Unique Names that Start With N

An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice. Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named Nerissa.

Nerissa

Rarely used biblical choice -- he's a son of Jacob -- with a bit of a white-bearded image. 

Naphtali

Feminization of Namor, a name created for a Marvel Comics character by spelling Roman in reverse. Namora is also a comic book superhero, and cousins with her namesake Namor.

Namora

This modern invention is possibly a compound name, created by blending either Arabic Naila and Leen, for the meanings "attainer of softness" or "delicate attainer", or, a mix of Nadine and Kathleen  or Nadine and Helene, to make "hope and light" or "hope and purity". It could also be a spin on Aileen.

Nayleen

An Irish and an English surname, Neyland can be an anglicized form of Irish surname O'Nialláin meaning "descendent of Niall" or an English surname meaning "new land", possibly borrowing from the Germanic neu. It has been notably used in Tennessee, where it is associated with the Neyland Stadium, named for university football coach and athletic director, Robert Neyland.
 
Predominantly used for boys, it has occasionally been used for girls and fits in well with choices like Holland and Navy.

Neyland

Cool, serene name of the Egyptian river can make a fresh choice for a girl.  The origin of river name Nile relates to the Arabic and ancient Hebrew word for dark blue or indigo; in ancient Egyptian, its literal meaning is river.

Nile

An elaboration of popular Nova, that first appeared in the US baby name charts in 2020.

Novalina

Neah

An enchanting ancient Greek name belonging to the Greek goddess who was created from a cloud by Zeus and so became goddess of the clouds and mother of the centaurs. The name Nephele is not widely known but as among modern parents become used to Phoebe, Penelope, and Persephone, it may become one of the ancient <a href-="https://nameberry.com/list/624/gorgeous-greek-goddess-names-for-babies">Greek goddess names</a> that's back in the mix.

Nephele

The mythological queen whose perpetual weeping for her slain children turned her into a stone has always cast a pall over this name. Still, when other names with less-than-savory associations -- Delilah, Ophelia, Persephone -- are becoming popular, parents might want to consider this one of the more unusual <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/325/mythological-baby-names-for-girls">mythology names for girls</a>.

Niobe

One of those slender names, like Lena or Etta, that's used in several cultures and carries a range of meanings. But by being so many things, it doesn't feel decidedly like anything.

Nita

Noir is a name that would sound soigne and sophisticated on a 30-year-old, and perhaps too grown-up for a toddler. But with the popularity of so many other color names, Noir feels like a true possibility. In fact, nearly 20 baby girls and about half as many boys were named Noir in the US last year.

Noir

Officially a shortening of the traditional and tricky Gaelic Fionnghuala/Fionnuala, Nuala makes a lovely choice all on its own. Nuala is well-used in Ireland.

Nuala

Invented in 1939 as the name of Marvel Comics character Namor the Sub-Mariner. Bill Everett, the creator, decided on Namor after writing noble, dignified names in reverse—Namor is Roman spelled backwards.

Namor

The name of a city in New Hampshire which takes its name from the Nashua River, named by the Indigenous Algonquian tribe the Nashuway or Nashua. A striking alternative to Joshua.

Nashua

Gender-neutral choice ideal for a child born during Hanukkah.

Neri

Closer to Nike than to Nicholas, this is an attractive, viable import. It's also one of several Italian and <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/161/spanish-names">Spanish baby names</a> that get you to the stylish and attractive nickname Nico.

Nicasio

An ubercool and mysterious name, brought to you by director M. Night Shyamalan. 

Night

Short, simple international names like this make distinctive middle name possibilities. Nir also makes for a nature-oriented first name that's both straightforward and unusual. But be prepared for a lifetime of "...and far" jokes.

A lot of attention was drawn to this name when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their baby daughter, making it instantly unisex.
 North is a word name that's long been used, albeit very quietly, a name with a certain purity and strength. It's a good choice if you're from, say, Wisconsin or Maine, love winter or are an avid skier, or if you just want a name that's both very familiar and very unusual.
 North is just one of several cool names with a directional slant-others are West, Weston, and Easton.
 A young Elijah Wood played the title character in the 1994 film North.

North

unique names that start with the letter N, including Nerissa, Naphtali, Namora, Nayleen, Neyland, Nile, Novalina, Neah, Nephele, Niobe, Nita, Noir, Nuala, Namor, Nashua, Neri, Nicasio, Night, Nir, and North. (Page 6)

Unique Names that Start With N

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