8 uncommon boy names that still feel easy to wear
These choices are less about surprise and more about finding established names outside the crowded top of the chart.
Alistair
Recognizable as a traditional name, polished in sound and currently uncommon rather than ultra-rare.
2025 U.S.: 265 births · #897Peak: 2025 · 265 births
Ansel
Old-fashioned and artistic, with an intuitive spelling and a current rank well outside the mainstream.
2025 U.S.: 186 births · #1,138Peak: 2025 · 186 births
Bjorn
A familiar Scandinavian name internationally, uncommon in the U.S. but straightforward once the pronunciation is known.
2025 U.S.: 298 births · #829Peak: 2024 · 331 births
Eamon
An established Irish form with a familiar shape and just over a hundred published U.S. births in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 102 births · #1,646Peak: 2016 · 182 births
Ewan
A compact Scottish form that feels recognizable without being frequently heard in current U.S. classrooms.
2025 U.S.: 120 births · #1,479Peak: 2013 · 168 births
Hollis
A soft surname-style choice with long use as a given name and a comfortable middle-ground rarity.
2025 U.S.: 266 births · #894Peak: 1921 · 294 births
Oren
Simple to spell and say, established across multiple traditions and still well below mainstream U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 174 births · #1,184Peak: 2025 · 174 births
Torin
A concise name with Celtic and modern associations, uncommon without feeling highly experimental.
2025 U.S.: 140 births · #1,350Peak: 2018 · 210 births
Names to add to your shortlist
Alistair
Alistair reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 265 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 265 births · #897Peak: 2025 · 265 births
Ansel
Ansel 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 · #1,138Peak: 2025 · 186 births
Arden
Arden recorded 225 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,005, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 225 births · #1,005Peak: 2024 · 244 births
Amos
Amos recorded 364 U.S. births in 2025 at #730; it is distinctive, though not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 364 births · #730Peak: 1922 · 558 births
Bjorn
Bjorn recorded 298 U.S. births in 2025 at #829; it is distinctive, though not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 298 births · #829Peak: 2024 · 331 births
Boaz
Boaz reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 268 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 268 births · #891Peak: 2025 · 268 births
Boone
Boone reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 762 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 762 births · #423Peak: 2025 · 762 births
Cillian
Cillian recorded 595 U.S. births in 2025 at #507; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 595 births · #507Peak: 2024 · 668 births
Cormac
Cormac recorded 150 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,298, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 150 births · #1,298Peak: 2014 · 196 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
Ewan
Ewan recorded 120 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,479, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 120 births · #1,479Peak: 2013 · 168 births
Fletcher
Fletcher reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 549 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 549 births · #547Peak: 2025 · 549 births
Hollis
Hollis recorded 266 U.S. births in 2025 at #894; it is distinctive, although not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 266 births · #894Peak: 1921 · 294 births
Hugo
Hugo reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 837 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 837 births · #378Peak: 2025 · 837 births
Ira
Ira has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 884 births at its 1947 peak versus 301 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 301 births · #822Peak: 1947 · 884 births
Lachlan
Lachlan reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 468 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 468 births · #606Peak: 2025 · 468 births
Leif
Leif recorded 257 U.S. births in 2025 at #917; it is distinctive, though not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 257 births · #917Peak: 2022 · 290 births
Marcel
Marcel recorded 364 U.S. births in 2025 at #731; it is distinctive, though not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 364 births · #731Peak: 2022 · 417 births
Niall
Niall recorded 96 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,706, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 96 births · #1,706Peak: 2024 · 110 births
Oren
Oren reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 174 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 174 births · #1,184Peak: 2025 · 174 births
Otis
Otis has a stronger historical footprint than its current use: 1,031 births at its 1920 peak compared with 422 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 422 births · #652Peak: 1920 · 1,031 births
Percy
Percy has a stronger historical footprint than its current use: 603 births at its 1921 peak compared with 154 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 154 births · #1,279Peak: 1921 · 603 births
Perry
Perry has a stronger historical footprint than its current use: 2,751 births at its 1959 peak compared with 135 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 135 births · #1,373Peak: 1959 · 2,751 births
Robin
Robin has a stronger historical footprint than its current use: 2,247 births at its 1956 peak compared with 382 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 382 births · #705Peak: 1956 · 2,247 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
Distinctive enough to stand apart, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 186 births · #1,140Peak: 2025 · 186 births
Torin
Torin recorded 140 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,350, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 140 births · #1,350Peak: 2018 · 210 births
Vaughn
Vaughn has a much stronger historical footprint than its current use: 374 births at its 1949 peak versus 183 in 2025.
2025 U.S.: 183 births · #1,153Peak: 1949 · 374 births
Wells
Wells reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 944 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 944 births · #347Peak: 2025 · 944 births
Wylie
Wylie reached its highest published U.S. count in 2025 with 175 births, so this uncommon spelling is currently at a historical high.
2025 U.S.: 175 births · #1,182Peak: 2025 · 175 births
Remy
Remy recorded 781 U.S. births in 2025 at #408; it is distinctive, though not among the statistically rarest choices on the site.
2025 U.S.: 781 births · #408Peak: 2022 · 924 births
Jules
Jules recorded 131 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,396, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 131 births · #1,396Peak: 1928 · 154 births
Finlay
Finlay recorded 50 U.S. births in 2025 at #2,614, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 50 births · #2,614Peak: 2015 · 64 births
Blaise
Blaise recorded 213 U.S. births in 2025 at #1,038, keeping this exact spelling well beyond the most-used 1,000 boy names.
2025 U.S.: 213 births · #1,038Peak: 2015 · 283 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
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.
Uncommon is the middle ground, not the extreme tail
A name around #600 and one around #6,000 are both outside the most common group, but they will feel very different in practice. This page leans toward established names that are easier to imagine in everyday use.
Wearability depends on your community
A name that feels easy in one family, language or region may feel unfamiliar in another. National data gives context, not a universal definition of ordinary.
Historical familiarity can make a low-use name feel easier
Names such as Amos, Percy and Ewan have enough history or cultural visibility to feel established even when current U.S. counts are modest.
Roscoe's pick
Ambrose
Ambrose is recognizable, substantial and uncommon without relying on a modern invention.
More names to explore
Questions parents ask
Are uncommon 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.