique baby boy names on this list, Talbert is French for “bright valley”. It also allows you to peruse the nickname Tal. Which is dang cute.
Taron
Taron is a Celtic name meaning, “earth man.” If you’re looking for celebrity inspiration, you might remember Taron Egerton from Rocket Man or Sing.
Thorn
Thorn is a strong unusual boy name that is both nature-inspired and cool.
Ty
Looking for a unique spin on a popular name? Ty is the shortened version of Tyler, which is an Old French name that means, “tiler.”
Ulric
This is a classic, powerful German name meaning “wolf.”
Uziel
If you’re looking for an unusual biblical name, Uziel is cool and not too weird. It’s Hebrew and means “strength” or “power.” Considering its namesake is an archangel, that’s totally appropriate.
Valen
This Latin unisex name is still rising in popularity for boys. It means “strong.”
Van
This simply means “of” and is usually attached to another name. Using Van by itself though? Very cool.
Vince
Here’s a shortened version of the Latin name Vincent, which means “conquering.” Technically, Vince is a come-back retro baby name, as it spiked in the 1950s.
Warner
I love this name! It means “army guard.”
Wells
What a cute nickname for Wellington. Or, if you just want to go with Wells, it means “well” or “spring.”
Wilder
I am here for Wilder. It’s the kind of name attached to an artist or famous author. Originally just a surname, now it has risen to the top 500 baby names. Wilder means “untamed” or “wild.”
Yale
I love the idea of naming your son after a significant place. Yale is considered a surname of Welsh origin, meaning “fertile ground.”
Yule
Are you going to have a Christmas baby? You could try the normal names like Noel or Nicholas, or you could use this uncommon boy name! Yule simply refers to the winter solstice.
Zade
I feel like anything that begins with a z is automatically a rare baby boy name! Zade is an Arabic name that means “prosperous.”
Zander
Let’s close out with yet another version of Alexander!
Still looking for cute unusual boy names?
Choosing “the” name for your little one is tough. It doesn’t matter if you’re a new mom or a seasoned mom of 7. Sometimes when you find it, you know. Other times, you won’t feel like its right until your baby actually gets here.
I recommend choosing 5 of your top baby names. Share that list with your partner and whittle it down to your top 3. Try out those names for a few days.
If things still don’t click, move on to the middle name. Usually the middle name is a little easier to decide on because there isn’t as much pressure attached.
My husband and I could not decide on our second daughter’s name until we decided on her middle name. Once we chose that, the first name just felt right.
I hope that helps!
If you’re still looking for cute and unusual boy names, check out my lists! As a writer, I love collecting baby names for future stories. Take advantage of my obsession! I recommend starting with thethree posts below.
Good luck!!
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