100+ Uncommon Classic Names for Boys

Giving your baby an uncommon classic name is a wonderful way to make sure child will stand out in a crowd, while avoiding the confusion that often goes hand in hand with modern names. If you're about to welcome a baby boy into the world and love the idea of giving him a classic name that's not particularly popular, here are some awesome options:

1. Archie. An unadorned, upbeat name with a young royal namesake.
2. Allen. A surname and given name of Gaelic origin, Allen probably comes from the Irish word álainn, meaning "handsome" or "beautiful".
3. Albert. A perennial baby name choice among European royals, as well as the first name of the famed German-born physicist.
4. Amos. An unsung biblical classic.
5. Alvin. An old, traditional name that evokes different things for different people.
6. Alfred. If your goal is to find a traditional name that everyone knows but that's rarely heard on today's playgrounds, here's a cast-aside classic begging for revival.
7. Arnold. An old name with saintly credentials.
8. Bruce. This name combines rock 'n' roll vibes (Springsteen) with a good amount of Hollywood cachet (Willis, Lee).
9. Byron. Poetry buffs may prize the connection to Lord Byron.
10. Benny. Sure you could name your son Benjamin, but if you already know he'll be going by Benny, why not just cut to the chase?
11. Bernard. A forgotten classic with saintly credentials.
12. Clark. A low-key classic that's always been around but never in the limelight.
13. Conrad. A somewhat ponderous classic with saintly significance.
14. Clyde. Do you think Clyde remained in the shadows long enough to sound fresh and cool again?
15. Curtis. A timeless classic that's impossible to pin down to a particular decade.
16. Carl. A somewhat serious-sounding classic of German origin.
17. Clifford. Though suffering from a bit of an outdated image at the moment, the classic Clifford will eventually regain favor.
18. Clifton. A surname, place name and a classic boy's name neglected by 21st-century parents.
19. Cornelius. A big, bold appellation borrowed from an early Christian convert.
20. Chester. A mix of place name cred and old-school charm.
21. Dominick. A more traditional spelling of Dominic, Dominick comes from the Latin personal name Dominicus.
22. Dwight. Despite its presidential credentials, Dwight isn't getting much baby name love at the moment.
23. Ellis. An understated classic, yours for the taking!
24. Edwin. A second-tier classic that's been in steady use for centuries but never chart-toppingly popular.
25. Edgar. This one marries a somewhat solemn, regal feel with sturdy literary underpinnings.
26. Eddie. Once a nickname for Edward, Eddie has long been used on its own, too.
27. Eugene. Eugene may not be the hippest name by modern standards, but it's got such great provenance that it would be hard to call it anything but a classic.
28. Ernest. An old, traditional name with a literary feel thanks to Hemingway.
29. Edmund. An underused classic with saintly credentials.
30. Elmer. This one is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it has the charming El- prefix as well as history galory; on the other hand, people who don't know any real-life Elmers may associate the name with everything from Elmer's Glue to cartoon character Elmer Fudd to Elmer the Patchwork Elephant.
31. Earl. An old, traditional name overdue for a comeback? Or one best left in mothballs? We're not sure.
32. Franklin. A positively pompous name with patriotic overtones.
33. Forrest. A refined classic with a nature connection and a dash of vintage flair.
34. Francis. Literary and saintly, Francis never seems to fall too far out of favor.
35. Frederick. A long, elaborate boy name with deep roots, a powerful meaning ("peaceful ruler"), and a strong royal past, having belonged to numerous European kings and other royals.
36. Fredrick. A variation of Frederick.
37. Fred. Much more than just a nickname for Frederick, Fred was was a firm fixture on U.S. Top 100 charts until mid-20th century.
38. Floyd. A sorely neglected classic of Welsh origin.
39. Garrett. A classic surname-turned-first-name that peaked in popularity at the turn of the century.
40. Grady. Brady may be a 21st-century favorite, but brother Grady has been in steady, moderate use for more than a century.
41. Gordon. If celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey is the only notable person that comes to mind when you hear the name Gordon, then dig deeper: there's also former British prime minister Gordon Brown, rock 'n' roll legend Gordon Sumner (better known as "Sting"), and folk singer Gordon Lightfoot, to mention a few.
42. Gerald. An old saint's name with a presidential edge.
43. Gilbert. There have been countless notable Gilberts in history, sport, entertainment and fiction—your son will be in good company!
44. Gerard. Even rarer than Gerald, but with equally strong saintly associations.
45. Glen. A variation of Glenn.
46. Harvey. A surname-name that sometimes falls out of fashion but always finds its footing again.
47. Hugo. A short but sophisticated classic with European flair.
48. Harry. A casual, currently neglected name with presidential and royal cred.
49. Hugh. The English form of the old Germanic name Hugo and the name of numerous Catholic saints, Hugh definitely passes muster as a "classic", even if it isn't rocking the charts at the moment.
50. Harley. An old boys' name that has charted for girls, too.
51. Howard. A traditional name that parents are skipping over at the moment—perfect if you want something instantly familiar but unexpected.
52. Harold. For some, Harold is a handsome classic with royal cred from belonging to medieval English kings Harold I and Harold II; for others, it's an antiquated appellation best left in the past. What do you think?
53. Herbert. A forgotten classic with German origins and saintly associations.
54. Irving. A surname, place name and an old, traditional given name that's flying nicely under the radar at the moment.
55. Julius. The name of the most famous Roman and a number of popes and saints, Julius serves as a classic but not overused choice.
56. Jake. A Jacob nickname that has also enjoyed steady popularity as an independent given name.
57. Johnny. Always a good choice, whether used as a nickname or a standalone.
58. Jerome. A saintly classic that seems to be taking a rest at the moment.
59. Keith. A currently overlooked classic of Gaelic origin.
60. Karl. Carl with a K.
61. Leland. Not sure whether this one belongs with the classics or on the list of vintage gems, but either way, there's something about Leland that seems to appeal to today's parents.
62. Lewis. An understated classic with surname appeal.
63. Lawrence. An old, distinguished first name and surname with a literary association via D. H. Lawrence.
64. Leonard. A classic saint's name with a compelling built-in nickname (Leo).
65. Lionel. Traditional and steady but not too often heard—let's call this one classic with an edge!
66. Lee. A sleek classic with a gender-bending vibe.
67. Leroy. Despite its surname appeal, long history of use as a given name, and royal meaning ("king"), Leroy is rarely used today.
68. Lloyd. A severely underused Welsh classic.
69. Lester. A surname, place name and given name.
70. Laurence. A variation of Lawrence.
71. Marshall. Kids may like the link to the famous fictional puppy.
72. Mack. A nice and compact classic with a slight vintage feel.
73. Moses. A quiet classic rooted in the Bible.
74. Morgan. As a girl name, Morgan rocketed from obscurity to fame in the 1980s; as a boy name, it's a classic with a history that goes back eons.
75. Marvin. We can all probably agree that Marvin is a classic, even if it's taking a little break at the moment.
76. Melvin. Like name cousin Marvin, Melvin is staying out of the spotlight—for now.
77. Mitchell. Less time-stamped than Randall, but not as timeless as Michael.
78. Maurice. A classic saint's name with a touch of French sophistication, or a prohibitively dated moniker with no future? You decide.
79. Milton. Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman lends this surname/given name with intellectual vibes, while 17th-century English poet John Milton lends it a literary feel.
80. Morris. An unduly neglected classic with place name panache and surname appeal.
81. Noel. Noel may be the French word for "Christmas", but it's also a time-honored baby name.
82. Neil. If you name your little one Neil, he'll have plenty of inspiring namesakes to look up to, including Neils Armstrong, Young, Diamond, Tyson, and Gaiman.
83. Nelson. This one does double duty as a surname and a given name.
84. Norman. An age-old surname and given name with a history that goes back centuries, Norman is rarely heard on baby boys today, perhaps because it's so close to the word "normal".
85. Nick. A short form of Nicholas, but can also be used as a given name.
86. Otis. A short but complete moniker with musical overtones via Otis Redding.
87. Philip. Biblical, literary, and with a pan-European royal pedigree to boot.
88. Phillip. A variation of Philip.
89. Ralph. An old boy's name with Catholic cachet (via St. Ralph Sherwin), literary credentials (think Ralph Ellison and Ralph Moody), and a fashion edge thanks to Mr Lauren.
90. Randall. A classic with centuries of use under its belt—even if it isn't exactly popular at the moment.
91. Russell. A surname that doubles as a classic boy name.
92. Ruben. A pared-down version of Reuben, the biblical original.
93. Roy. Short but complete, Roy stands out for its regal meaning ("king").
94. Roland. A clunky, over-the-hill moniker that deserves a long hiatus, or an unfairly neglected classic that should get a new lease of life? Your call.
95. Roger. Notable Rogers include now-retired tennis star Roger Federer and actor Roger Moore.
96. Rex. A short, solid classic that means "king" in Latin.
97. Ray. Ray may be the go-to nickname for Raymond, but this pint-sized name works independently, too.
98. Reuben. An understated classic with a strong biblical backbone.
99. Rene. A well-established and trend-transcending, but not overly common unisex name with international appeal.
100. Ross. A neglected Scottish classic with Shakespearean bona fides (Ross is a character in Shakespeare's play Macbeth).
101. Roderick. The name of a 9th-century Catholic saint, Roderick has a long history of use as a given name, though it's never been hugely popular.
102. Solomon. An upstanding but underappreciated biblical classic.
103. Seth. A faith-filled biblical classic to some; a pretty secular boy name for others.
104. Saul. The name of the first king of Israel as well as the birth name of Paul the Apostle, Saul holds significance for both Jews and Christians.
105. Stanley. A bit outdated—but still a classic!
106. Steve. Saintly Stephen cropped.
107. Sylvester. A classic saint's name that's currently not used in big numbers.
108. Stuart. A common surname all over the English-speaking world, as well as an out-and-out British given name.
109. Troy. A short, simple appellation that fits in nearly every era.
110. Tony. Originally a nickname for Anthony, Tony works on its own, too.
111. Wade. With a long history of steady but sparing use, Wade feels like the kind of choice many young parents are looking for.
112. Warren. This old English surname also has a long history of use as a given name. Famous historical and contemporary bearers include Warren Buffet, Warren G. Harding, Warren Ellis, Warren Beatty, and Warren G.
113. Wilson. Originally a British surname, Wilson is also a given name with a timeless quality.
114. Wayne. One of the more time-stamped names on this list—but still a classic!
115. Wallace. A dusty, musty moniker not quite ready to be let back in? Or a neglected classic worthy of revival?
116. Will. More than just a nickname, Will has been used as the formal name in small but steady numbers since the beginning of recorded American baby name history.
117. Willis. Perhaps better known as a surname (thanks, Bruce), but Willis also has history as a given name, even if it's keeping a bit of a low profile at the moment.