Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity.

Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian novels, seen as alluring and unusual. One impetus was the 1870 Ouida novel Puck, whose heroine was the idealized beauty, Gladys Gerant.

Eliam is less common Biblical alternative to Liam, Elliott, Elias, and Eli, but maybe one that's faster-rising. Eliam joined the Top 1000 for the first time in 2021 and was sky-rocketed in 2024, when it was given to more than 850 boys — double the amount born in 2023. In Puerto Rico, it's a Top 50 choice.

Attractive Indian name unfamiliar to most Western parents.

In the Old Testament, Amram is the father of Moses. It is most frequently seen as a Jewish surname.

This is one of hundreds of modern Israeli names that are unknown here but could translate to our culture.