Baby Names So Far Out They're In

  1. Lavender
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "purple flower"
    • Description:

      Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names like Clementine and Marigold.
  2. Edwin
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy friend"
    • Description:

      Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available.
  3. Polly
    • Origin:

      English variation of Molly
    • Description:

      An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid.
  4. Suki
    • Origin:

      Japanese or English
    • Meaning:

      "loved one; lily"
    • Description:

      As a Japanese name, Suki has the sweet meaning "loved one". It's also an English diminutive of Susanna, making it a creative and modern way to honor a Susan in your life.
  5. Circe
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "bird"
    • Description:

      In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea, who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to Odysseus's crew in Homer's Odyssey, transforming them into swine. All was forgiven, however, as Circe and Odysseus later had a child together—Telegonus.
  6. Isidore
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "gift of Isis"
    • Description:

      Isabel and Isadora are back: could it now be time for a more widespread revival of Isidore? In 2014, both Isidore and Isadore were on the list of fastest-rising names in the US.
  7. Echo
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "echo or sound"
    • Description:

      Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse. Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love.
  8. Barbara
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "foreign woman"
    • Description:

      Barbara is back! Among the fastest-rising names of 2023, Barbara came back from oblivion at the very bottom of the Top 1000, gaining nearly 100 places on the popularity list.
  9. Howard
    • Origin:

      German, English
    • Meaning:

      "high guardian; brave heart"
    • Description:

      Howard, once hugely popular -- in the Top 50 from the 1870s to early 1950s, hitting Number 24 in 1920 -- has been stuck in Dad-Grandad limbo for decades, but is showing some signs of stirring back to life. Along with such formerly-fusty names as George and Harold, Howard may soon feel baby-appropriate, perhaps with the short form Ward, or the clunky-cute Howie.
  10. Leonard
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "brave lion"
    • Description:

      Leonard is the name of several saints, including one who is the patron saint of childhood, and another medieval saint who's the patron of prisoners--known for freeing prisoners he deemed worthy of God. Popular from 1900 to 1930, Leonard is perhaps more notable for those who dropped the name when they entered show biz than those who kept it: former Leonards include Roy Rogers and Tony Randall. Two musical Leonards did keep their names though--composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein and poet-singer Leonard Cohen. Leonard Woolf was the husband and publisher of great English novellist Virginia Woolf. These days, modern parents tend to prefer Leo or the romantic Italian Leonardo, especially since Leonard does not get pronounced with the trendy "Leo" sound.
  11. Wilfred
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "desires peace"
    • Description:

      Wilfred is one of those Old Man Names that still sounds fusty in the US but is fashionable in the UK. It comes with readymade short forms Will or Fred and might make an adventurous alternative to the ubiquitous William. The central character of Walter Scott's Ivanhoe is the knight Wilfred of Ivanhoe. Wilfred Owens was a well-known British poet.
  12. Wallace
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "foreigner, stranger"
    • Description:

      Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit. And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver retro-style nickname.
  13. Sulien
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "sun born"
    • Description:

      Said to be the name of the most learned man in ancient Wales, in this country it would be open to mispronunciation, making it rhyme with Julien.
  14. Ambrosia
    • Origin:

      Latin, feminine form of Ambrose
    • Meaning:

      "Immortal"
    • Description:

      Ambrosia combines some of the more whimsical qualities of more popular Aurora and Isabella, with a heavenly meaning.
  15. Fergus
    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "man of force"
    • Description:

      In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite.
  16. Eulalia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sweetly speaking"
    • Description:

      Eulalia is a melodious name with a southern drawl, thanks to those lilting double Ls.
  17. Irving
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "green river, sea friend"
    • Description:

      It might be surprising to know that this name originated as a Scottish place and surname name, as in Washington Irving. It became a popular choice for first-generation Jewish-American boys, such as best-selling authors Irving Stone and Irving Wallace, whose parents looked to surnames from the British Isles to confer a measure of assimilation and class.
  18. Lois
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "most desirable"
    • Description:

      The eternal fiancee of Superman turned sweet gray-haired lady who's always available to babysit her grandkids turned....hot new baby name?
  19. Antonia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from Antium"
    • Description:

      Antonia is stronger than most feminized boys’ names, reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia. Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which may be an excellent reason for you to use it.
  20. Henrietta
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Henry
    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"
    • Description:

      Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm.