Strong Unusual Boy Names

Rock definitely has a macho image, if a somewhat caricatured one, ala The Rock. But with the rise of word names and also of tough guy names, Rock feels more plausible than it did a generation ago.

Drummer entered the baby name lexicon thanks to blogger No Big Dill, who chose it for her newborn son, who joins five older sisters. Drummer is right in step with other occupational names in vogue now, from Archer to Gardener. Let's just hope Drummer doesn't prefer to play the piano.

Also a synonym for the Hebrew month of Iyar, which usuually falls in May, would work and play well with others like Zev and Lev.

Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R, you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and Racer) to your list.

Decidedly offbeat name that combines jauntiness with that uber-cool X, and would certainly set your son up for life outside the mainstream.

Weapon-related names like Saber have been on the rise in recent years. In 2014, ten baby boys in the US were named Saber and five Sabre. The name may also relate to the Arabic Sabir, though to contemporary English-speakers, the reference will more likely be the sword.

Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.

Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds. Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color barrier by hiring Jackie Robinson for the Dodgers. Like Leaf, Branch makes a nice, not-so-obvious, addition to the tree category.

Fleet is one of the uncountable number of new word name possibilities, and a particularly cool choice at that. Connoting speed, Fleet beats Rush any day. Might be short for Fleetwood, but we prefer it on its own.

A mostly undiscovered alternative to the ultra-popular Colton; just 80 baby boys were named Coleson in 2016. It's also a surname name in its own right.

Last name occasionally used as a first, can be seen as a Lance Armstrong athlete-hero name.

A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning.

An Asian name that would be easily understood in this country.

This British river name sounds sleek and strong but perhaps a bit too energetic.

The vast plateau in central India makes an intriguing first name, similar to the better-known Irish Declan.

Alaska is a state name that's gaining a following, along with Montana and Dakota. While it was used exclusively for girls in the 2020 US name statistics, there's no reason it can't work just as well for boys.

Geraud, as with many French variations of familiar names, makes the somewhat old-fashioned Gerard sound fresh and dashing. It's pronounced as if it ended with o, another trendy factor, though many English speakers may not get that.

This Old Welsh name associated with blacksmiths has never caught on, but it has the right two-syllable occupational feel to qualify for revival. Gower Champion was a successful midcentury dancer, choreographer and director on the Broadway stage, in films and on TV.

Bheem, the name of the second of the five sons of Pandu in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, was renowned as a strong warrior. Bheem is the name of one of the two heroes of the Bollywood film RRR.

Feeney is an Irish surname most popular in Counties Sligo and Mayo in northwest Ireland. It may rise in the US as a first name as other Irish surnames from Riley to Kennedy become increasingly popular for both genders.