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.

Full Names for Nick

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Nick is a name of the nineties. He's most commonly used as a nickname for Nicholas, which maintained a steady popularity of 6 from 1995 until 2002. He's now at #54 and falling. However, Nicholas hasn't been out of the top 200 since 1881. That means he's a classic in every way, shape, and form, even if we don't think of him as one. If you're dying to use Nick, but aren't a fan of Nicholas, I have some other options listed here that will get you to him.

Benicio- Benicio may be pronounced (ben-EE-see-oh), but that doesn't mean you can't use Nick as a nickname. He gives Nick some Latin flavor.

Dominic- Dominic is as popular as ever, and arguably the most trendy name on this list. He sits at #69, down a spot from 2013's #68. Mario Lopez's son Dominic goes by Nico, but Nick works just as well.

Finnick- Finnick is an English name made popular by the book and movie series The Hunger Games. Hardcore fans of the books are a little young to be having chidren, but could we see a rise in Finnicks in the near future?

Monico- Rarely does it happen that a male name is derived from a female name. But so it is with Monico. He's the male version of Monica, a '70s staple. Monico is undoubtedly more modern than his female counterpart, and Nick (or the simpler Nic) makes a wonderful nickname.

Nicasio- Nicasio is a Spanish form of Nicholas, with a powerful meaning--"victory." He's an exotic yet wearable option for an American baby.

Nicholas- You can never go wrong with a classic.

Nichols- Nichols (and alternate spelling Nicholes) are almost unheard of as first names in the United States, but are fairly common surnames. Unlike Nicole, the emphasis is put on the first syllable.

Nicholson- Nicholson is quite a name, and most people would assume you named your son after Jack. But if you call him Nick, this is not a very significant problem.

Nicolai- Nicolai, while only ranking at #2020, is at his highest popularity ever in the United States. He's very dashing, and an easy alternative to Nicholas.

Nicolo- Nicolo is Italy's answer to Nicholas, and lends himself more to Nico rather than Nick. Nick is still a more than usable nickname though.

Nikhil- This Sanskrit name had a brief run in the U.S. top 1000, charting from 1997 to 2009. At his peak he was #818. Nihkil is a lovely choice for Indian-Americans who like Nick (or Nik).

Yannick- I first came across Yannick when I was researching for this post, and ever since then, I can't stop thinking about him. He makes a truly unique way to get to Nick.

Full Names for Nikki, etc.

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These days, Nikki was most likely your friend's childhood nickname (or if you're my age, your mom's childhood nickname). In fact, the little girls with names on this list are probably Nico or Colette. We still see Nikki around, even on younger generations. One such Nikki won the most recent season of The Bachelor. So whether you want to call your daughter Nikki, Nico, Colette, Coco, or the like, I have come up with some names you should consider.

Expected:
Nicole- She sounds very dated now.
Nicolette- I think this is a good choice, my only hesitation is that is sounds like Nicorette.
Veronica- Veronica sounds slightly dated, but that gives her charm. Ready for revival.

Unique:
Monica- Another dated one, but less so if you call her Nico.
Nicola- A fresh way to honor a Nicole.
Nicolina- A fanciful elaboration.
Nicoline- I would go with Nicolina

Unheard of:
Danica- She has two great namesakes, Danica Patrick and Danica McKellar.
Nika- Sweet and spunky. She doesn't need a nickname.
Nikita- She comes with bonus nickname Kiki.
Nikolia- This Greek name would be a great choice for families looking to honor a Nicole as well as their heritage.

25 Days of Christmas: Nicholas

The next installment in our 25 Days of Christmas series is Nicholas. Nicholas is a Greek name meaning "people of victory." He is currently ranked at #42, but peaked in the mid-nineties at #6. He is considered a classic by many, Nicholas has been in the top 200 ever since the 1880s (when they started taking name data.)

Nicholas has many great nicknames, ranging from the classic Cole, Colin, Nick, or Nicky, to the on-trend Nico. Some famous Nicholas' include Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, and Nicolas Sparks, the author.

Nicholas is great for a baby born any month of the year. His ties to "Saint Nick" could help make a subtle themed sib set. Nicholas is a well-regarded classic, he would make a great choice for a holiday baby boy.

Unisex Names: The Ones I Prefer for Boys

Unisex names I prefer for boys: Tyler, Charlie, Brady, Alex, Finley, Jaden, Mason, Nico, Micah, Phoenix, Rowan, Sam, Toby, Tony.