The origins of Senara, the name of a Cornish saint who is patron of the village of Zennor, are not so straightforward. Some say she was the same person as Azenor, a legendary Breton princess whose mother-in-law cast her out to sea in a trunk. Other stories say she was a mermaid turned Christian.

This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized tribute to an Aunt Melissa or Melanie.

Originating in Ethiopia, this warm-feeling name is now associated with Phoenix Suns basketball player Amare Stoudemire. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 2005.

Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. A Shakespeare-adjacent choice, Auberon started out as as a pet form of Auberi, the French form of German Alberich.

Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility.

Distinctive, elegant, and luxurious, Adalia can be a variation of Adele, or a Hebrew name with a Biblical background. Although it is given exclusively to girls in the US, in the Bible it is masculine. The similar Adlai might be easier to wear for boys in English speaking countries, while Adalia fits in with Adeline, Amelia, and Dahlia.

Osias has a Latinate and biblical feel without making an appearance in the Bible. The related Ozias, on the other hand, is a form of Uzziah, found in the Greek and Latin Old Testament, and could make a distinctive path to the nickname Oz or Ozzie--both far cooler, in our opinion, than Oswald.

It may be a longshot – especially since it was given to less than 5 boys in the US in 2021 – but Piran could conceivably be a future Kieran, which is shaping up to being the next Kevin. Piran is the patron saint of miners and of Cornwall.

Joyful-sounding name that makes a really original option.

Benevolent name found in Israel in several forms, including Doran and Doroni.

Truman is an upstanding presidential name that radiates an aura of integrity and moral truth, values any parent would want for a child. It seems definitely headed for a revival.

Cerelia is a melodic and unusual choice, perfect for a child born in April or May. Another version is Cerella.

Because of its meaning, this is a symbolic name given to girls born on Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.

Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate Chopin's The Storm.

Well used in Russia, this is a distinctive and undiscovered choice here. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is the fictional protagonist of Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoyevsky.

There is some disagreement whether there are one or two figures named Alpheus in the Bible. There's an Alpheus who's the father of James and an Alpheus who's the father of Levi, and if James and Levi are brothers, then that's the same Alpheus. Or not.

Would fit right in with the currently popular in/an/en/on-ending boys' names.

Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.

Muscular German name that never fully assimilated into American culture.

Attractive North Carolina place-name and surname of explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Distinctive, classy-but-approachable choice for either sex.