One-of-a-Kind Baby Names Stand Out

Updated Tue Mar 26 2024

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Truly one-of-a-kind baby names are names that nobody is using. If you’re adamant about identifying your child as an unmatchable individual, a name that they can literally call their own is a good place to start.

Many one-of-a-kind names are simply undiscovered, whether that’s because they come from an underserved name culture, have been lost to history, or are so new that few have thought to use them yet.

We cross-referenced the national baby name records with our extensive database of over 70,000 names to find Nameberry’s totally unique names. 300+ of our favorites are listed here.

Former Faves

Some names experience a brief moment in the Sun…and then never come back. The following names previously charted on the US or UK Top 1000s or were once common as nicknames. Most peaked in the late 19th or early 20th century, with the exception of Bethan, which was in Britain’s Top 100 throughout the ‘90s.

Favorites Reimagined

It happens — you fall in love with a beautiful name, but by the time you want to use it, it’s too popular. Popularity is subjective of course, so if your definition of “too common” is “within the Top 7000,” we’re going to have to get more creative.

Luckily a group of mainstream names can be transformed into virtually one-of-a-kind counterparts. If you love Piper, try Fifer. Or swap Sullivan for Cullinan. Finn or Finley become Finlo, Zachary becomes Thackeray or Zeggery.

Options are listed below with the more common name in parentheses:

Cullinan (Sullivan)

Elska (Elsa)

Eluana (Eliana)

Everard (Everett)

Fifer (Piper)

Finlo (Finn, Finley)

Forden (Ford)

Gemella (Gemma)

Harmonia (Harmony)

Hedley (Hadley)

Isav (Isaac)

Isme (Esme)

Kedzie (Kenzie)

Liodor (Theodore)

Melodia (Melody)

Nicander (Nicholas)

Noemia (Naomi)

Omavi (Omari)

Romer (Roman)

Rudo (Rudy)

Thackeray (Zachary)

Theodota (Theodora)

Tolliver (Oliver)

Zeggery (Zachary)

International Stars

Many cool international names have migrated over to the US, but some worthy choices have fallen through the cracks. For girls, we especially love Millaray, a Top 100 name in Chile, and Madelief, the Dutch word for “daisy,” ranked at Number 242 in the Netherlands. For boys, the Romanian Cosmin is a fresh take on Cosmo, and Struan, a hot choice in Scotland, feels especially wearable.

The following names have recently ranked on international popularity charts:

Mythological Names

Mythological names are as fashionable as ever. There are still ways to get in on this trend if Freya and Atlas — or even Persephone and Kirin — are too common for you. Among the best overlooked names from myth and legend are Kalindi, Pomona, and Argo — we seriously wonder why they’re still so rare!

Nicknames

So you need a name that’s short, sweet, and highly distinctive? Coming right up! This group of ultra-rare diminutives contains international nicknames (Jancey, Mies), vintage short forms (Sudie, Hodge), and those with a modern sensibility (Dree, Fletch). Find what suits your style:

Place Names

Unique place names are in abundant supply — all you need to do is pick up an atlas to be flooded with inspiration. Not every rare city or country name you come across will be worth adapting as a baby name (Copenhagen? No. Corsica? Yes.), so we’ve curated our favorite options for you below:

Word Names

New, cool word names are being invented on the daily. The limit is only your imagination! (Or, well, your dictionary). The best unused word names in our database are featured here, along with some international word names — how great is Boheme?

Nature Names

Names with nature-related meanings feel especially on-trend at the moment (hello, cottagecore names!). These one-of-a-kind options hail from around the world and relate to the Earth (Abeba, Zaltana), the sea (Marjani), and the sky (Etoile, Scirocco).

Last Names as First Names

Surname names are back on the scene, and the most popular choices only scratch the surface of available options. Mine your family tree for cool and unusual surnames with personal significance or take a look at our picks of the worthiest options:

The Rarest of Them All

Want rarer still? These names have never, ever, had a spot on the American popularity charts, meaning they’ve been used for fewer than five babies each year since 1880. That’s as close as you’ll come to a guarantee that your child will never encounter another person with their name.

If that’s what you’re after, one of these truly one-of-a-kind names could be the perfect fit for your son or daughter:

About the Author

Sophie Kihm

Sophie Kihm's Personal Website

Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.

View all of Sophie Kihm's articles