Have a sweet little boy on the way? Or maybe you keep a list of baby names in your notes app even though it’s years before you’re ready to seriously think about children (doesn’t everyone?). Either way, picking one from about a billion boy names is a major decision and can be a little stressful — after all, you’re not just naming a baby, you’re also naming a whole human adult.

Unique boy names are tricky. You (most likely) don’t want to create a roll call nightmare with something too… “X Æ A-12”-coded. On the flip side, it’s also a little bit of a bummer to be the seventh Jake in your class — absolutely nothing against Jakes, of course. But thankfully, there are a ton of places to take inspiration from when it comes to picking fun boy names that give those “cool boy” vibes everyone is after.

Of course, it only makes sense that the best boy names come from interesting sources. Get started on your brainstorming with the help of this list of names for boys inspired by books (romantasy and OG romance included), astrology, celebrities, travel, and much more.

That first one is all too fitting for boy name inspo in 2024. Every day, the BookTok girlies and guys are falling deeper and deeper in love with yet another “book boyfriend” and naturally, they always have such strong and charming names to match their captivating personalities. (And who wouldn’t want to be named after the most powerful High Lord in Prythian history anyway?) As for celebs, it’s no secret that many go by stage names, but their real names are often just as unique as their chosen titles.

While people have taken inspiration from sources like literature and astrology for hundreds (and even thousands) of years, these names are certifiably fresh. In one way or another, these boy names have that main character, star-quality energy.