Names to add to your shortlist
Alaric
Alaric recorded 205 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,063, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 205 births · #1,063Peak: 2020 · 279 births
Aramis
Aramis recorded 30 U.S. births in 2025 at #3,663, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 30 births · #3,663Peak: 2004 · 77 births
Bastian
Bastian recorded 219 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,021, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 219 births · #1,021Peak: 2024 · 224 births
Caspian
Caspian reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 614 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 614 births · #491Peak: 2025 · 614 births
Cedric
Adventurous and story-ready, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 209 births · #1,051Peak: 1982 · 977 births
Dorian
Dorian recorded 557 U.S. births in 2025 at #539; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 557 births · #539Peak: 2008 · 641 births
Eamon
Eamon recorded 102 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,646, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 102 births · #1,646Peak: 2016 · 182 births
Eldon
Eldon has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 647 births at its 1926 peak versus 60 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 60 births · #2,311Peak: 1926 · 647 births
Evander
Evander reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 389 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 389 births · #698Peak: 2025 · 389 births
Galen
Galen has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 433 births at its 1949 peak versus 23 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 23 births · #4,442Peak: 1949 · 433 births
Hadrian
Distinctive enough for a fantasy shortlist, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 50 births · #2,617Peak: 2025 · 50 births
Leander
Leander reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 122 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 122 births · #1,463Peak: 2025 · 122 births
Lorcan
Adventurous and story-ready, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 9 births · #8,656Peak: 2018 · 17 births
Lucan
Lucan had just 15 published U.S. births in 2025 at #6,028, putting this exact spelling deep into rare-name territory.
2025 U.S.: 15 births · #6,028Peak: 1978 · 41 births
Merlin
Distinctive enough for a fantasy shortlist, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 59 births · #2,343Peak: 1927 · 389 births
Oberon
Oberon had just 17 published U.S. births in 2025 at #5,544, putting this exact spelling deep into rare-name territory.
2025 U.S.: 17 births · #5,544Peak: 2021 · 37 births
Osric
Osric had just 10 published U.S. births in 2025 at #8,069, putting this exact spelling deep into rare-name territory.
2025 U.S.: 10 births · #8,069Peak: 2015 · 10 births
Percival
Old-world with a legendary sound, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 113 births · #1,536Peak: 2025 · 113 births
Rafferty
Rafferty had just 14 published U.S. births in 2025 at #6,360, putting this exact spelling deep into rare-name territory.
2025 U.S.: 14 births · #6,360Peak: 2024 · 19 births
Soren
Soren reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 665 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 665 births · #464Peak: 2025 · 665 births
Stellan
Stellan reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 186 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 186 births · #1,140Peak: 2025 · 186 births
Theron
Theron recorded 55 U.S. births in 2025 at #2,474, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 55 births · #2,474Peak: 1966 · 180 births
Torin
Distinctive enough for a fantasy shortlist, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 140 births · #1,350Peak: 2018 · 210 births
Tristan
Dramatic without requiring an invented spelling, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 1,103 births · #309Peak: 2008 · 5,659 births
Valerian
Valerian recorded 23 U.S. births in 2025 at #4,526, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 23 births · #4,526Peak: 2018 · 24 births
Zephyr
Zephyr recorded 169 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,203, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 169 births · #1,203Peak: 2022 · 195 births
Caius
Caius reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 254 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 254 births · #927Peak: 2025 · 254 births
Magnus
Magnus recorded 337 U.S. births in 2025 at #765; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 337 births · #765Peak: 2021 · 354 births
Orson
Orson recorded 126 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,433, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 126 births · #1,433Peak: 2023 · 132 births
Sylvan
Sylvan recorded 99 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,674, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 99 births · #1,674Peak: 1918 · 103 births
The data line uses the exact spelling shown. “No published 2025 count” can mean the spelling had zero births or fewer than five, because SSA does not publish counts below five.
Fantasy style often comes from older names
Many names that sound at home in fantasy fiction were used long before modern novels and games. That history can make a dramatic name feel much more wearable.
Separate the name from one character
If a name is strongly tied to a fictional figure, imagine it without that story. The best choice should still appeal to you once the character association fades into the background.
Sound can create the mood
Long vowels, old consonant patterns and endings such as -an, -or and -us can create a legendary feel even when the name itself has no fantasy origin.
Roscoe's pick
Leander
Leander sounds adventurous and lyrical while still having a long history as a real given name.
More names to explore
Questions parents ask
Are rare fantasy boy names always statistically rare?
Not necessarily. Style and measurable popularity are different. Each name card shows the exact-spelling 2025 U.S. count when the Social Security Administration published one.
Does a missing 2025 count mean nobody used the name?
No. The national public file omits names recorded fewer than five times for a sex in a year, so a missing count can mean zero or one to four births.
Should I avoid a name if it is rising?
Not necessarily. Popularity is only one part of choosing a name. Sound, family meaning, cultural fit and how the full name works matter more than chasing the lowest possible rank.
Will the same name be equally rare outside the United States?
No. Popularity varies by country, region, language and community. The figures on this site describe U.S. national data unless a page says otherwise.