Nameberry's Favorite Unique Names
- Ferelith
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"true sovereignty"Description:
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 Middle Ages, there are some modern women named Ferelith, including actress Ferelith Young and Princess of Denmark Anne Ferelith Fenella Bowes-Lyon.
- Oslo
Origin:
Norwegian place name, Old NorseMeaning:
"meadow at the foot of a hill"Description:
Oslo, the capital city of Norway, makes for an intriguing new place name, especially with its bookended O's, as in Otto and leads to cool nickname Ozzie. One Berry has already used it and we predict others will follow; in fact, stats suggest it is used eight times more often than it was a decade ago.
- Fern
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"plant name"Description:
A fresh, green, rising nature name for girls that would make a cool possibility for a baby boy as well. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 for boys a handful of times since naming records began.
- Sholto
Origin:
Scottish from the GaelicMeaning:
"sower"Description:
Rugged but gentle, Sholto is a traditional Scottish first name, especially within the Douglas clan, with Sholto Douglas being its mythical ancestor. It is an Anglicized form of Sìoltach, meaning "sower".
- Taliesin
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"shining brow"Description:
Poetic and handsome with a hint of mystique and magic around it, this rugged Welsh name may appeal as an alternative to Tristan or Taran.
- Tanith
Origin:
PhoenicianMeaning:
"serpent lady"Description:
Name of the Phoenician deity who was the patron of Carthage, goddess of the moon, and a fertility figure. Variations include Tanit, Tanis, and Tanitha. The name is frequently misinterpreted to be an Irish name meaning "estate." Despite this august heritage, the original form of the name is a bit lispy for use in modern English-speaking lands.
- Fenella
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"white-shouldered one"Description:
More unusual than Fiona and more user-friendly than Fionnuala, the engaging Scottish Fenella, has been scarcely heard in this country.
- Annabeth
Origin:
Combination of Anna and BethDescription:
This is a long-recognized smoosh name merging Anna with the short form of Elizabeth, and is one of the prettiest combo names, a possible alternative to Annabel.
- Merlin
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"sea fortress"Description:
This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin Olsen, whose father was named Merle.
- Runo
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"poem"Description:
An appealing Finnish name, with a touch of literary magic and whimsy, Runo means "poem" in its native language. Traditionally said with a slightly rolled R and a softer 'oh' sound at the end (more like in on that in open), it comes from the Proto-Norse and Proto-Germanic, where it means "secret, literature, letter", in turn relating it to rune.
- Vaila
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"foreign Isle"Description:
This unique Scottish name for girls is taken from the name of a small, inhabited Shetland island off the coast of Scotland, and fits into the tradition of Scottish parents choosing Scottish place names for their babies. From Fife to Oban, Lomond to Iona, Vaila is a rare choice outside of its native country, but in the Top 300 there. 2024 saw it given to 13 baby girls in Scotland.
- Amaria
Origin:
Igbo, English, Arabic, Hebrew, GreekMeaning:
"grace; beloved, bitter; to thrive and live long; Yahweh has said; to sparkle"Description:
Amaria is one of those rare names that sounds like a familiar and well-known choice. Part of this is done to its similarity to the likes of Amara, Amelia, Maria, and Aria, but another factor is it its multicultural roots.
- Kitsu
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"orange, tangerine; good luck"Description:
Sweet and colorful, Kitsu is Japanese name with a sleek and stylish sound. Meaning "good luck" or "tangerine, manadarin, orange tree" depending on which kanji are used, the name may also bring to mind Kitsune, a fox spirit from Japanese folklore with powers to shapeshift and bewitch.
- Moon
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
The original oddball celebrity baby name, via Frank Zappa's daughter Moon Unit, who claims she's always liked it.
- Tennyson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Dennis"Description:
Few people would have considered the surname of this famous Victorian poet as a first name until Russell Crowe chose it for his son in 2006. But, as a rhythmic three-syllable patronymic, Tennyson has a lot going for it, not least of all the appealing nickname Tenny.
- Rigel
Origin:
Astronomy, ArabicMeaning:
"foot, leg"Description:
This might sound and look like a blend of Ryan, Riley, and Nigel, but it is in fact the name of the seventh brightest star in the sky. Found in the constellation of Orion, its name comes from the Arabic phrase, Rijl Jauzah al Yusrā, , meaning "the left foot of the central one."
- Solas
Origin:
Invented name, or Norwegian or Spanish surnameMeaning:
"pride; light, bright"Description:
Solas is a surname name in both Norwegian (as Solås) and Spanish (as Solás), but it was introduced as a first name via the video game franchise Dragon Age. In the series, Solas is an Elven mage whose name is derived from the Elven word for "pride".
- Balian
Origin:
Frenchified form of Barisan, HistoricalDescription:
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 acted as the leader of the defence during the siege of the city. His actual name was Barisan, like his father before him, but Balian is believed to be the Old French adaptation.
- Madelief
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"daisy"Description:
Madelief is an uncommon name but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names as well as names ending in "eef/eev" sounds (Aoife, Eve, Genevieve), Madelief has potential in English-speaking countries to be a fresh and pleasant change from Daisy, Margaret and Madeleine.
- Ebba
Origin:
Feminization of Ebbe, Swedish and Danish, or variation of Old English ÆbbeMeaning:
"bear god; brave boar"Description:
Ebba, the feminine version of Ebbe (a diminutive of Eberhard or Asbjorn) and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of Emma, Ella, Ada, and similar simple-yet-traditional names, Ebba may enjoy more widespread popularity.
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