Rare but Recognizable Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Aletris
Flower name, from Greek
"corn grinder"
The bell-shaped flower Aletris is also known as Colic Root, Blazing Star, Unicorn Root, and Stargrass. Its roots have medicinal properties and are used to aid digestive and muscle problems. Its name…
Henning
Henning is a masculine name with Scandinavian and Germanic origins, particularly popular in Denmark, Norway, and northern Germany. It likely developed as a diminutive of Heinrich (Henry), derived…
Oleander
Botanical name
The name of this pretty Mediterranean shrub is reminiscent of popular classic Oliver, and interestingly its etymology appears to overlap too: oleander most likely derives from Greek rhododendron…
Artan
Irish, Albanian, or Faroese
"little bear; golden; little father"
With stylish and approachable sounds, Artan is a charming multicultural choice that could work as an unusual alternative to Arthur, Aidan, Nathan, or Arlo. A name with three origins, it is…
Galahad
Welsh or place name
"hawk of summer; heap of witness"
The son of Lancelot and Elaine in Arthurian legend, Galahad is the purest and most chivalrous of the Knights of the Round Table, and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail. The derivation of…
Coretta
English, elaborated form of Cora
Famous as the name of the widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Cosmin
Romanian
"order, beauty, universe"
Romanian form of Cosmas
Amandine
French, diminutive of Amanda
"much-loved"
This fragrant, almond-scented name has hardly been heard in this country, which is a pity--we've loved it since John Malkovich used it for his now grown daughter. A French diminutive of Amanda, it…
Swan
English
"bird name"
Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan…
Tanith
Phoenician
"serpent lady"
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…
Arianell
Welsh
"silver + yellow; silver + shining"
This early Welsh saint's name is unusual and lovely, waiting to be discovered. Saint Arianell was a member of the Welsh royal family who was possessed by a spirit which was exorcised by Saint Dyfrig,…
Sashka
Bulgarian diminutive of Aleksandra, Greek
"defending men"
Like Sasha, but with an extra kick, Sashka is a Bulgarian nickname for Aleksandra. It may occasionally be used as a spelling variant of the Macedonian Saška, and in Russia as a unisex name.
Katri
Finnish variation of Katherine
"pure"
A diminutive form of the Finnish Katariina, used by Tove Jannson in her book The True Deciever .
Deenie
English diminutive of names ending in deen, dene or dine, or short form of Deanna
"valley; divine"
Best associated with the Judy Blume novel of the same name, Deenie is a retro feeling nickname choice. Deenie is gaining fresh style traction along with similar boyish nickname-names for girls:…
Clovelly
Place name
"ravine under the mill"
Combining the sounds of familiar Ellie with the spark of contemporary Clover, Clovelly has a hint of Everly, Chloe, and Romilly about it too. Currently a very rare choice, and likely to remain so for…
Cimarron
Spanish, English
"wild, untamed"
Cimarron is a Great Plains city and river name used by Edna Ferber as the title of a popular novel. The Cimarron people of Panama were previously enslaved Africans who had escaped from their Spanish…
Lausanne
Place name, Latin
"slab"
An unusual place, Lausanne is a hilly city on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Its name comes from the Latin Lausanna, ultimately from a Proto Celtic word meaning "slab" though other sources…
Orleans
English, French, place name
"gold"
An interesting and as yet undiscovered place name, Orleans feels similar to the likes of Harlem, Memphis, and Oslo. The English form of the French Orléans, it ultimately derives from the Latin…
Azor
Hebrew, English, Spanish
"helper; sky blue; goshawk"
Spiky and edgy, Azor is a Biblical name that appears in the New Testament as an ancestor of Jesus. It possibly comes from the same Hebrew element as the popular Azariah, giving it the meaning…
Andeline
Feminine form of Andrew, Greek, Germanic, Czech
"strong and manly; noble, tender, zeal; angel"
Fresher than Andrea but not so out there as Andrewina, Andeline is a sweet, rare choice, with the familiar sounds of Adeline and Andie. It could be considered a feminine form of Andrew, giving it the…