One of our most popular blog posts ever was on 100 wonderful names given to 25 or fewer girls each year.  (We did a boys’ version too.)

But what, we wondered recently, would happen if we narrowed the parameters even more?  If we looked only at names given to ten or fewer girls in the most recent year counted?   This still includes a mind-blowing total of nearly 10,000 names, but would we be able to find 100 great ones?

The answer, we believe, is a resounding yes, and we hope the list here proves it.

If you truly want an unusual name for your baby girl, this is the list for you.  It includes underused classics such as Maude and Rowena along with international choices such as Anwen and Timea; ancient names such as Hebe and Hero; and newly-minted names like Cairo and Blue.  And each given to only ten girls or fewer in the entire United States.

Our picks for the 100 best cool unusual girls’ names, with the number of children who received it in 2012:

[column1]

1.  Aberdeen, 10

2.  Afra, 9

3.  Africa, 8

4.  Alannis, 9

5.  Aliz, 10

6.  Amabel, 7

7.  Amorie, 10

8.  Annetta, 10

9.  Anwen, 10

10. Avis, 10

11. Bess, 6

12. Bette, 5

13. Blanche, 9

14. Blaze, 10

15. Blue, 10

16. Bridie, 8

17. Britt, 7

18. Cairo, 10

19. California, 10

20. Cameo, 9

21. Carlisle, 10

22. Carlotta, 10

23. Carola, 9

24. Cassiopeia, 5

25. Cece, 8

26. Celestina, 8

27. Celinda, 9

28. Chandra, 10

29. Christabelle, 10

30. Cicely, 8

31. Claudine, 5

32. Clea, 10

33. Clementina, 8

34. Concetta, 5

35. Cosima, 8

36. Dharma, 10

37. Domino, 6

38. Drusilla, 6

39. Emanuella, 10

40. Eugenie, 10

41. Eulalie, 6

42. Fara, 10

43. Fawn, 9

44. Federica, 8

45. Garland, 5

46. Gelsey, 6

47. Germaine, 6

48. Ginevra, 10

49. Gwendolen, 9

50. Hebe, 8

[/column1]

[column2]

51. Hephzibah, 10

52. Hero, 8

53. Hyacinth, 6

54. Isabeau, 10

55. Jerusha, 9

56. Jessamine, 10

57. Kitty, 10

58. Leda, 10

59. Letitia, 6

60. Lucretia, 8

61. Maelys, 10

62. Mariabella, 10

63. Martine, 8

64. Matisse, 10

65. Maude, 9

66. Neri, 6

67. Oceane, 7

68. Ondine, 9

69. Parthenia, 6

70. Perrin, 10

71. Phillipa, 9

72. Raphaela, 10

73. Rashida, 10

74. Ravenna, 10

75. Reeve, 6

76. Rowena, 10

77. Sam, 5

78. Sanna, 10

79. Scotland, 10

80. Sian, 7

81. Sibylla, 7

82. Sidonie, 7

83. Sigrid, 10

84. Simi, 10

85. Sojourner, 7

86. Solstice, 6

87. Sonata, 7

88. Sonnet, 10

89. Sonoma, 9

90. Sorcha, 10

91. Stacia, 10

92. Sula, 8

93. Surya, 10

94. Tansy, 6

95. Taren, 6

96. Tilda, 10

97. Timea, 7

98. Trixie, 10

99. Tulsi, 7

100. Windsor, 10

[/column2]

Which are your favorites?  Which would you use/not use?