Names to add to your shortlist
Bram
Playfully eerie, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 56 births · #2,422Peak: 2016 · 72 births
Draven
Atmospheric and uncommon, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 166 births · #1,217Peak: 2009 · 382 births
Edgar
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 617 births · #486Peak: 2005 · 2,454 births
Grimm
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 11 births · #7,346Peak: 2019 · 13 births
Lazarus
Playfully eerie, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 185 births · #1,143Peak: 2025 · 185 births
Lucian
Atmospheric and uncommon, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 670 births · #462Peak: 2025 · 670 births
Mortimer
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: no published countPeak: 1916 · 91 births
Orson
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 126 births · #1,433Peak: 2023 · 132 births
Poe
Playfully eerie, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 7 births · #10,423Peak: 2017 · 11 births
Rook
Atmospheric and uncommon, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 78 births · #1,972Peak: 2025 · 78 births
Salem
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 400 births · #679Peak: 2024 · 442 births
Severin
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 15 births · #6,089Peak: 2014 · 28 births
Storm
Playfully eerie, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 69 births · #2,124Peak: 1995 · 165 births
Vesper
Atmospheric and uncommon, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 8 births · #9,644Peak: 2024 · 12 births
Wolf
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 83 births · #1,902Peak: 2021 · 107 births
Wolfgang
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 115 births · #1,519Peak: 2021 · 148 births
Blaise
Playfully eerie, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 213 births · #1,038Peak: 2015 · 283 births
Dorian
Atmospheric and uncommon, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 557 births · #539Peak: 2008 · 641 births
Ebon
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: no published countPeak: 1977 · 16 births
Ghost
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: no published countPeak: 2020 · 5 births
Hawthorne
Playfully eerie, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 24 births · #4,305Peak: 2016 · 36 births
Onyx
Atmospheric and uncommon, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 881 births · #365Peak: 2023 · 1,079 births
Rune
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 90 births · #1,789Peak: 2025 · 90 births
Thorne
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 8 births · #9,614Peak: 2001 · 21 births
Victor
Playfully eerie, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 1,664 births · #211Peak: 1990 · 4,445 births
Zephyr
Atmospheric and uncommon, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 169 births · #1,203Peak: 2022 · 195 births
Basil
A darker choice for an autumn-loving family, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 74 births · #2,022Peak: 1924 · 281 births
Crispin
Memorable with a supernatural edge, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 17 births · #5,432Peak: 2007 · 39 births
Dante
Playfully eerie, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 1,104 births · #308Peak: 1998 · 1,670 births
Osric
Atmospheric and uncommon, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 10 births · #8,069Peak: 2015 · 10 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.
Spooky can be playful instead of severe
Not every name here is meant to sound frightening. Some simply have an autumn, literary or supernatural association that gives them more atmosphere than a standard list.
Association strength varies
Poe or Ghost makes a very direct statement. Orson or Dorian is subtler. Decide how obvious you want the theme to be before narrowing the list.
A themed middle name is another option
If you love a dramatic choice but hesitate to use it every day, it may work beautifully in the middle position beside a more familiar first name.
Build a shortlist before you rank it
Save the names that make you stop for a second. After you have five to ten, compare sound, initials, likely nicknames and current popularity. A smaller shortlist makes the differences much easier to hear.
Remember that national data is only one lens
A U.S. rank cannot measure family meaning, cultural fit or how common a name feels in your own community. Use the numbers for context, then give your personal reasons more weight.
Roscoe's pick
Orson
Orson feels mysterious and vintage without making the spooky theme too literal.
More names to explore
Questions parents ask
Are these rare spooky boy names with dark, playful energy actually rare?
The style pages are editorial, but every name card also shows its exact-spelling 2025 U.S. count when SSA published one. Data-led pages use explicit thresholds or rank movement.
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. If you love the sound, meaning or family connection, a rising rank may not change your decision.
Will the same name be equally rare outside the United States?
No. Popularity varies by country, region, language and community. The numbers on this site describe U.S. national data unless a page says otherwise.