Celebrity Names · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Arabic
"faith"
One of the best-known African names in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.
"sweet basil"
Many will associate Rihanna with the Barbados-born singer, known mononymously by her middle name. During her early years of fame, when "Umbrella" was on the radio and "Take a Bow" was playing through…
Variation of Carly, English
"free man"
Supermodel Karlie Kloss lends this spelling variation some style. Having appeared in the US Top 1000 since 1991, it was in trouble of dropping off completely when it ranked Number 992 in 2009. Since…
Word name
"queen"
Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even…
English or Gaelic surname
"descendent of the champion"
Talented actress Rooney Mara (originally born Patricia Rooney) has single-handedly transformed this Gaelic surname into a wearable and elegant girls' name. Often said to mean "red-haired", the…
English
"from the old town"
Elton is an unassuming, lesser-used place name belonging to several towns in the British Isles, the US and Canada, and even a lake in Russia. The singer Elton John gives it a bit of extra pizzazz.
Variation of Audrey
"noble strength"
Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills .
Female variation of Alan
"handsome, cheerful"
Singer Alanis Morissette made this twist famous. She was named for her father Alan, who is said to have spotted this version in a Greek newspaper. So far it has been pretty much a one-person name,…
Ojibway
"I'm on my way"
This obscure Native-American name owes its very life to country singer Shania Twain, who dropped her original name, Eileen, for it.
Afrikaans feminization of Charles, French
Charlize is a name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Charlize Theron. She was named after her father, whose name was Charles. Charlize jumped onto the popularity…
Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.
Short form of Katherine
"pure"
Katy, or more popularly Katie, stood fashionably on their own two feet for several years there, during the Katelyn boom. But now both Katy and Katie are fading in favor of grownup Kate or buttoned-up…
Tyrese is a modern name that appears to be a variant or elaboration of names beginning with the element 'Tyr-' or 'Ty-'. It may be connected to the Norse god Tyr, who represented law and heroic…
"well developed, handsome"
No longer a one-person name, as a number of parents have been inspired by basketball great Shaquille O'Neal to adopt it for their own future athletes.
Sanskrit, Hebrew
"light, peace, nation"
Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity. Uma is one of the more…
American invented name, combination of Norma and Armani
Normani is a name made famous by the person it was invented for, singer Normani, whose birth name is Normani Kordei Hamilton. An unlikely combination of the operatic grandma name Norma and the…
Nature name
This body of water runs deep; the best of a group of new possibilities that includes Bay, Ocean, River, and the more established Brook. It has received attention via the actress Lake Bell. Lake would…
"hallowed island"
Halsey became famous as a girls' first name via singer-songwriter Halsey, who took her name from Halsey Street in Brooklyn, where she was living when she began writing songs. It's also an anagram of…
Australian Aboriginal
"butterfly"
In the Noongar language of Western Australia, Bindi means butterfly. Bindi is usually seen as a girls' name, as seen in Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin.
French
"solemn"
This is a soft, soignée French girls' name that has become familiar here via singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce. It is also the name of a martyred ninth century saint, a poor…
