Unique Names that Start With S

Sayori was invented for a character in the popular anime series Doki Doki Literature Club. Creator Dan Salvato said that Sayori is an "unholy fusion between 'Sayuri' and 'Saori.'"

Sayori

Silvana is a feminine form of the Ancient Roman Silvanus, sharing the same woodsy meaning. A mix of elegance and energy, Silvana may appeal to those who enjoy Sylvie, Sylvia, Savannah, and Solana. 

Silvana

A jaunty offshoot of Sullivan, Sully will be associated by kids with the beloved character in the Pixar animated film Monsters, Inc. Some notable real-life namesakes are French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme, the heroic pilot "Sully" Sullenberger, and Sully Erna, lead vocalist of Godsmack.

Sully

Among the first wave of word names used in the hippie era, it actually is a legitimate girl's name with a lot of luster. 

Silver

Sounds like Serena, but refers to the mythological sirens -- half woman, half bird -- who virtually sang men to death. Not a great role model for your little girl. 

Sirena

Yes, it's the name of the brightest star in the sky, but can't you just hear people saying, "Are you serious?" Singer Erykah Badu used it as a middle name for son Seven. 

Sirius

Reminiscent of Puritan and Pilgrim name choices, Sincere is a relatively modern virtue name. Though it is predominantly used on boys - almost ten times more often - Sincere is still given to around 50 girls each year.
 
Derived from the Latin word sincerus meaning "pure and clean", Sincere is associated with being honest, acting from the heart, and feeling deeply - qualities many parents hope their children grow up to possess.

Sincere

A soft, strong name, commonly heard in the Middle East, Sahar is an Arabic and Persian name, associated with dawn and beginnings, and a Hebrew name, meaning "crescent", in turn linking it to the moon. Predominantly used as a feminine name, in Israel it leans slightly masculine. 
 
The name would be pronounced as SAH-hahr in Arabic and Hebrew and as sa-HAR in Persian.

Sahar

Sapphira is a lovely name which unfortunately has an unsavory Biblical history. The New Testament Sapphira was killed by God for lying about a tax payment.
 There's a Willa Cather novel called Sapphira and the Slave Girl, and in the book Eragon, it's the name of a dragon (spelt Saphira).

Sapphira

Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls. Its most prominent current bearer with this spelling is Sacha Baron Cohen.

Sacha is a Top 20 name for baby boys in France.

Sacha

Sohan is a modern French invention. It may be related to Jean or a variation of the similar name Yohan.

Sohan

We call Savvy a Modern Virtue Name, a contemporary version of the Puritan's Hope and Charity, extolling the virtue of shrewdness. And who doesn't want their daughter to grow up to be Savvy in the ways of the world? 

So far, this name has been used only for girls, perhaps because some parents remember the women's magazine called Savvy.

Savvy

Saylah is a name manufactured from elements of Sailor (or Saylor) and Kaylah (or Kayla) to make one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/unique-names">unique baby names</a> that's not quite genuine. Still, it has a pretty sound and is superior to such inventions as, say, Scarla.
 
More authentically, Saylah is a spelling variation of African place-name Zeila.
Christian rap singer Saylah is a male.

Saylah

A charming addition to the ever-growing crop of virtue names, Soul is a warm yet mystical choice with links to spirituality, feelings, and music. While it is a bold word name, its similarity to Sol and Sal grounds it slightly. 
Given to 47 girls (and 61 boys) in a recent year, it was also chosen by content creator Sydney May Crouch named her daughter Soul in 2025, sister to Ocean.

Soul

A rare unisex word/virtue name that is currently given to around 10 babies of each gender per year in the US. It could make for an unexpected route to bright, easygoing nickname Sol (or trendy nickname Ace). 
There is a male literary namesake in Solace Layfield, a character in Flannery O’Connor’s 1952 novel Wise Blood. Alanis Morrissette and Souleye used it as a middle name for their daughter, Onyx Solace, born in 2016.

Solace

There's definitely a cold front of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a> moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice. 
 Rare as a first name, there have been several notable surnamed Snows--including singers Hank and Phoebe, and scientist/novelist C.P. And then there's the dreamy Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.

Snow

In the nineties there was a "One Life to Live" soap opera character named Suede, but few fans picked up on it. Now however, parents may be reconsidering Suede, given its similarity in sound to Sage, Wade, and Jade and the recent interest in Denim, and unique word names more generally. 
 
 The term for the velvety leather material comes from the French phrase gants de Suède or "gloves of Sweden", and is often used to make shoes.
 
In a recent year, 18 girls (and 47 boys) were called Suede in the US, meaning the name has, over all, tripled in popularity since 2019. Influencer Kass Parker Nelson (JustKass) named her daughter Suede Estelle in 2024.

Suede

A quietly though not insubstantially used option for boys, Shine ticks a number of boxes. It's an unexpected word name with the familiar sounds of Shiloh or Shane; it fits in among ambitious virtue names like Sincere and Valor; it connects to the stars, the sun, and light in general (much like the popular Orion or Elio); and it has the unisex feel of Sutton and Sage.
 
In the US, around 35 boys were given the name Shine in a recent year, while in England and Wales, it was chosen for eight boys. Small numbers but still worth mentioning, as Shine has only appeared in the UK stats since 2022, and while it's been popping up in the US since the late 90s, it was rarely given to more than 10 babies until the 2020s. 
 
Influencers Rissa and Quan chose Shine for their son back in 2021, which does coincide with increased usage of the name.

Shine

With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.

Sparrow

Three Stooges name (he's the one who wasn't Moe or Curly). 

Shep

unique names that start with the letter S, including Sayori, Silvana, Sully, Silver, Sirena, Sirius, Sincere, Sahar, Sapphira, Sacha, Sohan, Savvy, Saylah, Soul, Solace, Snow, Suede, Shine, Sparrow, and Shep. (Page 8)

Unique Names that Start With S

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