Nameberry Favorites · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
Nameberry's Favorite Unique Names
Across 6 pages
of 6
Marinell
Literary name
"knight of the sea"
In Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene , Marinell is a knight and the son of a water nymph. He is wounded in battle against the valiant female knight Britomart.
Lunéciel
French
"moon and sky"
At first glance, this looks like a name straight from Middle Earth, however, it actually comes from the French phrase, lune et ciel , meaning "moon and sky". Atmospheric and poetic too, Lunéciel,…
Isolde
Welsh, German
"ice ruler"
Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…
Ferelith
Scottish
"true sovereignty"
Ferelith is an unusual yet deeply-rooted Scottish girl's name, also found in ancient Ireland and drawn from the Gaelic Forbhlaith or Forbflaith. While it went through a period of dormancy after the…
Endellion
Cornish place and saint's name
"fire soul"
Endellion is the name of an early saint who was a daughter of King Brychan and goddaughter of King Arthur whose life is commemorated by the Cornish village of St. Endellion. This intriguing ancient…
Kelso
Scottish place and surname
"chalk ridge, lime mountain"
This name of a town in Scotland, one of the earliest recorded surnames in the whole British Isles, has more vitality than Kelsey. Distinctive in sound with a cool -o ending and a stylish K initial,…
Nimue
Celtic Mythology (one of the names of the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends)
Nimue (Lady of the Lake) is the ruler of Avalon in the Arthurian legend. Nimue plays a pivotal role in many stories, including giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur, enchanting Merlin, and raising…
Orpheus
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
Zihna
Hopi, Arabic
"she spins; perceptive, intellectual"
A name with multicultural origins, Zihna is a Hopi name with the lively and vibrant meaning of "she spins". Rare yet familiar, it may appeal to parents with Hopi heritage and an energetic baby. Zihna…
Balian
Frenchified form of Barisan, Historical
The protagonist of the 2005 Ridley Scott movie, Kingdom of Heaven Balian was a real-life historical figure, also known as Balian of Ibelin, a 12th century crusader of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, who…
Evanthia
Greek
"blooming"
A pretty and highly unusual relative of Evanthe, which would fit right in with the popular Ev- family of names while standing out for its rarity.
Talvi
Finnish, Estonian
"winter"
A sleek yet friendly name of Finnish and Estonian origin, Talvi is familiar in Finland, Estonia, and Sweden, but rare in English speaking countries. It comes from the Finnish talvi or Estonian talv ,…
Lillemor
Scandinavia
"little mother"
Lillemor is a relatively recent coinage in Scandinavia, where it was most popular in the 1930s and '40s, especially in Sweden. As such, it is considered rather dated in Scandinavia, but it would…
Nairne
Scottish
"river with alder trees"
A name with a pleasing nature meaning, a surname style, and pleasant Scottish burr. Reminiscent of Mare, Raine, and Blair, it is as yet undiscovered as a first name.
Eviana
Elaboration of Eva
"life"
A fresh feeling elaboration of Eva or Eve, in the style of Liliana or Eliana. It could be considered a compound name too, blending Eve and Ana, giving it the meaning "life and grace" or "graceful…
Meriadoc
Breton
"sea brow"
This Tolkien name is a variation on Meriadeg, a Breton name derived from Conan Meriadeg who was the legendary founder of Brittany. In Tolkien's novel, Meriadoc (shortened to the charming "Merry") is…
Faine
English
"joyful"
A cool one syllable choice with a cheerful meaning.
Rohana
Sanskrit
"sandalwood"
A multicultural choice with a variety of meanings, Rohana could make an interesting alternative to Johanna, Rosanna, Rowan, Rowena, or Roshan. It may be considered a variation of the Hindi Rohan,…
Nava
Hebrew, Spanish
"beautiful; from Navarre or Nava"
Short, sweet, and sparky, Nava has been slowly climbing up the US popularity charts in recent years, owing perhaps to its similarity to Nova, Ava, Navy, and Nevaeh. Used quietly but consistently from…
Zephan
Hebrew
"God has hidden"
This shortened form of Zephaniah makes an original Old Testament choice. It might plausibly make an honor name for Stephen or Stephan, and comes with the appealing short form Zeph.