Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names · Historic and Vintage Names
Unique Names from History
Across 6 pages
of 6
Oriel
Latin
"golden"
Pretty Victorian-feeling cousin of Ariel; also, more prosaically, a kind of bay window.
Ovid
Latin, meaning unknown
Ovid is the English form of the Roman family name Ovidius, which possibly comes from the word for sheep. It is the usual English name for the first-century poet Publius Ovidius Naso.
Pagan
English
"from the country, countryman"
Writer Anne Tyler gave this apt name to the hippie child in her novel Amateur Marriage , but she wasn't the first -- it was also used by the Puritans. Today it would be quite a loaded choice.
Pascoe
Cornish variation of Pascal
"Easter"
Pascoe was popular in medieval times and is definitely deserving of revival, especially for a child born in the Easter season. Other spellings are Pasco and Pascow.
Perkin
English
"little Peter"
Perkin sounds a bit Hobbit-ish as a full name, but it might make a good honor name or nickname for a boy called Peter.
Pippin
Variation of Pepin
"awe-inspiring"
Super-sweet name that was the title of a Broadway play -- but best known as a type of apple. The Dutch variation is Pepijn is finding some popularity in that country, where short nickname names are…
Ragna
Ragna is a feminine name with deep Norse roots, derived from the Old Norse elements "regin" meaning "advice, counsel, or divine powers" and "ar" meaning "warrior." It can be interpreted as "warrior…
Ramses
Egyptian
"son of God"
Ramses was the name of several kings in Ancient Egypt, including the long-reigning Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great. Unfortuntely, some may associate it with the condom brand name.
Rayner
Variation of Rainer, German
"wise army"
Rayner was introduced to England by the Normans after the Conquest and has historical significance in medieval Europe. Though uncommon in modern usage, Rayner has seen occasional revivals as parents…
Saladin
Arabic
"peace through faith"
A name with considerable history, as the celebrated sultan of Egypt and Syria in the time of the Crusades.
Sanchia
Spanish variation of Sancia
"sacred"
The forerunner of Cynthia is all but unknown these days, but deserving of import and revival.
Sappho
Ancient Greek
"sapphire"
Name of the 7th century BC Greek lyric poet born on the island of Lesbos, whose name has been synonymous with lesbian love. Though this name is rarely used today, it certainly could be and, some…
Sargon
Hebrew
"true king"
Name of a king featured in the Old Testament.
Seneca
Latin surname and Native American
"people of the standing rock"
Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.
Siddhartha
Sanskrit
"one who has accomplished a goal"
Siddhartha Guatama was the real name of Buddha, born in India in the 5th century BC. It has thus become a significant name among Buddhists, who follow Buddha's teachings. Siddhartha is derived from…
Solon
Greek
"the wise one"
Despite the reputation of the sagacious ancient Greek lawmaker, this name hasn't moved to the modern world.
Swithun
English
"strong bear cub"
Variously spelled as Swithun or Swithin, this distinctive sounding name is belonged to St. Swithun, an Anglo-Saxon bishop known as the patron saint of Winchester and of the weather — making him the…
Tace
Short form of Tacita, Latin
"silence"
Tace is a cute, cool short form of the rather august-sounding Tacita.
Tamerlane
Turkic, Mongol
"iron"
This Westernized form of the name of an ancient Mongol warrior, remembered primarily today through the works of Christopher Marlowe and Edgar Allan Poe, runs the risk of sounding pompous and…
Tancred
German
"thoughtful counsel"
More familiar to most English speakers in its Italian form, Tancredo, this Old School name is one to consider if you want something both authentic and highly unusual.