Rare but Recognizable Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Olivet
Place name
Mount Olivet is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in…
Viviette
French variation of Vivian
"life"
Embroidered lace hankie of a name, used in a Thomas Hardy novel. That literary cred lends some gravitas. An exceedingly rare name -- Viviette was used for no baby girls In the US last year -- it…
Cavatica
Word name
"barn spider"
While there are many who would certainly be put off by the association with spiders, Cavatica has a spirited and spikey feel and sounds enough like Cassia, Catalina, and Callista that it leans…
Gilda
English
"covered with gold"
Gilda, although related to the words gold and gilded, has definitely tarnished. It once shimmered with the seductive image of Rita Hayworth in the film Gilda, then was associated with the beloved…
January
English month name, Latin
"doorway"
Cooler than the older month names like April and May, and a highly unusual and eye-catching choice. The most famous real-life January is female – January Jones – but the month is named for the Roman…
Keedie
Invented name, Scottish surname, diminutive of Katherine
"of the red earth; pure"
Like a blend of vintage-style Edie and popular Katie, Keedie is either an invented name, a variant of the Scottish surname Keddy, or possibly a short form of Katherine. In the case of Soprano singer…
Thaniel
Short form of Nathaniel, Hebrew
"God has given; gift"
While Nathan, Nat, and Nate are familiar nicknames to Nathaniel, and also used as stand alone options, Thaniel is a rarer choice. It is borne by a character in the popular novel The Watchmaker of…
Amoret
Literary name
This lovely name from Spenser's The Faerie Queene is borne by a character who represents married love. A related unusual-yet-usable choice: Amabel.
Sula
Literary name
"little she-bear; peace; good natured, charm"
A literary name with a simple yet alluring sound, Sula may appeal as an alternative to those who like Lula, Lola, Susannah, and Tallulah. The protagonist and titular character of Toni Morrison's 1973…
Rosasharn
Literature
"Rose of Sharon"
A literary creation, used by John Steinbeck in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath . It is a contracted form of "Rose of Sharon", which could make an interesting middle name to honor a Sharon or an…
Villanelle
English from Italian
"pastoral song"
Is Villanelle the new Sonnet? This elaborate name is a form of poetry — an example is Dylan Thomas's Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night — but many know it better as an assassin's codename in the…
Astrophel
Literary name
"star lover"
Invented by 16th-century English poet Sir Philip Sidney for the hero of his sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella , this name is derived from the Greek elements aster "star" and philos "lover".…
Benvolio
Italian
"good wisher; peacemaker, benevolent"
A kindly, virtue-adjacent name, it appears in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet , borne by the peacemaker friend who persuades Romeo to go to the party where he meets Juliet. Alas. A bold choice but with…
Acton
English
"village with oak trees"
Chosen by novelist Anne Brontë as her pseudonym when she first began to publish her work in the mid-19th century, this buttoned-up and strong sounding surname-name could make an interesting literary…
Rashford
English
"fast moving, shallow river"
With the cool sounds of Dashiell, Nash, Ford, and Ashton, Rashford is a surname style choice, Currently undiscovered as a first name, footballer Marcus Rashford, known for sporting achievements, his…
Cather
English surname from French
"caterer"
An old surname which was originally given to a person in charge of buying groceries for the manor house, this is now most famously associated with American novelist Willa Cather. A nice option for…
Radclyffe
Radclyffe is a masculine name of Old English origin, derived from a surname that was originally a place name meaning 'red cliff' or 'red slope.' The name combines the elements 'read' (red) and 'clif'…
Kilby
English place name and surname
"children's settlement"
A quirky habitational surname, Kilby is a town in Leicestershire in England. Derived from Old English and Old Norse, it could mean "child's settlement" from the elements cilda and by . Though it is…
Leverett
English, French
" beloved counsel; young hare"
An undiscovered surname option that resembles the trendy choice Everett and boasts the stylish nicknames Levi, Rett, and Lev. Following its English origins, Leverett emerged as a diminutive form of…
Revelry
Word name
"lively celebrations"
Reverie, Revel, Rebel, and Jubilee have seen increased use in recent years and Revelry encapsulates the sounds or feel of all four. While some might think too much of raucous parties, others might…