Unique Names that Start With S

Siobhan is the Irish variation of Joan, which is derived from the ancient Anglo-Norman name Jehanne. In this way Siobhan is indirectly related to the name Sinead—the Irish form of Jeannette, which also derived from Jehanne—although Sinead is not a nickname for Siobhan. Siobhan was the name of several early Irish queens and was introduced to the American public by the actress Siobhan McKenna.
 
Siobhan is a lovely Irish name which has spawned many Anglicized variations, but using the original form preserves the integrity of one of the most beautiful <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/804/irish-names-for-girls">Irish girls' names</a>.
 
There have been a wide variety of fictional Siobhans, from a Detective Sergeant in the John Rebus novels to a vampire in Stephenie Meyers's Breaking Dawn to a character in J. K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy. Most famous these days is the only daughter Siobhan in TV's Succession, appropriately nicknamed Shiv.

Siobhan

Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the name - he designed iconic album covers for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Cranberries, Anthrax, and Pink Floyd.

Storm

A concise choice with a hint of chic, Sabine is the French, Dutch, and German form of the Latin Sabina. While it has never charted in the US, Sabine saw a slight increase in use in recent data, with 107 babies given the name (compared to 70 called Sabina). 

The original Latin Sabina derived from that of the Sabine Tribe, a people who lived in ancient Italy and went to war with the Romans. According to legend, the Sabine women were kidnapped by the Romans but later affected peace between the warring sides. While the exact origins of the name are unknown, one theory is that it means "of one's own".

In French, and likely English too, the name would be pronounced with two syllables, as SA-BEEN, while in German and Dutch, it would be said with three: za-BEE-nuh, and sa-BEE-nuh respectively. 
 
Notable Sabines include tennis player Sabine Lisicki, racing diver Sabine Schmitz, and physicist and Youtuber Sabine Hossenfelder, while in fiction, it appears in the movie Mr Bean's Holiday and on a character in the Star Wars franchise, Sabine Wren. 
 
The Sabine River runs through Louisiana, making this a place name too.

Sabine

We've got Saint, we've got King, we've got Prince Duke Bishop Deacon and Messiah. So why not Sir? While some might find it slightly pretentious, at least 80 parents chose it for their babies in 2024.. 
 
 The name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's son, Sir is an honorific and a word name that fits right in with current trends. And it does guarantee your son will be addressed with respect, at least nominally.

Samiya is a name used by parents of both Arabic and African ancestry.  Spelling variations include Samiyah, Samiah, and Samia.

Samiya

This name of three early popes has been associated in recent years with a cocky cartoon cat ("Thufferin' thuccatash!") and the Italian Stallion hero of the Rocky and Rambo movies (who was born Michael) — and yet we think it just might be ready to move further back into the mainstream.
 
Sylvester was at its height in the 1920s, when it was in the Top 200, and hung on in the lower rungs of the ladder until 1994. Lately the name has been most visible as a surname — that of Sue Sylvester on Glee. Model Emily Ratajkowski named her son Sylvester Apollo in 2021.
 
Trivia tidbit--in the 1935 movie Sylvia Scarlett, the young Katharine Hepburn disguises herself as a boy named Sylvester — until she meets Cary Grant!

Sylvester

A common Islamic name, borne by Abu Sufyan, a figure from early Islamic history. 

Sufyan

Shyla is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may be a variant spelling of Sheila, which derives from the Irish name Síle, a form of Cecilia meaning "blind" or "sixth." Alternatively, it could be related to the Hebrew name Shulamit, meaning "peaceful." Shyla gained modest popularity in the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s, appealing to parents who appreciated its soft sound and exotic feel. The name has a gentle, feminine quality with its flowing phonetics and the graceful 'y' in the middle. While never reaching the top tier of popular names, Shyla remains recognizable without being overly common, making it an attractive choice for parents seeking a name that balances uniqueness with accessibility.

Shyla

Skylah is a modern feminine name that has gained popularity in the 21st century. It's a creative variant of Skylar, which itself derives from the Dutch surname Schuyler, meaning 'scholar' or 'shelter.' The addition of the 'h' gives Skylah a softer, more feminine ending while maintaining its connection to the imagery of the sky—evoking feelings of openness, freedom, and limitless possibility. As part of the trend toward names inspired by nature, Skylah appeals to parents seeking something contemporary with a refreshing, airy quality. Though still relatively uncommon compared to Skylar or Skyla, Skylah has been steadily rising in usage among parents looking for a name that feels both modern and meaningful.

Skylah

This attractive Arabic name is gaining attention in the US, used equally for boys and girls. Indeed, its sound (it rhymes with the feminine Tamar but ends with the fashionably masculine -ar sound as in Oscar) and most logical nickname (Sam) make it a choice that's at once accessible and distinctive for both genders.


Samar

Shai is a name newly-used in the US for both boys and, slightly less often, girls. Though the correct pronunciation is "shy", many will say shay, which might be all right with you.

Shai

A beautiful Urdu name with a musical sound and a lovely celestial meaning. Sitara got a boost in 2022, potentially from the award-winning 2020 short film "Sitara: Let Girls Dream", bringing awareness to the issue of child marriage.

Sitara

A sacred place to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions, Mount Sinai is where Moses received the Ten Commandments and also the name of the peninsula on which the mountain stands. 

You may be surprised to learn that over 100 baby girls plus a handful of boys named Sinai in the US last year. If you're considering Sinai as a baby name, you might want to investigate the many possible meanings of the name beyond the negative "hatred".

Sinai

Suzanne became popular along with Susan but has just dropped out of the Top 1,000. Wait a generation (or two) in the US, though in France Suzanne is once again tres chic. 

Suzanne

As opposed to the Scandinavian Soren, Sorin derives from the Romanian word for "sun", and is quite common in its native land. For literary cred, Sorin is a character in Chekhov's "The Seagull."

Sorin

This effort to update Sheryl combines Sher- with the familiar -lyn ending. Sherlyn was given to 145 baby girls in 2022, and seems to be on the rise.

Sherlyn

Sometimes considered a rare feminine form of Simon or Simeon, in turn giving it the meaning "to hear, to listen", Simea also appears in the 2024 Disney movie, Moana 2. In this case, the name is a twist on Samea (the director David Derrick Jr's daughter's name) which could come from the Arabic Samiya ("high") or from the Hebrew Samuel ("name of God").
 
Simea made its entrance to the US stats in 2025 when it was one of the fastest rising debuts of the year.

Simea

This ancient royal Scottish name had a brief vogue in midcentury America, but it would be far from a fresh choice for a baby boy now. 

Stuart

This obscure Native-American name owes its very life to country singer Shania Twain, who dropped her original name, Eileen, for it. 

Shania

Susannah is by far the most stylish form of the classic name now that Susan and Suzanne have retired. Susannah has biblical and musical pedigrees, is impervious to trends, and has an irresistible, flowing rhythm. It can be spelled just as properly with or without the final 'h.'
 Susannah is one of the loveliest names that, surprisingly, is not in the Top 1000—and hasn't been since 1978—though we expect that to change as soon as the memory of too many older Susans and Susies fades.
 Susannah and Susanna seem to have traded place over time as the dominant version. How do they differ? The h-less version feels a bit more streamlined and modern, and might refer more directly to an ancestor named Ann or Anna, while Susannah seems more old-school Biblical and self-contained.
 
In the Apocrypha, Susannah is the beautiful and devout wife of Joachim, falsely accused of unfaithfulness by the elders.
 William Shakespeare named one of his daughters Susanna, while more recently, YouTuber Ms. Rachel chose the -H ending form for her daughter in 2025.
 A European short form that's become popular is Sanna/Sanne. The Hebrew Shoshana has played a prominent role on the TV show Girls. Zuzu is an adorable nickname from the classic Christmas fiilm, It's a Wonderful Life.

Susannah

unique names that start with the letter S, including Siobhan, Storm, Sabine, Sir, Samiya, Sylvester, Sufyan, Shyla, Skylah, Samar, Shai, Sitara, Sinai, Suzanne, Sorin, Sherlyn, Simea, Stuart, Shania, and Susannah. (Page 6)

Unique Names that Start With S

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