Say what you will about those trendy baby boy names that are crowding out the traditional favorites like Henry and John, but we have a soft spot in our hearts for the baby names that are a little "out there." If you're totally stuck on choosing the right name for your bun in the oven, these unexpected picks may help to get you unstuck — or at the very least, keep you entertained during that long third trimester. Think Jax, Harley, Faust and more.
More: This printable guide is about to solve all your baby-naming squabbles
But be warned: The coolest baby boy names are as unique as they are addicting, And we've rounded up our favorites with serious swagger. (Seriously.) These baby names are unique, edgy, trendsetting and stand out in a crowd:
Underrated and unique boy names
We love these boy names because they have serious swagger but are underrated, which is what we like! Is one of these cool guy names what you are looking for?
- Thorn
- Enzo
- Rhys
- Brooks
- Ryland
- Orion
- Zayden
- Reid
- Beckett
- Jamison
- Finn
- Quinton
- Brees
- Nixon
- Smith
- Lincoln
- Porter
- August
- Topher
- Waldo
- Zane
Tough boy names
We love these tough guy names because they have a confident air to them, which often happens when you add the letter “Z” or “X” to a baby name (such as Axel or Zander). Names like Hercules or King, however, would make it seem like you are trying too hard, while names like Rocco or Gunner stand out on their own as tough names. Check out our picks below:
- Jax
- Damon
- Dexter
- Axel
- Cason
- Titus
- Kace
- Maximus
- Ryker
- Harley
- Ajax
- Zander
- Zeke
- Zenon
- Phoenix
- Rocco
- Jett
- Gunner
- Pierce
- Cadmus
- Blaze
- Hunt
- Racer
Next Up: Boy names with cool meanings
Boy names with cool meanings
Some parents are looking for a baby boy name that also has a great meaning. We have rounded up names that have it all. These guy names sound cool and have a great meaning.
- Bryant: Celtic name meaning “strong”
- Chasin: Hebrew name meaning “strong”
- Kemen: Spanish name meaning “strong”
- Donovan: Celtic name meaning “strong fighter”
- Griffin: Welsh name meaning “strong in faith”
- Felix: Latin name meaning “lucky”
- Faust: Italian name meaning “lucky”
- Chance: English name meaning “good fortune”
- Frederik: German name meaning “leader”
- Brendan: Gaelic name meaning “brave”
- Farrell: Celtic name meaning “brave”
- Hardwin: English name meaning “brave friend”
- Baldwyn: German name meaning “brave friend”
- Sebastian: Greek name meaning "revered"
- Dustin: English name meaning "valiant"
- Neron: Spanish name meaning "strong"
Celebrity boy names
Celebrities always seem to have their thumb on the pulse of cool and unique baby names. Many recent celebrity baby boys have been given names that have a classic or old-fashioned sound to them. For inspiration, check out the following:
- Ace: Singer and actress Jessica Simpson
- Cruz: Singer Victoria Beckham and athlete David Beckham
- Magnus: Actress Elizabeth Banks
- Saint: Rocker Pete Wentz
- Apollo: Singer Gwen Stefani
- Milan: Singer Shakira and Gerard Pique
- Mason: Reality star Kourtney Kardashian
- Axl: Fergie and Josh Duamel
- Milo: Actress Alyssa Milano
- Duke: E! News host Giuliana Rancic
- Camden: Actress Vanessa Lachey
- Oliver: Actress Ginnifer Goodwin
- Jaxon: Laguna Beach alum Kristin Cavallari
- Otis: Actress Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis
- Kase: Singer Jewel
- Marcelo: Actress Ali Landry
- Colt: John Rich of the band Big & Rich
- Xander: Actress January Jones
- Arlo: Actress Toni Collette
- Milo: Actress Alyssa Milano
- Felix: Actress Elizabeth Banks
- Max: Actress Cynthia Nixon
- Leo: Actress Penelope Cruz
- Flynn: Actor Orlando Bloom
Before you go, check out our slideshow below:
Originally published Feb. 2016. Updated Aug. 2016.