15 Rare but Beautiful Boy Names

4 minutes

Are you looking for rare but beautiful boy names? We have many options. Read this article and you'll find the right one for your baby.

Reviewed and approved by the teacher Samanta Ruiz.

Written by Samanta Ruiz

Last update: 27 December, 2022

Some people like unusual things, so if you’re one of them and you’re expecting a baby, you’ll definitely want to take a look at this list of rare but beautiful baby boy names so you can pick one that’s great for your little one. The idea is to help you find an original name, but one that’s beautiful, musical, and that fits well with your little one’s last name.

On the site of the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, you can fill in some fields and find out how many people have a certain name, so you can see the most popular and the rarest ones.

Do you want to discover some of them? Then we invite you to take a look at this list we’ve prepared to help you in your search.

List of rare and very beautiful boy names

A baby announcement that reads "it's a boy".

Perhaps a more appropriate way to call them is “little known” or “unusual” names, but that doesn’t mean that they’re ugly, because, on the contrary, they’re all very beautiful. It’s just that they’re less chosen than popular or classic names, for now.

Adriel: of Hebrew origin meaning “flock or followers of God”. Its ancient roots go back to the Bible and refer to the “flock of God”. A name with a very special imprint.
Aiken: comes from Old English and means “made of oak trees”. The name also exists in the Mapuche language and translates into Spanish as “vida o vivir” (life or living). Undoubtedly, it conveys a lot of strength.
Aíto: if you like oriental culture, here’s a very nice Japanese name, as the prefix “ai” means “love”.
Ajax: of Greek origin, its meaning is strong warrior. In Homer’s Iliad, Ajax was a giant and powerful fighter.
Baker: one of the rare, but sweet and beautiful boy names. It comes from the Old English word “boeccure” which was what bakers were called.
Bastian: Dutch diminutive of Sebastian. This Latin name is a patronymic, as it referred to those who came from Sebastos, in Greece.
Bowie: comes from the Old English word “bygie” which was used to call the emblem of a city. If you love music, this could be a great weird name for your little one, a tribute to the talented and timeless David Bowie.
Caleb: comes from the Hebrew word “keleb” meaning “dog”. Perhaps it could be an allegory for the sweetness and innocence of your future child.
Janos: is one of the variants of John, which come from Hebrew. There’s also another form which is Janus, but it’s a god of Roman mythology.
Joel: name of Hebrew origin and of great significance, as it’s formed with Jah + he, so it’s interpreted as “God of God”. It’s a reminder that there is only one true God.
Killian: English form of the Irish “Cillian“, considered the diminutive of the Gaelic “Ceallach” which means “war or fight”. Undoubtedly a rare boy’s name, but beautiful and with character.
Madden: it comes from the Irish surname Ó Madain and the Welsh “madain” which means “little dog”. Loyalty and companionship are the virtues represented in this name.
Regis: has its origin in the Latin phrase “rex regis” which translates as “king of kings”. Like all your children, the little one with this regal title is destined to shine, even if his name is rare.
Uriel: is of Hebrew origin and is the name of one of the seven archangels. It means “God is my light” as it’s formed by the words uri (light) and he (God).
Xander: abbreviated form of Alexander, which comes from the Greek “Alexandros”. It’s formed by the word “alexein” which means “to defend” and “andros” which means man. If you’re looking for a name with great personality, here it is!

The trend for rare but beautiful boy names

The use of names follows certain trends and varies over time. According to a note in the newspaper La Vanguardia, many factors influence this process, such as historical circumstances, passing fashions, or cultural preferences:

“Male and female names are equal in their tendency to follow trends, something that’s especially noticeable when reviewing statistics and that allows us to deduce quite rationally in which decade a person was born”

Also, the themes for choosing names are changing, for example, when a successful Disney movie comes out, many parents name their children after its characters. There are also trends according to origin and in regard to themes such as literature or travel.

In recent years, rare but beautiful boy names have become “popular”. Many parents want to be original and have decided that they’ll name their children with a special word, which is distinctive and unforgettable.

We invite you to explore more, as you can also find a rare name in the lists by letter that we’ve published. Search the site as you have many options!