Finding a unique middle name for a boy can be pretty hard as most parents tend to choose the most common names like John, James, David, and William. One of the best ways to come up with a rare/unique boy’s middle name is to use a last name with a masculine sound. In fact, a few of the rare middle names for boys on this list are surnames. Another good choice is to use names that have interesting nicknames. Any of the names on this list would help your child stand out from the crowd.
- Ziggy
- Xenon
- Woodrow
- Paxon
- Oswald
- Hartley
- Calix
- Barlow
- Alcott
- Adler
Meaning: Victorious Protector
Related Names: Zigmund, Iggy, and Sigmund
photo source: Word Art
Did you know?
In Norse Mythology, Sigmund is a hero who appears in the Völsunga saga and is the father of Sigurð the dragon-slayer.
Meaning: Stranger; Guest; Foreigner
Related Names: Xena and Xenia
photo source: Word Art
Most of us familiar with the periodic table recognize the name Xenon. It is a noble gas found in Earth’s atmosphere in trace amounts. Xenon would be a great middle name for any parents in STEM to use for a son. The origin of the name Xenon is Greek and comes from xenos, which means “foreign or strange.” Currently, Xenon doesn’t seem to be a popular name in any country.
Did you know?
The name Xenon was coined by Scottish chemist William Ramsay, one of the discoverers of the noble gas in 1898.
Meaning: Row of Houses by a Wood; Path Through the Woods
Related Names: Woody
photo source: Word Art
Woodrow is another name that you don’t see around very often today. Historically, however, Woodrow was a popular name, especially during the era of 28th U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. Woodrow was actually President Wilson’s mother’s maiden name; his first name is Thomas. Woodrow has appeared numerous times on the Top 1000 U.S. baby names list, but not since 1983. The name has largely fallen out of favor and would make a unique middle name.
Did you know?
The nickname Woody comes from the name Woodrow.
Meaning: Peace Town or Peaceful Farm
Related Names: Paxton
photo source: Word Art
Paxon is a very rare name that is derived from the last name Paxton. The name has Latin and Old English origins and means peace town or peaceful farm. Paxon is not a popular name and it has never been on the Top 1000 U.S. baby names list. A few years ago, in 2017, 11 boys were named Paxon.
Meaning: God’s Power
Related Names: Osvald, Ozzie, Ozzy, and Osvaldo
photo source: Word Art
Oswald is an old-fashioned name that hasn’t really been popular in several decades. The name has several origins including Old High German, Old English, and Old Norse. Regardless of Oswald’s origins, the name means God’s power. In Old English, Oswald comes from the name “Osweald,” composed of the elements “os,” a god, and “weald,” power.
In the early 20th century, Oswald was a fairly common name in the United States. Oswald appeared on the Top 1000 U.S. baby names every year between 1900 – 1933. The name hasn’t been on the list since.
Did You Know?
The name Oswald has appeared in a few literary works such as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare’s King Lear and a novel by H. G.Wells.
Meaning: Deer Field or Stag Meadow
Related Names: Hartlee, Hartleigh, and Hartlea
photo source: Word Art
Did You Know?
The first record of the name Hartley is from Robert de Hertlay in 1191.
Meaning: Handsome; Chalice
Related Names: Calixto, Calixte, and Calyx
photo source: Word Art
The name Calix has Greek and Latin origins. In Greek the name means handsome and in Latin, it’s related to the word calyx, which means chalice. The name is also a diminutive of Calixtus or Callistus, which means most beautiful. While Calix is a rare and unique name that has never been popular enough to land in the Top 1000 baby names in the United States, in recent years the name has gained some steam. Over a dozen boys were given the name Calix in 2019 and 2020.
Did You Know?
An alternative spelling for the name Calix is Calyx, which is the funnel or chalice-shaped part of a flower.
Meaning: Barley Hill; The Bare Hillside
Related Names: Barlowe and Barrlow
photo source: Word Art
The name Barlow has Anglo-Saxon origins and is primarily a last name. However, Barlow is a unique boy’s middle name. Barlow comes from several places in England with the same name. In particular, it’s believed that Barlow is related to the place of the same name in Derbyshire. The etymology of the name Barlow has a few different origins, but it mostly means barley hill or the clearing where barley grows.
Did You Know?
Barlow is primarily a name found around the United Kingdom and doesn’t seem to be too popular outside of the region. It has never been a Top 1000 baby name in the U.S.
Meaning: The Old Cottage
Related Names: Alcot, Allcot, and Alkott
photo source: Word Art
The earliest known record of the last name Alcott dates to 1255 and someone named Philip de Allecote. As time passed, many variations of the name came about and the most common appears to be Alcott.
Did You Know?
Traditionally, Alcott is common to the West Midlands region of England.
Meaning: Eagle; Lofty as an Eagle
Related Names: Adlar and Adlard
photo source: Word Art
Adler is originally a German last name, but it makes a unique and rare middle name for a boy. The name also has Yiddish origins and in both German and Yiddish, Adler means eagle. Adler had never been a popular first name until 2020 when about 240 baby boys in the United States were given the name. This is the only time the name has appeared on the Top 1000 baby names list in the U.S.
Even as a surname, Adler is pretty rare. Less than 0.008% of the population in the U.S. has the last name Adler.
Did You Know?
Most notable people with Adler as a last name have Jewish ancestry and in works of fiction characters are sometimes given the last name Adler to show their Jewish heritage.
