Names to add to your shortlist
Aloysius
Far from today’s mainstream, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 20 births · #4,864Peak: 1916 · 199 births
Barnaby
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 5 births · #12,273Peak: 1974 · 19 births
Basil
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 74 births · #2,022Peak: 1924 · 281 births
Bertram
An overlooked choice with history, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 9 births · #8,353Peak: 1923 · 228 births
Cecil
Far from today’s mainstream, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 119 births · #1,486Peak: 1920 · 2,459 births
Clive
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 57 births · #2,398Peak: 2016 · 85 births
Cornelius
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 82 births · #1,908Peak: 1974 · 486 births
Crispin
An overlooked choice with history, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 17 births · #5,432Peak: 2007 · 39 births
Ephraim
Far from today’s mainstream, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 231 births · #988Peak: 2017 · 260 births
Ernest
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 213 births · #1,040Peak: 1921 · 5,697 births
Eugene
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 249 births · #943Peak: 1927 · 9,742 births
Fergus
An overlooked choice with history, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 19 births · #5,092Peak: 2024 · 24 births
Gilbert
Far from today’s mainstream, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 145 births · #1,330Peak: 1930 · 2,119 births
Horace
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 14 births · #6,245Peak: 1921 · 1,313 births
Irving
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it gives the shortlist a different sound from today’s most common choices.
2025 U.S.: 90 births · #1,783Peak: 1918 · 1,533 births
Isidore
An overlooked choice with history, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 31 births · #3,607Peak: 1919 · 183 births
Luther
Far from today’s mainstream, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 122 births · #1,464Peak: 1922 · 1,477 births
Merritt
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 117 births · #1,505Peak: 1924 · 121 births
Montgomery
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it stands apart without asking for a creative spelling.
2025 U.S.: 241 births · #962Peak: 2025 · 241 births
Nigel
An overlooked choice with history, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 71 births · #2,088Peak: 1994 · 448 births
Oswald
Far from today’s mainstream, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 67 births · #2,161Peak: 1916 · 107 births
Percival
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 113 births · #1,536Peak: 2025 · 113 births
Phineas
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 105 births · #1,616Peak: 2016 · 142 births
Rafferty
An overlooked choice with history, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 14 births · #6,360Peak: 2024 · 19 births
Reginald
Far from today’s mainstream, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 153 births · #1,284Peak: 1962 · 2,647 births
Roderick
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it is a strong candidate to test beside your surname.
2025 U.S.: 93 births · #1,752Peak: 1971 · 1,057 births
Rupert
Recognizable but rarely heard on babies, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
2025 U.S.: 29 births · #3,831Peak: 1920 · 156 births
Thaddeus
An overlooked choice with history, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 314 births · #798Peak: 2016 · 416 births
Wilfred
Far from today’s mainstream, it has a clear rhythm that is easy to remember.
2025 U.S.: 29 births · #3,844Peak: 1920 · 802 births
Winston
Old-fashioned in an interesting way, it feels intentional rather than unusual for the sake of being unusual.
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.
Unpopular does not mean bad
Searchers often use “unpopular” when they really mean “not widely used.” Many names on this page were much more familiar in earlier generations and simply fell out of fashion.
Old familiarity can make rarity easier
A name such as Ernest or Eugene may be uncommon for babies while still being instantly recognizable to most adults. That can offer a different kind of rarity from a brand-new word name.
Look at family history
An overlooked name can become much more appealing when it belongs to a grandparent, relative or cultural tradition. Personal meaning can outweigh the current chart position.
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
Rufus
Rufus has deep historical use and a friendly sound, yet it is far from common among babies today.
More names to explore
Questions parents ask
Are these unpopular boy names have become uncommon 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.