Stylish Choices Outside the Top 1000: 2015 Boys

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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.

10 German Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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We're on to German names for boys today--a real favorite of mine. What are your favorite German names? Tell me below.

Alaric- For those of you looking for a robust, masculine name, put Alaric on your list. He means "all powerful ruler," and has ties to ancient kings.

Ansel- With teen heartthrob Ansel Elgort making his way into the mainsteam, are we going to see more baby Ansels? My guess is yes. People are loving softer names for boys lately, and Ansel is just that.

Arno- The strong, sophisticated Arno has never been that popular (he peaked in 1897 at #728), but could be become so? The generation of children who grew up watching Hey Arnold! are transitioning into parenthood--might they be inspired to drop off the last two letters?

Benno- Ooh, I adore Benno! He's a swankier version of the much overused Ben, and a great pan-European choice.

Fritz- Fritz is another one of my favorites--he goes on and off my short list constantly. He can be used as a nickname for Frederick or on his own (we all know which I prefer). Fritz is downright spunky--I predict we will be seeing more of him in the coming years.

Humphrey- The big question here: is Humphrey a dog name? The short answer is yes. Currently, you will meet a lot more dogs than humans with the name Humphrey. But I have a theory (and I know I've explained this before) that the dog names we choose are just ahead of the curve for humans. In a couple years, we'll all be on board with Humphrey. Trust me.

Ivo- I'm a big fan of the short, unique name, and Ivo definitely falls into that category. He's gentler than Ivor, and more modern than Ivan. Ivo's an all around great choice.

Rainer- Nowadays, Rain has gone completely to the girls. If you're disappointed by this, I suggest you take a look at Rainer. He blends nature and surname-style perfectly.

Romer- It'll take a few generations for Homer to be usable again, but in the mean time, how about Romer? He gets bonus points for the unisex nickname Romy.

Till- This contemporary nickname is all over the place in Germany. He's in the top 100 on his own, but was commonly used as a short form of Dietrich or Theodoric in the past.

10 A Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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Last week we talked about unusual A names for girls, and now it's time for the boys. The boys names in this series will be slightly different than the girls. Due to the lack of variety of boys names, some of the ones listed are in the top 1000. However, they are all below 500. Take a look, and tell me if you'd consider any of them for your own child.


Alaric- Alaric sounds cool, calm, and collected, traits you might want to give to a son.

Alban- Has that popular -an ending. Spell it Alben, and he's another way to get to Ben.

Ansel- I was inspired by my ACT passage on Ansel Adams to put this one on the list. It sounds slightly feminine, but there's an obvious connection, so he wouldn't get confused for a girl.

Anton- Joanna Goddard's baby is named Anton, and it wears very well. I wasn't too keen on it before, but seeing it on an actual baby made me see how useable Anton is.

Argo- Yeah, there's the movie, but Argo would make a fun name for a son. I would wait a few years, until people forget about the movie's catchphrase though.

Arlo- Arlo is Argo's softer, safer cousin. Plus, he fits in with rising names like Marlowe and Harlow.

Asa- Actor Asa Butterfield brought his name back into the spotlight. Even so, some people will think it's a girl name, a la Ava and Ana.

Axton- There's Paxton, Maxton, Braxton, and Jaxton, why not Axton? He's not my favorite name in the world, but he's a good option for parents looking for a name that's unique with trendy sounds.

Aza- Spices up Asa.

Azriel- This Hebrew name is a cool alternative to the overused Gabriel.