10 Greek Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Today is all about Greek names for boys, so lets get right to it! You know the drill.

Ajax- Ajax has two common associations: Ajax the Great and Ajax the cleaning product. If you can get past the latter, he is a strong and heroic Greek name, and a unique way to get to Jax.

Calix- Calix is one of the few male names that derived from a female one. In this case, he comes from Calixta, which means "most beautiful." If you're looking for a novel name featuring the letter "X," Calix is a wonderful option.

Castor- The ultimate astrology themed twinset? Castor and Pollux, obviously. They are the twins of the Gemini constellation. Castor is the more usable name of the two, especially in America. And if the oil association bothers you, just think--would it stop you from using Olive?

Ezio- Ezio is by far my favorite of today's list. He's pronounced EYH-tzee-oh, and is quite the hit in France. He means "eagle," making him the perfect name for a Greek-American.

Linus- Yep! Linus is a Greek name. If it weren't for the Peanuts association, Linus would be so darn popular (a la Silas, Elias and Jonas) that I wouldn't need to include him on this list. They seem to like him in Northern Europe though.

Nikos- A more handsome, contemporary version of Nick. Nikos feels much more Greek than the similar Nico, yet is still extremely wearable.

Osias- Is this some biblical name you've never heard of? Nope, though he sure sounds like it. Osias (also spelled Ozias) is right on trend, plus, he comes with the cool nickname Ozzie.

Pan- I love cute little short names, so yes, I'm falling for Pan. My only hesitation is that in America, where many people speak Spanish, he would literally mean "bread." Is that a deal breaker?

Ptolemy- The Pt- of Ptolemy might be hard for a kiddo to understand, but that's no reason not to use this name (I had trouble grasping the fact that a ph makes an "F" sound). The most famous Ptolemy (actually Claudius Ptolemy) was a jack of all trades, specializing in math, astronomy, poetry, and astrology.

Theon- Another name that appeals to mathematicians in Theon. He was a famous math teacher, and his daughter was the first female mathematician. He is also a character on Game of Thrones, if that's more your scene. Theon is similar enough to Theo so he feels familiar, yet different enough so he feels inventive.

10 N Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Noah was the man of the year, taking the title of "most popular name" away from Jacob. He's a very likable name, but not all parents are okay with the idea of using the Number One. That's where I come in. This list has some great N names (some very similar to Noah), that aren't even in the top 500.

Nacio- He's a short form of Ignacio, but sounds modern and fresh on his own.

Ned- Ned is a British nickname that more American parents should embrace. 

Niels- I'm a sucker for Scandinavian names (they're short, but they pack a punch!), and I think Niels is great. He's too close to Nell for me to put him on my list, but I encourage other people to do so.

Nigel- Ned not English enough for you? Try Nigel. He's a smart and quirky name that could potentially catch on with hipsters (I predict).

Nikos- I'm seventeen, and so many of the boys in my grade are named Nick. It has become dated. Nikos is a nice alternative.

Nino- Oh, Nino. Ever since watching Amelie, I've fallen in love with this name. He's so charming, but I'm not sure he would work on an American adult.

Noam- I did promise you names that were similar to Noah. Noam is cool and ages much better than Nino. Plus, you can decorate his nursery with gnomes!

Noble- He's a strong virtue name with tons of potential. Even if you don't love him as a first, imagine how awesome he'd be as a middle.

Noe- You could always just go with the first syllable of Noah. Noe is a very cool name in theory, though I think it could be a little confusing.

Noon- Noon is a spunky word name that would work well if it held significance. Perhaps his parents got engaged at noon, or he was born at 12:00 p.m. Then it would be cute.

Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2014 Boys

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Uninspired by the names in the top 1000? Looking for something particularly unusual? Consider one of the following names for your son--none of them were given to more than 204 boys last year (and some were only given to 5!) It's all after the jump.