Rare, Historical, & Unusual Boy Names You Haven’t Heard Lately

Looking for an off-the-beaten path, unusual boy name for your new little guy? These names are pulled straight from history – my own family tree, in fact! These unique and intriguing names and not only rare, they are sure to make your little man stand out from the crowd.

As you peer back into time, you find a long list of boys named James, John, or Charles – but what are some more distinctive, memorable, and perhaps even unusual baby boy names? Here’s a line-up of 10 unique, masculine names pulled straight from the pages of history. Bet you haven’t heard most of these in awhile!

Rare, Historical, & Unusual Boy Names

Unusual Boy Names #1: HERMAN

The name Herman in an Old Germanic name with the roots literally meaning army + man, or military man. In other words, this intriguing name means soldier and signifies a child who will be strong. In Italian and Spanish the name is written Armando, and it is easy to see how the words armata and armed forces relate to this strong, masculine name.

Unusual Boy Names #2: THORNTON

This Old English name is formed from a combination of thorn, as in thorn bushes, and ton as in town. Put the two together and you get Thornton. There are many towns named Thornton throughout England and Scotland, making this the perfect boy name choice if you desire to highlight your English or Scottish heritage.

Unusual Boy Names #3: DEMPSEY

Dempsey is an unusual boy’s name from Irish and Gaelic origins. It comes from the Irish adjective díomasach, meaning proud. This name was popular in the early 1900s and is ripe for a revival!

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Unusual Boy Names #4: BUMPASS

The fascinating name Bumpass comes from French origins bon pas meaning good step. It was later adopted as an Anglo-Saxon name and it is also the name of a city today in Virginia.

Unusual Boy Names #5: RANSOM

It doesn’t take much digging to uncover the meaning of the name Ransom as this name means exactly what it says – the money paid in return for someone’s release. Hence, this unique English name brings with it connotations of rescue and deliverance.

Unusual Boy Names #6: CECIL

Anyone looking for a name for their sixth child? The name Cecil is an old-fashioned Welsh name from the word seissylt meaning the sixth. Others say the name comes from the Latin word caecus meaning blind. Either way, this solid name was common as far back as the Middle Ages.

Unusual Boy Names #7: EZRA

Ezra is a biblical name after the Hebrew prophet Ezra in the 5th century BC who returned home to Jerusalem after the Exile to help rebuild the Temple of God. Fittingly, then, Ezra means help or aid.

Unusual Boy Names #8: MARCELLUS

The name Marcellus was originally derived from the Romans as a child dedicated to the Roman god Mars. It later became popular in France with the meaning of young warrior or hammer. It is another strong, masculine name.

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Unusual Boy Names #9: MUNGO

Mungo is a Scottish Gaelic endearing name meaning my dear or my pet. In other words, this is a name given to a much loved child or used as a nickname. In fact, it is used even today as the nickname for Saint Kentigern, Patron Saint of Glasgow.

Unusual Boy Names #10: Your maiden name

Yep, you read that right – your own maiden name. As I explored my family tree, I quickly realized a trend that many women memorialized their maiden surnames by giving them as first names or middle names to their sons. That’s exactly how I ended up with one ancestor claiming the name of Topham. Other names on this list such as Bumpass and Thornton probably originated from maiden surnames as well. Just as many fathers named their sons after themselves and called them junior, many mothers pass on on their own maiden names to their sons to preserve their family heritage, too.

Search Your Own Family Tree

Combing through your own family tree is a fun and exciting way to find unique, unusual baby boy names. You’re sure to find a few gems tucked in amongst all the classic and traditional boys names. If you’re not sure of the names of any of your ancestors, try asking around within your extended family or take a few moments to trace your family tree online – it’s free with sites like FamilySearch and easier than you think.

With one of these unusual boy names, your little man is sure to be the only one of that name in his class and will stand out from all the rest!

Looking for baby girl names? Check out these classic girl names or unusual, unique girl names for your little one.