Cool Unusual Names That Start With Vowels
- Aylin
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"of the moon"Description:
This Turkish name has some of today's most popular sounds - partly like Isla and Ayla with the well-loved -lin ending of Evelyn, Oaklynn, and Brooklynn. Used internationally, it's currently on trend in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and Mexico too. It also ranks in the US and The Netherlands Top 500s, and in the the UK Top 1000. With its glowing meaning and contemporary sounds but established feel, Aylin could make a lovely choice.
- Ibrahim
Origin:
Arabic variation of AbrahamMeaning:
"multitudes; father of many"Description:
Well used by Muslim parents across the world, Ibrahim is the Arabic variation of Abraham. Significant in multiple religions and with an international and well-travelled feel about it, Ibrahim has been in the US Top 1000 since the 1990s, and is currently popular in Azerbaijan, France, the UK, and Turkey.
- Astrid
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"divinely beautiful"Description:
Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."
- Iker
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"visitation"Description:
Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer player Iker Casillas. Indeed, it's been one of the fastest growing boys' names of the decade.
- Uriel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my light"Description:
It's the name of an Old Testament archangel that's symbolically given to boys born during Chanukah, but the possibility of unsavory nicknames (urinal?) make the short form Uri a better bet.
- Adan
Origin:
Spanish, Somalian, and Haitian variation of Adam, English variation of Aiden, Arabic variation of EdenMeaning:
"son of the red earth; little fiery one; place of pleasure, delight"Description:
Adan is one of those names that feels familiar because it is in fact a variation of several other names. Used in Hispanic cultures, it is a form of Adam, more conventionally spelled with an accent as Adán. In English, it can be seen as a spelling variant of the uber-popular Aidan, Aiden, Aden, etc., while in Arabic, it is a unisex choice, and alternative form of Eden.
- Yara
Origin:
Arabic, Persian, Brazilian, HebrewMeaning:
"friend, helper; strength; water nymph; honeycomb"Description:
The multicultural Yara is a sweet but substantial choice that could make a more unusual take on Sara and also work in multiple languages. Popular in Portugal, The Netherlands, and Switzerland, familiar in the UK and France, it entered the US Top 1000 in 2017 and has been climbing the charts ever since.
- Azriel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my help"Description:
Azriel is more masculine than Ariel, more unusual than Israel. Also spelled Asriel and Azrael, Azriel is the name of the Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim traditions.
- Eden
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"place of pleasure, delight"Description:
This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls in the US, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France, closing in on the Top 10.
- Ariah
Origin:
English variation of Aria, Hebrew, ItalianMeaning:
"lion of God; song"Description:
When actress Tamera Mowry named her daughter Ariah, she said it was a Hebrew name meaning "lion of God" -- which it is, if you consider Ariah a variation of Ariel. But many sources consider Ariah a spelling variation of the Italian Aria, meaning song or literally air.
- Amias
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"loved; friend"Description:
Amias is a friendly and attractive sounding name, with a lovely meaning and knightly feel. Though it might sound like a Biblical name, similar as it is to Amos and Ozias, it is in fact a Latin name, ultimately from the elements amicus or amo meaning "friend" and "love" respectively.
- Uriah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my light"Description:
A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield. Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine. These negative connotations may be wearing off, however. (Perhaps because people don't read as much Dickens as they used to.)
- Iliana
Origin:
Greek, Spanish variation of HelenMeaning:
"from Ilium or Troy; shining light"Description:
Iliana is one of the vaguely but usually undefinably international names that have a wide range of spellings and pronunciations. Ilium was the poetic name of the city of Troy, and variations of this name — especially Ileana and Ileanna — have been widely used, projecting a rather bohemian image. The traditional Greek pronunciation would be ee-lee-AH-nah while in English speaking countries, it might be ill-ee-AH-nah.
- Eris
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"strife, discord"Description:
Eris was the goddess of strife and discord, turned fairy tale and then popular culture figure Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Ironic, as her name sounds so much like that of Eros, the god of love.
- Elowen
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"elm"Description:
A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A fresh and magical member of the fashionable El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.
- Emery
Origin:
English from GermanMeaning:
"industrious"Description:
Emery is one of the newly popular Em- names that has great potential, though right now for girls more than boys: it received a boost in 2009, a year after Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn used it for one of their daughters.
- Aura
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"soft breeze"Description:
Aura is a New Age-y word turned name turned contemporary slang for being cool, confident, and suave. Also associated with ancient mythology, the spiritual "essence" surrounding someone, with the atmosphere, light, or vibe something gives off, and with an oncoming migraine, Aura has a lot going for it — and against it too.
- Indigo
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"Indian dye"Description:
Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.
- Odell
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"of the valley"Description:
Bland compared to the Irish-sounding O-starting names, but fans of football star Odell Beckham Jr. may like the name for other reasons.
- Eleanora
Origin:
Latinate form of Eleanor, meaning unknownDescription:
Eleanor is back, Nora is back, and, as predicted, Eleanora is back too.
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