Baby Names So Far Out They're In

An interesting and attractive bicultural choice--the Hebrew version is used for babies born in spring, when turtledoves arrive--especially as a middle.

Scottish actor Dougray (born Stephen) Scott made us aware of this name when he took on his French grandmother's surname as his stage name.

Keturah, the Old Testament name of Abraham's second wife, is a possibility for anyone seeking a truly unusual and interesting biblical name; certainly a lot more distinctive than that of Abraham's first wife, Sarah.

Pim is traditionally a male nickname in the Netherlands, but its relative obscurity in the US would allow you to get away with using it for a daughter. This name has never been recorded in the US - for boys or girls. But it's style match with other slim, boyish nicknames for girls like Lou and Scout means Pim may not stay off the grid for much longer.

This evocative term for a stone or shell carved in relief could make a striking first name for a girl, though she would have a starring role in her story, rather than a cameo.

Selby, a rarely heard British surname, feels sleeker and more distinctive than Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.

Romantic and mysterious, Eluned's beauty and intelligence were legendary in Welsh legend; she was the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain in a Welsh Arthurian romance, who had a magic ring that made the wearer invisible. Pronunciation is usually similar in emphasis to Eleanor, but with ned instead of nor at the end. However, it's sometimes also pronounced el-LIN-ed or even shortened to Luned, the sounce of Lynette, in Tennyson's Gareth and Lynette.

Wilbert is one of the new old grandpa names marching -- shuffling? -- back into style, taking the place of names like Gus and Max which now sound totally baby-friendly. Wilbert and cousin Wilbur could take a little longer.

Annis and Anice are both antique variations of Agnes that have fallen out of use, perhaps because of pronunciation problems (ANN-is, or an-EES?)

In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".

Cosmo's Finnish cousin.

An attractive North Carolina unisex place name, Raleigh's soft sound is particularly appropriate for a girl.

The last name of folksinger Joan is melodic in its own right.

The name of the (male) otter protagonist of Henry Williamson’s 1927 novel Tarka the Otter.

Consistently among the top 5 girls' names in Greenland for the past four decades, Pipaluk has one of the most adorable meanings going, and could make for a quirky route to Pip or Pippa. A famous bearer in Greenlandic-Danish author Pipaluk Freuchen.

This hip Parisian neighborhood name would make a delightful middle for a baby girl.

Winter, Summer, and Autumn are all mainstream names; this covers all bases.

Variation of Pema.

The Swiss city of Basel was first Basilia, thought to have been dubbed in honor of the Roman castle of the same name. The castle's name would have derived from Basilius, a Roman personal name from which the name Basil also originated.

Short, simple, gentle, undeniably Welsh but easy to spell and pronounce – there's a lot to like about this underused gem. In the States it's been almost exclusively female, perhaps due to the greater familiarity of Gwen, but it definitely feels like a candidate to reclaim for the boys.