10 Armenian Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Kyle Steed via Dribbble

Back for round two of Armenian names! It's the boys' turn this week, and I've got a great list of names today (many that you've probably never even heard of). So let's get right to it! Tell me in the comments: What's your favorite Armenian name for a boy?

Armen- Armen is a handsome name that has roots in both Armenia and Russia. In Russia he is a variant of the names Armand and Herman, but in Armenia, he comes from the name of the country.

Haro- Haro is a multicultural surname name that's more popular in Armenia as a first. Not much information is known about the Armenian form, but he may come from Harout, which in turn is derived from Harutyun.

Levon- Impeccably stylish Levon should be all the rage right now, but instead he's an under-the-radar choice. Blogger Petite Biet has a son named Levon. If you name your son Levon, he will share his name with Armenian royalty and an Elton John song.

Narek- Narek comes from the name of an Armenian town which nowadays falls in modern Turkey. The name is sometimes translated as Nareg in Western Armenia, but I think most American parents will prefer the former.

Ohan- Ohan is the Armenian form of John. He'd be the perfect choice for an Armenian-American boy--Ohan has a modern sound and is fresh to American ears, yet has old-world Armenian roots. How perfect!

Sahak- Do you love Isaac? It's hard not to. He's an undisputably great name, but that leads to high rankings (Isaac is at #31). However, Sahak--Isaac's Armenian variation--is practically unheard of in the US. He shares all the same sounds with his Hebrew cousin, but not the popularity. That makes Sahak an A+ choice.

Sourin- Although the two are unrelated, Armenian Sourin is very similar to Scandinavian Soren. The latter is quite trendy right now, making Sourin a good alternative. Unlike Soren, Sourin's pronunciation puts the stress on the second syllable. 

Sufjan- You may have heard of Sufjan Stevens, the American folk hipster rocker, but I bet you didn't know his name was Armenian. Sufjan is actually a variant of Sufyan, which is also used in Arabic culture. Either spelling is usable for a baby boy.

Toros- Toros is the Armenian form of Theodore, although he may remind people of the Spanish word for bull, "toro." He may be confused for Taurus (not coincidentally the constellation of the bull). If you prefer classic names with unusual nicknames, you can call your little Theodore--or Thelonius--Toros.

Zako- Zack may be out of fashion, but Zako feels energetic and fresh. He's an Armenian name, as well as a Hungarian version of Zachariah. He works as both a full name and a nickname, so take your pick!

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2015 Boys

via Studio MPLS

It can feel almost impossible to find a unique, uncommon name for a boy. But trust me, not everyone gives their son a name in the top 20, and there are some wonderful options out there if you want a name on the less popular side. I've culled the beyond the top 1000 list (so you don't have to) and picked out some of the best underused names, with between 202 and 5 uses. Last year's list is here--click over the jump to view this year's.

Celebrity Baby Name Predictions: Volume 31

I’ve been the Name Guru to the Stars for a while now—long enough that I’m predicting the names for siblings of the babies I once made predictions for.

Months ago, I forecasted the names of Michael Phelps, Alanis Morissette, Lauren Conrad, Miranda Kerr, and Daphne Oz’s children (none were exactly right, but many were close!). Now all five of them have announced that they are expanding their families, and I get to make predictions for them all over again.

We have some new (to me) faces this month as well. Chance the Rapper will welcome his second daughter this Fall, Christina and Ant Anstead are expecting their first child together, and Tamron Hall is pregnant with her first child.

This group of celebrities has a wide range of styles, from shared initials to fancifully feminine girl names to word names. I can’t wait to hear what they all pick! While we wait, take a look at my choices, and tell me yours in the comments.

Kirsten Bennett and Chance the Rapper

Gender: girl

Siblings: Kensli

Kensli is a modern name—an invention based off of Kinsley—that feels very appropriate on a baby girl born in this decade. It’s the name Chance the Rapper and his wife Kirsten gave their now three-year-old daughter. They’re expecting another girl this September and I think her name will be something similarly on-trend and evocative of 2019 style. Perhaps one of the following:
Girl: Adalynn, Arielle, Avia, Brielle, Hadley, Hayven, Kaya, London, Peyton, Sierra

Nicole and Michael Phelps

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Boomer Robert, Beckett Richard

Two siblings with a shared first initial is sometimes (but not always) indicative of a third. In this case, Nicole and Michael Phelps’s sons shared the same first and middle initials, which makes me think this is a pattern. If it’s a boy, I’d wager we’re going to see another baby B.R. As for a girl, I’m less certain, but I gave plenty of B options should her name match her brothers’.
Girl: Billie, Blake, Blue, Bree, Brielle, Brynn, Everly, Finley, Harlow, Rowan

Boy: Beau, Blaise, Bodhi, Bowie, Breaker, Brody, Brogan, Dashiell, Flynn, Sawyer

Alanis Morissette and Mario Treadway

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Ever Imre (b), Onyx Solace (g)

Alanis Morissette loves cool word names, so I’m excited to hear what she chooses for her third baby. Names like Poet, Story, and True have been popular among celebrities lately, but I could also see she and husband Mario Treadway going with something a bit more obscure—Secret, Tarot, or Thorn, maybe.
Girl: Dove, Echo, Essex, Hero, Moon, Poet, Sable, Secret, Story, Winter

Boy: Haze, Jet, Loyal, Mars, Noble, Quill, Tarot, Thorn, True, Zephyr

Lauren Conrad and William Tell

Gender: unknown

Siblings: William “Liam” James

Lifestyle maven and former actress Lauren Conrad named her son after his father, although Liam is not a junior. His middle name, James, comes from Lauren’s side of the family. Lauren and William’s second child will likely have a name with honorific significance as well. If it’s a girl, I’d bet Katherine will show up in either the first or middle spot—it’s Lauren’s middle name and her mother’s first name.

Girl: Alice, Cecilia, Eloise, Emma, Evelyn, Genevieve, Katherine, Nora, Violet, Vivian

Boy: Carter, Cole, Eli, Grant, Henry, Jude, Nolan, Oliver, Owen, Theo

Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Flynn, Hart

With sons named Flynn and Hart, odds are we’re going to see a modern, tailored name for Miranda Kerr’s third child. I could see she and Evan Spiegel going for something a bit softer and more feminine for a girl, while still sticking to names two syllables or under. If their baby is a boy, my favorite options for Flynn and Hart’s brother are Bram or Soren.
Girl: Ada, Arden, Etta, Faye, Ivy, Maeve, Maude, Pearl, Willa, Wren

Boy: Bram, Crane, Fox, Grey, Jude, Kit, Levon, Miles, Rhys, Soren

Daphne Oz and John Jovanovic

Gender: girl

Siblings: Philomena Bijou, Jovan Jr., Domenica Celine

Daphne Oz and John Jovanovic love long, romantic names for girls, so I was very excited to hear they’re expecting another daughter. There are so many names that would be great with this sibset, but I narrowed my list down to ten. I’m hoping Daphne and John choose something on the fringes (how fun would a baby Sophronia or Clemencia be?) but even a more mainstream name like Augustina or Olympia would be lovely with Philomena and Domenica.
Girl: Antonina, Augustina, Clemencia, Cressida, Delphine, Fabiana, Isabeau, Olympia, Sophronia, Theodosia

Christina and Ant Anstead

Gender: unknown

Siblings: Amelie, Archer, Taylor Reese, Brayden James (previous relationships)

Television personalities Christina (formerly El Moussa) and Ant Anstead are expecting their first child together. They each have children from previous marriages—Ant’s are preteens, while Christina’s are much younger. Their names are quite different as well. Ant’s children Amelie and Archer have names that fit with their British roots. Christina’s son and daughter Brayden and Taylor have names that are decidedly American. Considering Christina’s children are younger and the rising popularity of “American” style names in England, I think Ant and Christina’s child will have names that feel more like Taylor and Brayden.

Girl: Addison, Charlie, Emerson, Kinsley, Kendall, Paisley, Peyton, Piper, Skyler, Sydney

Boy: Dawson, Drew, Easton, Jameson, Jax, Kyler, Landon, Logan, Reed, Rylan

Tamron Hall and Steven Greener

Gender: unknown

Siblings: none

Tamron Hall and Steve Greener will be welcoming their first child any day now. The couple are older and lead very private lives—two factors which lead me to believe they will give their son or daughter a more subdued name with broad appeal. We will find out soon enough! Until then, take a look at my top picks for Tamron and Steven:
Girl: Clara, Eliza, Ella, Josie, Lila, Madelyn, Maya, Olivia, Sadie, Tessa

Boy: Charlie, Elliott, Henry, Holden, Isaac, Levi, Miles, Theodore, Wesley, William
*Update* It's a boy—Moses!