Unique Sounding Names

Slightly awkward girl's version of a straightforward male name.

Gormlaith was the wife of the 11th century ruler of Ireland Brian Boru. The name is also used in Scotland. Despite its beautiful meaning, many will find the hard "gorm" sound too much to get past.

Ayn is a nonconformist name associated with controversial Russian-born writer and philosopher Ayn Rand, (born Alisa) author of The Fountainhead, who adopted it when she moved to the US in 1926.

Likely a French form of the Roman Aeliana, Éliane is a name that feels at once sophisticated and elegant, but also sunny and bright. Familiar in France, Canada, and Brazil, it can be spelled with the accent too.

Old Irish name that's taken off in its Anglicized forms, mainly Ashlyn or Ashlynn. Nonetheless, this more traditional version debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015.

Also spelled Aibhilín, this spelling variation of Evelyn or the related Aveline might appeal to those who prefer the Irish form. Little Aibhilins might have to explain how to pronounce their name outside of Ireland, but some may feel that it's worth it to choose a unique option.

Adwoa is a given name used for women born on Monday in Western Africa, particularly Ghana and some parts of Togo and Ivory Coast. The male equivalent is Kwadwo.

A representative Japanese name with a meaning symbolizing ripeness.

A creative choice, suggesting the Venetian Renaissance painter (born Tiziano), and the brownish orange red hue that was featured on his palette. But try explaining to the boys in seventh grade that it's pronounced tee-shun.

Baojin, sometime hyphenated to Bao-Jin, has a luxurious meaning making it a relatively common choice for Mandarin-speaking parents. Baojin can be used for girls and boys. But this meaning also means that baby Baojin will also share his/her name with a mining company, an expressway and a housing policy.

An important name in Irish myth, belonging to a beautiful giantess who was both mother and wife of Brian Boru. It is usually Anglicized as the phonetic Bevin, but also as Vivian.

Pronounced SHAM-ee, this color and word name is soft and appealing.

Lovely Hebrew name with distinctive double a's, but beware of possible "banana" teasing.

A sweet French word name and an equivalent to English Dulcie, Douce may also be elaborated into Doucette and the saintly name Douceline. Pronounced with one syllable (DOOS), some English speakers may find it too close to "doozy" or worse, douche, to use as a first name.

Similar to the Turkish name Bilge (Bil-jeh), which has the same meaning.

Nekane is the decidedly modern, upbeat-sounding Basque form of the sorrowful and dated Spanish Dolores. Basque names, largely unknown in English-speaking countries, offer a fresh lexicon of names, and Nekane is one of the more appealing. An interesting update for Nicole.

A Frenchy name that doesn't exist in France, probably an attempt to create a classy feminine version of John or Johnny by rhyming it with Monet.

Alazne is a traditional name in Euskera, the language of the Basque people.

Anci is a feminine name with roots in multiple cultural backgrounds. It may be a variation of Anci or Anči found in parts of Eastern Europe, particularly with Hungarian, Czech, or Slovenian origins. The name can also be a diminutive form of names like Anastasia or Anna in some cultures. While not widely used in English-speaking countries, Anci has a delicate, melodic quality that gives it a distinctive charm. The name remains relatively uncommon in global usage statistics, making it a unique choice for parents seeking something with cultural roots but an uncommon sound. Its brevity and soft consonants make it easy to pronounce across language boundaries.

Esclarmonde de Foix was an Occitan countess and an important figure in Catharism, a medieval Christian movement, which allowed women and men to both hold church offices. Her tale inspired an opera by the same name by Jules Massenet; the name is also featured in Kate Mosse's bestselling novel Labyrinth.