Talula might be a streamlined spelling of either the Native American Tallulah or the Irish Talulla -- and very few namers know the difference as they sound identical. Investigate further and you decide, or you can just consider Talula a relative of both.

Unique baby names are often found in nature, conjuring up the beauty of the lake between California and Nevada that has become a popular tourist destination. Though Tahoe is also a line of SUVs, which may not be the kind of unique name you're after.

St. Kateri Teckakwitha is the first Native American saint, canonized in 2012. St. Kateri was the daughter of a Mohawk warrior, born in 1656 in upstate New York. She converted to Christianity at age 20 and died at 24, and was known as "Lily of the Mohawk." Kateri was the name the saint took on, a native variation of Katherine, upon her baptism.

Young rocker Tennessee Thomas has brought this former one-person name over to the girls' side -- though the census roles of North Carolina in 1850 included a female named Tennessee and called Tincy.

A slow and sultry southern choice that's definitely cool for babies of either gender. While the word feels French and has its roots in 18th century French Louisiana, it derives from the Choctaw word bayuk, which means "small stream."

This zippy, outdoorsy name is a multicultural option, with its roots in Taino and Persian. On one hand, it is the source of the word and name Savannah, derived from Taino, the language of the Indigenous people of the Caribbean. In this case, it refers to areas of flat, grassy land in hot climates.

The Native American name for Martha's Vineyard and for a town at the far end of that lovely island, this was used by Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan for one of their twin daughters.

Unusual and lithe.

Resonant and unusual.

A given name found among the Hopi people as well as a Finnish surname.

Distinctive Native-American choice with forceful meaning.

Highly unusual possibility for a twin girl.

Among the least gimmicky, most appealing and colorful of all the names found in the atlas, Jamaica almost sings out the rhythms of the West Indies.

Cherokee is the name of a Native American tribe, the largest in the United States stretching from North Carolina through Oklahoma. The meaning of the word Cherokee is uncertain: It may be Choctaw for "those who live in the mountains" or "those who live in the cave country" or it may be an Anglicization of the word the Cherokee use to refer to themselves, Tsalagi. The name was given to 19 baby girls in the U.S. in 2013 but was not recorded on the boys' roster, though we'd consider it a gender neutral name.

One of the few familiar Native_American choices, but now associated with several trade names.

Has an evocative feel, unusual to the Western ear without being identified with any particular culture.

Kimana, the name of a resort in the foothills of Mountain Kilimanjaro in Kenya, would make an unexpected path to the nickname Kim.

A sweet and clear Hopi name with a lovely natural meaning to match.

Spelling used by country singer Wynonna Judd, one of two celebrities (the other is Winona Ryder) who brought this unusual Native American name widespread notice.

A Navajo nature name with a cool, fresh sound.