Unique Middle Names for Boys

If Viola is a credible girl's name, why not the mellow Cello for a boy.

Doctor is an honorific used as a name, somewhat like names such as Bishop, King, and Princess. Banned in New Zealand, Doctor can lead to the kind of confusion you may feel would be only positive for your child -- a bona fide Doctor before he even gets to kindergarten. At its zenith in 1884, Doctor was used for 12 boys, but last year it didn't even clear the five-baby minimum to make it onto the Social Security extended list.

In the old days, this might have been a short form for Dewitt, but today it's more likely to appear as a witty word name. We approve.

This one's cutting right to the chase, but with such names as Justice and Peace on the rise, why not? And we guarantee your seven-year-old son will love it, though your 17-year-old, maybe not so much. Could be used as a middle name, as Talisa Soto and Benjamin Bratt did.

Epic feels like it could be the boys' version of Saga. Epic poetry tells some of our most celebrated stories - from Beowulf and the Odyssey, to the Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost. Despite being short, Epic is a lot of name, so it might be a choice for an adventurous middle name.

When actress Shannyn Sossamon dubbed her newborn Audio Science, it sent out some definite shock waves. We don't recommend Audio or Video for even the most intrepid baby namer.

Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.

Not even for Brandy's twin brother.

No matter how much you love the novels of Papa H., don't saddle your son with this unwieldy appellation.

A new entry is the fashionable new occupational name category -- and a jolly job it must be -- with the added attraction of relating to the great early 20th century American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler, of "Whistler's Mother" fame.

Ballad could be the masculine answer to Aria. An obvious and cute nickname is Lad or Laddie.

One way to encourage some cheers for your little one, but not recommended.

A worthy honoree that would place a too-heavy expectation on a child, probably subjecting him to ridicule. Try Pablo instead.

Wishful thinking.

A big, bold, ultra-rare virtue name. Could it follow in the footsteps of Justice and Liberty?

Tree as a first name may have entered the lexicon via Taylor Swift's (female) publicist Tree Paine, but there's no reason Tree can't work for any gender. It's simple, it's nature-connected, it's modern.

Painter is among the most creative choices in this very fashionable category of names, with a particularly pleasant sound. Whereas most occupational names conjure up physical labor, this one feels like a gateway to the arts.