for a starting with
Here the picker only draws from the rare boy names in our list: real names, already given in the United States, that do not appear in the 2025 top 100. Press More names or the space bar for a new set of ten, keep the ones you like with the heart, and once you have two or more, the Name duel helps you choose.
The list leans classical: 15 names come from Latin and 14 from Greek. There are heroes of myth and epic, like Achilles, Evander, Leander, Nestor and Ulysses; old Germanic and English names with a scholarly feel, like Alaric, Conrad, Edmund, Rupert and Wendell; names with a quiet, saintly gravity, like Ambrose, Benedict, Octavian and Quentin; and short Celtic names that punch above their length, like Rhys, Flynn, Lorcan and Cormac. A handful travel from further away and still read easily in English: Arjun and Rohan, Kaito, Kofi, Anders and Soren.
Many rare boy names hide a friendly everyday nickname. Barnaby can be Barney, Thaddeus can be Tad, Leander can be Lee, and Benedict can be Ben, one of the most familiar short names there is. If you love a long, formal name but worry it is a lot for a toddler, check that the nickname it will almost certainly get is one you like too.
Think about pronunciation as well. Rhys sounds like “reese” and Lorcan has the stress on the first syllable. If you will be correcting teachers on day one, that is fine, as long as you choose it knowingly.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Abram | Hebrew | Exalted father |
| Achilles | Greek | |
| Alaric | Germanic | Ruler of all |
| Alistair | Greek | Defender of the people |
| Alonso | Germanic | Noble and ready |
| Ambrose | Greek | Immortal |
| Anders | Greek | Manly, brave |
| Ansel | Germanic | Divine helmet, god's protection |
| Arjun | Sanskrit | Bright, shining |
| Asa | Hebrew | Healer |
| Aurelio | Latin | Golden |
| Barnaby | Aramaic | Son of consolation |
| Basil | Greek | Royal, kingly |
| Bastian | Greek | Venerable, revered |
| Benedict | Latin | Blessed |
| Bram | Hebrew | Father of many (from Abraham) |
| Caspian | ||
| Conrad | Germanic | Bold counsel |
| Cormac | Celtic | |
| Cosmo | Greek | Order, universe |
| Dorian | Greek | Of the Dorian people |
| Edmund | English | Wealthy protector |
| Ellery | English | |
| Emil | Latin | |
| Ephraim | Hebrew | Fruitful |
| Evander | Greek | Good man |
| Fletcher | English | Arrow maker |
| Florian | Latin | Flowering, flourishing |
| Flynn | Celtic | Son of the red-haired one |
| Hollis | English | Near the holly trees |
| Hugh | Germanic | Mind, heart |
| Ignacio | Latin | |
| Ivo | Germanic | Yew tree |
| Jules | Latin | |
| Kaito | Japanese | |
| Kofi | African | Born on a Friday |
| Leander | Greek | Lion man |
| Leif | Norse | Heir, descendant |
| Linden | English | Linden tree |
| Linus | Greek | Flax |
| Lorcan | Celtic | Little fierce one |
| Lysander | Greek | Liberator |
| Magnus | Latin | Great |
| Marius | Latin | |
| Massimo | Latin | The greatest |
| Nestor | Greek | Homecoming |
| Octavian | Latin | Eighth |
| Oren | Hebrew | Pine tree |
| Percival | French | |
| Quentin | Latin | Fifth |
| Rhys | Celtic | Ardor, enthusiasm |
| Rohan | Sanskrit | Ascending |
| Rupert | Germanic | Bright fame |
| Soren | Latin | Stern, serious |
| Sylvan | Latin | Of the forest |
| Thaddeus | Aramaic | |
| Ulysses | Latin | |
| Valentin | Latin | Strong, healthy |
| Wendell | Germanic | Wanderer |
| Zephyr | Greek | West wind |
Source: Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names, births in 2025.
Pick Inspire me, Top 10, Hidden gems, 10 at random or Top 100. Then tap the filters to set girl or boy, the country and a first letter.
Tap the heart on a name you like. It goes into Your favorites, saved in this browser.
Open the Name duel and pick one of two favorites each time until one name wins. Or press Copy favorites to share your list.
We build tools that are as simple and intuitive as possible, with a few bonuses here and there. Tell us what would make this one better.
The ones everyone already knows how to say: Conrad, Hugh, Quentin, Magnus, Emil or Jules, for example. Few babies receive them today, yet none of them sounds strange.
Yes. Each set of ten is drawn with your browser’s cryptographic random generator, and names you have already seen stay out until you have gone through the whole list.
Because it is not in the 2025 top 100 for boys. It may sound familiar from books or other countries, but very few American babies receive it.
On the rare girl names page, built the same way: real names, outside the top 100.
Yes. It is free, funded by advertising, with no account and no app to install.
0
Help us build the best random tools on the web
An idea, a bug, a wish? Write it here, it lands straight in our inbox.
Thank you! Your mail app opens with your message.
Listening…
Languages
More tools
Your favorites
Which one do you prefer?
Pick one each time. The last name standing wins.
And the winner is