Unique nature boy names
82. Acer
Origin: English, Latin
Meaning: Maple tree
83. Bear
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Bear
84. Beck
Origin: English
Meaning: Stream
85. Beckett
Origin: English
Meaning: Bee cottage
86. Elon
87. Elwood
88. Forrest
Origin: English
Meaning: Of the woods
89. Fox
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Cunning
90. Ivo
91. Lake
92. Merlin
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Sea fortress
93. Orson
Origin: English
Meaning: Bear cub
94. Rocky
Origin: English
Meaning: Rock or rest
95. Torben
Origin: Danish origin
Meaning: Bear of thunder
96. Wolf
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Wolf
97. Woody
What Mumsnetters say about unique nature boy names
“Merlin? Cool name! Look up Merlin Sheldrake, very cool guy!” - Mumsnet user, SwordToFlamethrower
“My middle boy is Woody and it’s a fabulous name. He loves it and he totally suits it. Never been teased (why would he).” - Mumsnet user, Ihaveawonderfulpartner
Rare boy names
98. Arbor
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Tree
99. Arrow
Origin: English
: Fired from a bow
100. Birch
Origin: English
Meaning: Type of tree
101. Bramble
102. Brock
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Badger
103. Bondi
Origin: Australian
Meaning: Waves
104. Cedar
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Cedar tree
105. Keir
Origin: Scottish, Irish
Meaning: Dark or black
106. Lyric
107. Moss
108. Nash
Origin: Old English
Meaning: By the ash tree
109. Nino
110. Rhodes
111. Ringo
Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Apple
112. Tatum
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Cheerful
113. Tor
114. Vale
Origin: English
Meaning: Valley
115. Yari
Origin: Japanese, Persian, Italian, Hebrew
Meaning: Spear, friendship or gold
What Mumsnetters say about rare boy names
“I like Cedar and I think the forest reference is cute.” - Mumsnet user, SnowdropFox
“We have a Keir who is in his 20s. I have always loved the name. if you like it, use it.” Mumsnet user, EmmaGrundyForPM
How to choose a unique boy name
Look at names from other countries and cultures which aren’t as well used over here - you might like some of these lovely French baby names. Or you might like Nino and Angelo, two boy names with an Italian flavour.
Embrace the Nordic chic baby name trend by choosing an unusual name evoking pine trees and snow drifts - how about Bo, Odin, Torben or Leif?
Check out our baby name forum, where Mumsnetters ask about unique names for boys and <ahem> certainly don’t hold back in giving their opinions.
Choosing an unique outdoorsy name for your baby boy; Forrest, Lake, Brock, Fox and Bramble are all unique names inspired by mother nature.
Tick two boxes in one go by selecting a unique and cool name - you’ll find inspo in our cool names for girls and boys article, which will inform you of all the latest naming trends.
What is the most unique name for a boy?
The most unique names for boys are chosen so infrequently, they don’t actually feature in the official ONS rankings.
One name which is totally unranked is Vale. Nature lovers and geography fans alike may like this Old English name meaning ‘valley’. Unusual but easy to say and spell, it’s a unique name which could serve your little one well.
Another unranked name on a nature theme is Bondi, an Australian name meaning ‘waves’. It sounds like the more commonly used Bodhi, which is currently at 140 in the official stats for boys. Bondi would suit any little surf dude, given that it name drops Australia’s most famous golden beach in Sydney.
As Vale or Bondi are both unranked in the official ONS stats, it means that they were each given to fewer than three baby boys in England and Wales in 2022. This makes them amongst the most unique names for boys that you could choose for your baby.
About the author
Louise Baty writes parenting content for Mumsnet, producing product round-ups, travel guides and baby name articles. She’s also written content for Mumsnet’s sister site, Gransnet.
Originally from West Yorkshire and now based in Nottinghamshire, Louise has worked as a features writer for consumer magazines and national newspapers for 20 years. She specialises in parenting and lifestyle features and emotional true life first-person interviews and has authored four non-fiction books on parenting and grandparenting.
Mum to two tweenagers, Louise’s own baby name choosing days may be long gone. However, she admits to having spent a LONG time deciding on her DCs’ names, together with her DP.
For this reason, Louise has a particular interest in baby names. She understands how difficult it can be to narrow down a short list from your long list of baby names, either during pregnancy or during the sleep-deprived days following the birth of your baby. By compiling comprehensive and easy-to-follow baby name round-ups for Mumsnet, she hopes to provide inspiration and support to parents-to-be who are looking for the perfect name for their baby.