Names to add to your shortlist
Ambrose
Ambrose recorded 358 U.S. births in 2025 at #735; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 358 births · #735Peak: 2021 · 402 births
Amos
Amos recorded 364 U.S. births in 2025 at #730; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 364 births · #730Peak: 1922 · 558 births
Ansel
Historically familiar but uncommon now, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 186 births · #1,138Peak: 2025 · 186 births
Archibald
Archibald reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 184 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 184 births · #1,145Peak: 2025 · 184 births
Barnaby
Barnaby had just 5 published U.S. births in 2025 at #12,273, putting this exact spelling deep into rare-name territory.
2025 U.S.: 5 births · #12,273Peak: 1974 · 19 births
Basil
Basil has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 281 births at its 1924 peak versus 74 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 74 births · #2,022Peak: 1924 · 281 births
Benedict
Benedict reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 305 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 305 births · #814Peak: 2025 · 305 births
Cecil
A throwback with real personality, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 119 births · #1,486Peak: 1920 · 2,459 births
Clarence
Vintage and full of character, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 117 births · #1,500Peak: 1921 · 7,332 births
Clyde
Clyde has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 3,069 births at its 1920 peak versus 350 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 350 births · #743Peak: 1920 · 3,069 births
Conrad
Conrad reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 770 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 770 births · #417Peak: 2025 · 770 births
Cornelius
A throwback with real personality, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 82 births · #1,908Peak: 1974 · 486 births
Edmund
Edmund has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 1,145 births at its 1923 peak versus 199 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 199 births · #1,082Peak: 1923 · 1,145 births
Ernest
An old-school choice ready for another look, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 213 births · #1,040Peak: 1921 · 5,697 births
Eugene
Eugene has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 9,742 births at its 1927 peak versus 249 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 249 births · #943Peak: 1927 · 9,742 births
Floyd
Floyd has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 3,623 births at its 1926 peak versus 63 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 63 births · #2,237Peak: 1926 · 3,623 births
Gilbert
Vintage and full of character, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 145 births · #1,330Peak: 1930 · 2,119 births
Irving
Irving has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 1,533 births at its 1918 peak versus 90 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 90 births · #1,783Peak: 1918 · 1,533 births
Isidore
Isidore has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 183 births at its 1919 peak versus 31 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 31 births · #3,607Peak: 1919 · 183 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
Lionel
Lionel recorded 419 U.S. births in 2025 at #659; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 419 births · #659Peak: 2023 · 609 births
Linus
An old-school choice ready for another look, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 82 births · #1,913Peak: 2017 · 166 births
Luther
Luther has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 1,477 births at its 1922 peak versus 122 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 122 births · #1,464Peak: 1922 · 1,477 births
Monty
Monty recorded 112 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,543, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 112 births · #1,543Peak: 1961 · 539 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
Percy
Percy has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 603 births at its 1921 peak versus 154 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 154 births · #1,279Peak: 1921 · 603 births
Phineas
Historically familiar but uncommon now, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 105 births · #1,616Peak: 2016 · 142 births
Roscoe
A throwback with real personality, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 63 births · #2,248Peak: 1920 · 604 births
Rufus
Rufus has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 737 births at its 1922 peak versus 27 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 27 births · #4,019Peak: 1922 · 737 births
Thaddeus
An old-school choice ready for another look, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 314 births · #798Peak: 2016 · 416 births
Wilfred
Wilfred has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 802 births at its 1920 peak versus 29 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 29 births · #3,844Peak: 1920 · 802 births
Winston
Winston recorded 830 U.S. births in 2025 at #382; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 830 births · #382Peak: 2019 · 860 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.
Vintage names carry built-in history
Many names on this page have appeared in U.S. records for more than a century. That long history can make an uncommon name feel grounded rather than newly invented.
A comeback can change rarity quickly
Vintage revivals often happen in waves. A name that feels wonderfully forgotten can climb fast once parents rediscover the same era, so current data is worth checking.
Family names fit naturally here
If you are considering a grandfather’s or great-grandfather’s name, compare the original form with nicknames and middle-name use. Sometimes the full vintage name is more distinctive than the modern short form.
Roscoe's pick
Roscoe
Roscoe reached its strongest U.S. use generations ago and now feels friendly, vintage and genuinely uncommon.
More names to explore
Questions parents ask
Are rare vintage 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.