Unique Vintage Boy Names: Roscoe, Cosmo & Clive
Continuing our series on you-don’t-have-to-be-youneek-to-be-unique names, here are 25 unique vintage boy names that are hardly heard today.
Unlike vintage classics like William and James, most of these unique vintage boy names were in common use at one time but then slid into obscurity. See which ones you think are ripe for revival.
Unique Vintage Names for Boys
Alaric—An ancient regal name that sparks with electricity—more quirky and distinctive than Alfred or Frederic, it starred in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series and in The Vampire Diaries. Emeric is a similar possibility.
Aldous—Associated with Brave New World’s Aldous Huxley, more recently seen in Orphan Black, Aldous boasts the popular s-ending for boys
Ambrose—As rosy as Rosie, as amiable as Amelia, this early Latin name has loads of history, both religious and literary. A real winner among unique vintage boy names.
Art—Sure it’s familiar as a vintage nickname for Arthur, but there’s a lot more to Art. In Ireland it’s the stand-alone name of a pagan High King (probably why Chris O’Dowd chose it for his son), and of course it’s a culture-saturated word name as well.
Burl—A long lost nature name related to trees, Burl has a down-home feel, and was in the Top 1000 for 81 years, ranking as high as #381. A notable namesake: folk singer/Oscar-winning actor Burl Ives.
Clive—If you’re looking for a sleek and polished one-syllable name with a refined British accent and the charisma of Clive Owen—consider Clive.
Cosmo—A name with cosmic breadth and a stylish o-ending; as long as you can banish all thoughts of cocktails and Kramer.
Crispin—Harry Potter-related, crisp and curly-haired (its literal meaning), Crispin is now ranked #518 on Nameberry—always ahead of the crowd.
Cyprian—A rare and noble ancient Latin saint and Harry Potter name (such a treasure trove!) related to the island of Cyprus.
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Doyle—This friendly Irish surname, which hasn’t been heard from since 1980, was a well-used choice for about a hundred years, peaking at #195 in 1931. Doyle McCalister was a recurring character on Gilmore _Girls—_one of his few modern appearances. Could make a cool choice for Sherlock Holmes aficionados.
Eben—Most of us are not ready for Ebenezer, but short, stand-alone Eben has lots of appeal, it was as high as 528 in the 1880s but hasn’t been used much since then.
Esmond—An interesting alternative to Edmond or Desmond with a distinguished air and literary cred via Thackeray’s novel The History of Henry Esmond.
Eustace—The monocled New Yorker magazine symbol and, curiously, the middle name of both Ross on Friends and the female Paris on Gilmore Girls.
Florian—Shares the gentle floral quality of Flora and Florence, with solid saintly and literary cred (HP once more!). Number 55th ranking in Germany right now.
Garland—A generic floral name that isn’t primarily female: it was used for boys through the 1980s. Garland was a military name in Twin Peaks.
Giles—The G is pronounced as J in this single-syllable British aristo appellation; another one with lots of literary connections.
Green—Blue is now an accepted unisex name, as are many shades of green. And Green itself actually ranked on the popularity list for at least 32 past years, reaching as high as #254 in the 1880s.
Guthrie—Now that Arlo has taken off, how about surname Guthrie? It has a nice cowboyish feel, a la Wylie, and even hit the Top 1000 for one year, back in 1895.
Hardy—A name with a solid, strong yet spirited Hardy Boys image, Hardy fell off the list in 1960, but in this era of word names, deserves a new look. British fashion designer Hardy Amies (born Edwin), official dressmaker to the Queen, was its most notable bearer.
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Ignatius—The ancient Roman name of several saints, it was used in the US in the early decades of the 20th century, primarily by religious families. Actresses Cate Blanchette and Julianne Nicholson both chose it for their sons; and if you’re wondering about Iggy Pop and Iggy Azalea, he was born with the name James, while she grew up with jewel name Amethyst.
Ives—A cool single-syllable surname with lots of cultural cred, via composer Charles Ives, singer Burl (see above), and James Merritt Ives, half of the renowned Currier & Ives printmaking duo.
Jennings—Looking for a distinguished but unusual surname ending in ‘s’? This one, which ranked at #244 in 1897 (the William Jennings Bryan influence) could make a neat namesake for a Grandma Jenny.
Morley—A pleasant surname name that has never ranked. Now that Marley has gone to the girls, this could make a nice boy option. It was long associated with _60 Minutes’_s Morley Safer.
Roscoe –If you’re looking for a forgotten o-sound-ending name, Roscoe may be your boy. It’s got a slightly quirky but warm and friendly feel. Once a Top 200 name, it’s now given to fewer than 75 boys a year.
Teddy—Yes, I know Theo is the current nickname du jour for Theodore, but there’s something so irresistibly warm and cuddly about Teddy. Used on its own in the US until the early 1990s (peaking at 239 in 1933), its one of the enthusiastically revived nicknames in England and Wales—now at #42! And don’t forget those admirable Roosevelt and Kennedy namesakes.