43 Cool and Unique Baby Boy Names You Haven’t Thought Of (2024)

Emma Singer

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This Norse name means “deer wood,” so it’s safe to say this guy’s an adventurer. Baby pickaxe, anyone?

2. Milo

Old-fashioned and quaint, without feeling twee or overdone—this moniker has ties to the Old Germanic name Miles and dual meanings of “soldier” and “merciful.”

3. Harry

This classic name of Germanic origin means “home ruler.” Bonus points if he wears big tortoiseshell glasses to match those big britches.

4. Finn

Irish in origin and contemporary in nature—this one has casual-cool vibes and a meaning of “fair.”

This Scandinavian name meaning “brave and manly” is undeniably cool…just like your favorite Ikea table.

6. Ellis

Here, a Welsh name that means “kind and benevolent.” And given the connection to the namesake island, it’s safe to say this kid is going places and making friends along the way.

7. Ansel

As in Adams. This one has German and English origins, and a meaning of “God’s protection.”

8. Linus

In addition to being a beloved Peanuts character, this name meaning “flax” has Greek origins and mythological ties. (It’s a rather tragic story, naturally, but the boy had musical talent.)

9. Colson

Funny, erudite and oh-so-sophisticated—this name has Old French, Middle English and Greek origins, plus a fierce meaning of “people of victory.”

Atlas is a name of Greek origin with a meaning of “to carry” and corresponding mythological significance. Hopefully he’ll travel the world one day instead of bearing the weight of it.

11. Archer

An alternative to Hunter or Walker with Latin origins and a pretty obvious meaning of “bowman.”

12. Ollie

Shortened from Oliver, of course, with a meaning of “olive tree” that suggests a future peacemaker.

13. Otto

This masculine name meaning “wealthy” has Germanic origins and ‘always happy’ vibes.

14. Murphy

Or “The Murph,” as he’ll forever be known—this name of Gaelic origin is also a common surname in Ireland. It means “sea warrior.”

This name of French and Norman origin means “son of,” so it’s pretty apt for your soon-to-be baby boy.

16. Dax

Dax has French origins and a strong meaning of “leader.” Also, does Harley make a Big Wheel?

17. Feliz

A famous animated cat and a name of Latin origin with an auspicious meaning of “lucky” and “happy.”

18. Kai

This gender-neutral name of Welsh origin has caught on all over the world. It means “keeper of the keys” and “earth.”

19. Ezra

This name of Hebrew origin has strong biblical ties (there’s a whole book named after him) and a sweet meaning of “helper.”

Another name of Hebrew origin—Asher means “happy” and “blessed.”

21. Dante

Dante is a name of Latin origin that means “steadfast.” It’s melodic, fun-to-say and belonged to the literary genius who wrote The Divine Comedy.

22. Roman

This name of Latin origin has a meaning we probably don’t need to explain.

23. Pike

This unique name of English and American origin has badass vibes to match its fierce meaning of “spear.”

24. Conan

Conan is a name of Irish origin with multiple meanings that include “hound,” “wolf” and “high.” (And also “best ever late night comedian.”)

Troy is a strong name of Irish origin that means “foot soldier.”

26. Ryder

This name of Old English origin means “horseman” or “rider” and boasts playful, friendly vibes.

27. Ivan

Ivan is a sophisticated masculine name of Slavic, Russian and Hebrew origin. It means “God is gracious.”

28. Rocket

This unconventional American moniker is just right for a kid with lots of energy and personality to spare.

29. Marley

This gender-neutral British name meaning “marshy meadow” has strong ties to a certain reggae singer and corresponding, peaceful vibes.

Late actor River Phoenix made this name of British origin famous. Give it to a boy who always goes with the flow.

31. Guy

This name of French origin meaning “guide” and “leader” has retro appeal and some starpower behind it (think: Guy Fieri and Guy Ritchie).

32. Xander

A shortened version of the Greek name Alexander—this one boasts a decidedly cool spelling and a fierce meaning of “defender of humankind.”

33. Ward

Traditionally an occupational English surname, this one-syllable moniker has a casual-cool sound and a meaning of “guard.”

34. Micah

A fresh take on Michael—this sweet and gentle masculine moniker has Hebrew origins and a meaning of “who is like God?”

Bowie has Scottish origins, a meaning of “blonde” or “yellow-haired” and an undisputed reputation for being cool, thanks to the Thin White Duke (aka David Bowie).

36. Silas

Nature lovers will appreciate this soft and melodic name of Latin origin. It means “forest” or “woods.”

37. Rhett

A one-syllable moniker that packs a punch—this one has Latin roots and a meaning of “to speak.”

38. Bodhi

This Sanskrit name has strong ties to the Buddhist tradition and an inspiring spiritual meaning of “enlightenment” or “awakening.”

39. Tal

Here, the surname of one of the coolest world chess champions of all time and a short, sweet given name of Hebrew origin that means “rain” or “dew.”

This name of Latin origin meaning “one” or “leader” predicts a badass Blackjack player and pairs well with a wink and a nod.

41. Malik

Malik is an Arabic name with a meaning that matches its strong and powerful sound: “king.”

42. Bastian

A shortened version of Sebastian with a punchier sound, this one means “sublime” and “adorable.” (Fitting, no?)

43. Lee

This gender neutral name of English origin means “clearing in the woods,” but we’re just getting ‘old school cool.’

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Jillian Quint is the Editor-in-Chief of PureWow, where she oversees the editorial staff and all the fabulous content you read every day. Jillian began her career as a book editor...

Freelance PureWow Editor

Emma Singer is a freelance contributing editor and writer at PureWow who has over 7 years of professional proofreading, copyediting and writing experience. At PureWow, she covers...