Rare but Recognizable Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Alvena
Feminine form of Alvin, English
"noble friend, friend of the elves"
Similar to Alma and Alba, Alina and Alexandra, Alvena is a clunky but interesting possibility. A notable bearer is Alvena Vajda Sečkar, an American painter, children's book author, and social…
Theola
Form of Theophila, Greek
"friend of God"
A contracted form of Theophila, Theola could make an unusual twist on Thea, Theodora, and Viola. Other long forms include the Germanic Theolene and Theoldine meaning "gentle people".
Early
Diminutive of Earl, English, or word name
"nobleman, warrior; early"
Early is a word-turned-name, pleasantly suggesting the start of a bright new day. Of the new word and day names, Early is one of the best. Early James is the stage name of singer-songwriter Fredrick…
Glenwood
Scottish, English
"a narrow valley in the woods"
A surname style choice with a gentle yet rugged feel.
Gwenonwy
Welsh
"lily-of-the-valley"
Gwenonwy is a poetic and intriguing member of the Gwen- family, taken from a Welsh word for the flower, lily-of-the-valley. According to legend, King Arthur had a sister named Gwenonwy and there is a…
Lavandin
Botanical name
"blue, gray flower"
An undiscovered floral name, Lavandin is the name of a hybrid plant, created by crossing English and Portuguese lavender. The result is a larger plant with more flowers, that is particularly good for…
Lilliandil
Popular culture
"sea of lillies"
Ethereal, yet with the familiarity of Lily about it, Lilliandil is a name created by Douglas Gresham for the movie adaptation of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader , based of C.S Lewis's Narnia novels.…
Mefus
Welsh
"strawberries"
Similar enough to Mavis in sound that it might just work, Mefus is a sweet and summery choice taken directly from the Welsh word for "strawberries". Similar in sound to Mavis, in Wales, it might have…
Fairfax
English
"blond"
If this name makes you think of Victorian novels, it's because Fairfax was part of Mr Rochester's name in Jane Eyre , and the surname of a minor character in Jane Austen's Emma . It has a distinctly…
Hareton
Literary name
"hare town"
Used by Emily Brontë in her novel Wuthering Heights , Hareton is a distinctive, rugged and literature-inspired choice. With the sounds of an English place name and the vibes of a last name as a first…
Fifine
French diminutive of Joséphine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
A sweet and zippy short form of Joséphine, also used as a Picard and Walloon form. Fifine appears as a character in Charlotte Brontë's 1853 novel Villette .
Tamlin
Literary diminutive of Tam, Scottish
"twin; son of Thomas"
A gentle name with a playful and spirited air, Tamlin appears in a traditional Anglo-Scottish ballad that tells the story of Tamlin who is abducted by the Queen of Faeries and later rescued by his…
Jabez
Hebrew
"borne in pain"
Jabez has a rare combo of three appealing elements: a Biblical heritage, a captivating Southern accent, and a jazzy feel. It was popular with the Pilgrims and on into the nineteenth century (there…
Ged
English diminutive of Gerard, Gerald, or Gethin, German
"spear strength; ruler with the spear; dark, swarthy complexion"
An oldy-world feeling nickname-name, used for a number of names such as Gerard (said with a sound G) and Gethin (said with a hard first consonant). In the US, it may be associated with the General…
Jubal
Latin
"ram's horn"
This unusual name might be a possibility for musical families: Jubal was credited in Genesis with the invention of the lyre, flute, harp, and organ. It also has a jubilant feel through its sound and…
Samsa
Finnish, variation of Sampson
"sun"
Also spelled Sampsa, in the traditional Finnish epic poem Kalevala , Sampsa is a mythical person who sows all the forests of the land. It is also considered a variation of Biblical Sampson, taken…
Iskren
Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian
"honest, devoted"
A name associated with qualities many would hope their baby will possess: honesty, sincerity, truthfulness, and devotion. Notable bearers include footballer Iskren Pisarov and politician Iskren Mitev.
Ozren
Serbian, Croatian
"to look, glance"
Not to be confused with the Hebrew Ozran, this is a Serbian and Croatian name, derived from the old Slavic word ozreti se meaning "to look", though other sources suggest it comes from ozariti meaning…
Tarka
Literary name
"wandering as water"
The name of the (male) otter protagonist of Henry Williamson’s 1927 novel Tarka the Otter . It is in rare use as a male and female name in England, especially among the Telegraph-reading classes. A…
Arlis
English
"nobleman of ice"
Arlis is a masculine name with American folk roots, possibly originating as a variant of the name Arliss. It might be derived from the Old English elements 'earle' meaning 'nobleman' and 'issa'…