By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Arabic place-name
This romantic name of a city in Yemen was chosen for her son by supermodel Liya Kebede.
Arabic
"the shining one"
Star in Orion that might make a fine name, except people will always assume it's Melissa, with a typo.
"first leap"
Alula, the palindromic name of the first double star to be identified as physically related to its twin, would make the perfect name for a first-born twin. Ideas (we're only half joking) for the…
"immortal, everlasting"
Khalida is an evocative Middle Eastern choice. Its male counterpart, Khalid, recently returned to the US Top 1000.
Latin
"little she goat"
Capella, the eleventh brightest star in the sky, carries much mythological and astrological significance. In Roman mythology, Capella represented the goat that suckled Jupiter, whose horn became the…
"one who comes in first"
Sabik, a star in Ophiuchus, makes for a rather harsh-sounding name. If you're looking skyward for a baby name, you'd do better with Orion or Jupiter. But if you are searching for names that mean new…
Spanish
"poppy"
A rarely heard flower name, Amapola comes from the Spanish word for "poppy", in turn associating with name with remembrance and the months of August and November. Pronounced as a-ma-POH-la, with the…
"commander"
Related to Amir and Amira, an antiquated name that holds some modern appeal.
"raised tail"
A star in Scorpio whose name would certainly translate into a soft and unusual option for your November baby.
"heart, soul"
An Arabic name that can easily cross cultures. Janan might make a distinctive honor name for an ancestral Jan, Jane, or John.
"truthful"
North African name with a distinctive beat.
Samein is a masculine name of Middle Eastern and North African origin, though relatively uncommon even within these regions. It likely derives from Arabic linguistic roots, possibly related to words…
"fat tail of the sheep"
The brightest star in Ursa Major, this is one of the major navigational stars used by ships.
"the victorious"
Introduced to the lexicon by the husband of Little House on the Prairie writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, most scholars agree that this unusual name comes from the Arabic El-Mansur.
"beloved"
Strong and memorable.
"little bridge"
An interesting and unusual choice, with a choral feel.
"butterfly"
Farasha is butterfly in Arabic, which means that to English-speakers, it feels more like a soft feminine name and less like a fluttery animal. Pretty without feeling flighty.
"square, block"
Tarbula is the historic but now-forgotten name of an early Persian saint and martyr, sister of St. Simeon, who was accused of being a witch and sawed in half. Tarbula is also known by the names Tarba…
German surname
"bear, boar"
"does well"
A name to consider when seeking an offbeat substitute for the more familiar Mariah.
