​
​
Advanced Search

Underused and Undiscovered Gems

  1. Fife

    • Origin:

      Scottish place name, German, French

    • Meaning:

      "path; small shrill flute"

    • Description:

      Also spelled Fyfe, this zippy sounding name would make a great middle name choice for music lovers or those with Scottish roots. The name has a double meaning: it is both a Scottish place name, likely derived from fiamh meaning "path", and also the name of an instrument, which takes its name from the German Pfeife and the French fifre meaning "pipe".
  2. Petronella

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "rock, stone"

    • Description:

      Petronella, and its shorter sister Petra, are both feminizations of Peter. While Petronella is a name with deep history, it's extremely rare. It was given to no baby girls on record in the US last year.
  3. Shira

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "singing, song; poetry, excellent, white"

    • Description:

      A popular Israeli choice that could work across different languages, Shira comes from the Hebrew shir meaning "song." Some parents may be reminded of the animated heroine She-Ra, Princess of Power, from both the 1980s original and the 2018 reboot, however, they are not related.
  4. Yarrow

    • Origin:

      Botanical name, English

    • Meaning:

      "rough stream"

    • Description:

      Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achilles, who was said to carry yarrow into battle.
  5. Eilon

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "oak tree"

    • Description:

      Eilon, a fraternal twin of the name Elon, was the Biblical grandson of Jacob. A rare name, Elon is getting some recent notice thanks to Tesla maker Elon Musk.
  6. Akasha

    • Origin:

      Hindi

    • Meaning:

      "ether"

    • Description:

      This Hindi name for the fifth element, related to the male Akash which means "open sky," was used by Anne Rice in her Vampire Chronicles.
  7. Oriel

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "golden"

    • Description:

      Pretty Victorian-feeling cousin of Ariel; also, more prosaically, a kind of bay window.
  8. Aloisia

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "famous fighter"

    • Description:

      Inventive female form of Aloysius.
  9. Mekhi

    • Origin:

      Derivation and meaning unknown

    • Description:

      Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.
  10. Kaimana

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian

    • Meaning:

      "the power of the ocean"

    • Description:

      This Hawaiian name gracefully celebrates the force of nature, paying tribute to the ocean. If you're looking for unique names that mean ocean, this should be on your short list.
  11. Odissan

    • Origin:

      African

    • Meaning:

      "thirteenth born son"

    • Description:

      If you choose this name, it's not likely to be for the meaning.
  12. Itzal

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "Shadow"

    • Description:

      The Basque name, meaning shadow, has the virtue of having both an interesting meaning and an obvious pronunciation.
  13. Satyana

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "truth"

    • Description:

      Acting couple Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof chose this Sanskrit word meaning, literally, "truth vehicle" for their daughter. It has a melodic sound and strong meaning. Think of it as rhyming with the Russian Tatiana.
  14. Nasima

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "breeze, fresh air"

    • Description:

      Associated with a spring festival, this name is used by both Muslims and Christians.
  15. Zenaida

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "the life of Zeus"

    • Description:

      This name of a daughter of Zeus has an intriguing air of antiquity.
  16. Immilla

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Irmengard

    • Meaning:

      "universal enclosure"

    • Description:

      Immilla is a soft and mellifluous sounding name which is exponentially more attractive than the original. The name offers several lovely nickname options, such as Immy, Millie, and Mila. Immilla of Turin, a medieval countess, was a notable bearer of this rare name.
  17. Sen

    • Origin:

      Japanese mythology name

    • Description:

      Simple, Zen-like name of a mythological forest elf.
  18. Perequin

    • Description:

      Perequin is an uncommon masculine name that may have origins in medieval Spanish or French naming traditions. It possibly developed as a diminutive or variant form of names like Pere (the Catalan form of Peter) or Peregrine (from the Latin "peregrinus" meaning "traveler" or "pilgrim"). The suffix "-quin" suggests a diminutive form, similar to the pattern seen in names like Pasquin or Joaquin. Perequin has a melodic, somewhat exotic quality while maintaining a structure that feels vaguely familiar to Western ears. Though extremely rare in contemporary usage, the name offers a distinctive option for parents seeking a name with potential historical roots but little current usage.

  19. Issoria

    • Origin:

      nature name

    • Description:

      The Issoria is a genus of butterflies found in Africa, one of which is known as the African Queen. This name would make a wonderful choice for those looking for a name which subtly honors Africa.
  20. Scirocco

    • Origin:

      Italian, from Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "warm wind"

    • Description:

      A cool and breezy nature name with a stylish sound, used by Volkswagen for one of its cars.