Transforming Top to Uncommon Boy Names
Parents’ desire to use uncommon boy names is relatively recent. Historically, sons were given family names passed down through generations, but over time, the emphasis has shifted from tradition to distinction. Many modern parents are seeking out boy names that make their sons stand out not only within the family, but among their peers.
It’s more than okay to go ahead and use a Top 100, even Top 10 name if that’s the one you love. (You do you!) But if you can’t bear the thought of your son going by Benjamin L. or Maverick P., you might want to search for an uncommon alternative.
We’ve taken the popular boy names of 2021 and matched them with their rarer counterparts. They’re paired based on style, sound, or origin — sometimes all three.
All of the uncommon boy names are below the official US Top 300 and given to fewer than 1000 baby boys in 2021, the last year on record.
Top Boy Names → Uncommon Boy Names
Liam → Leland
Noah → Joah
Oliver → Gulliver
Elijah → Uriah
James → Ames
William → Winston
Benjamin → Benedict
Lucas → Lucan
Henry → Harvey
Theodore → Isidore
Jack → Mack
Levi → Zevi
Alexander → Alistair
Jackson → Jenson
Mateo → Tadeo
Daniel → Dashiell
Michael → Makai
Mason → Miller
Sebastian → Augustus
Ethan → Eben
Top Boy Names → Uncommon Boy Names
Logan → Lorcan
Owen → Lowen
Samuel → Samson
Jacob → Jaco
Asher → Asa
Aiden → Alden
John → Jones
Joseph → Philip
Wyatt → Wilder
David → Desmond
Leo → Otto
Luke → Zuko
Julian → Julius
Hudson → Halston
Grayson → Wilson
Matthew → Matthias
Ezra → Ira
Gabriel → Abdiel
Carter → Carver
Isaac → Zaccai
Top Boy Names → Uncommon Boy Names
Jayden → Raiden
Luca → Rafa
Anthony → Anton
Dylan → Damon
Lincoln → Ford
Thomas → Thaddeus
Maverick → Titan
Elias → Amias
Josiah → Jonas
Charles → Charleston
Caleb → Calder
Christopher → Crispin
Ezekiel → Azriel
Miles → Wells
Jaxon → Maxon
Isaiah → Isaias
Andrew → Ambrose
Joshua → Elisha
Nathan → Lathan
Nolan → Flynn
Top Boy Names → Uncommon Boy Names
Adrian → Fabian
Cameron → Kiernan
Santiago → Santino
Eli → Ari
Aaron → Efron
Ryan → Ryland
Angel → Noel
Cooper → Kiefer
Waylon → Warren
Easton → Edison
Kai → Koa
Christian → Shepherd
Landon → Langston
Colton → Coleson
Roman → Milan
Axel → Onyx
Brooks → Briggs
Jonathan → Jotham
Robert → Albert
Jameson → Denison
Top Boy Names → Uncommon Boy Names
Ian → Eamon
Everett → Everest
Greyson → Greyden
Wesley → Wiley
Jeremiah → Jericho
Hunter → Fletcher
Leonardo → Leandro
Jordan → Riordan
Jose → Rey
Bennett → Hewitt
Silas → Cyrus
Nicholas → Nikolai
Parker → Parson
Beau → Rowe
Weston → Dutton
Austin → Autry
Connor → Conrad
Carson → Callahan
Dominic → Monico
Xavier → Zahavi