Celebrity Names · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
English month name from Latin
"doorway"
Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name. The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann…
Hungarian and Dutch diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Robust and energetic with an even blend of spikiness and elegance, Mariska is a diminutive of Maria, notably used in Hungary and The Netherlands. Internationally, it was brought into the spotlight by…
Diminutive of Vincent, Latin
"conquering"
Minimalist nickname via XXX star Diesel (born Mark Vincent).
French form of Eugenia, Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Eugenie enjoyed a major dusting off when Fergie and Prince Andrew chose it for their daughter, restoring a patina of royal sheen it hadn't had since the time of Napoleon III's glamorous empress--who…
German
"barrel maker; pine"
Kiefer is a strong occupational surname associated with "24" star Kiefer Sutherland, but one that could well join the other 'er' surnames currently in favor. Keifer is a German surname transferred to…
Kesha is a feminine name with several possible origins. It may be a variant spelling of Keisha, which emerged in the United States in the mid-20th century and gained popularity in the 1970s.…
African place-name, Nigeria
"honor, tribute"
Kanye West propelled his name into the Top 900 in the early 2000s, at the height of his popularity, though now it has dropped off the baby-naming map. In addition to its African derivation, it is a…
Literary name or variation of Zoe, Greek
"life"
Readers who remember J. D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey have probably forgotten that the character was male (nee Zachary). Nowadays the somewhat loopy spin on Zoe is associated with actress Zooey…
Latin
"my lady"
There's only one. Okay, two.
Arabic
"righteous"
Rashida is an evocative and alluring name, currently represented by Rashida Jones, daughter of Peggy Lipton and Quincy Jones, who has been featured in The Office, Parks & Recreation, and The Social…
French
"daring king"
Actress Sigourney -- born Susan -- Weaver made this unusual name (which she found in The Great Gatsby ) famous, if not popular.
English, Sabine, "orange blossom oil; strong"
"orange blossom oil; strong"
A fragrant and melodic name, Neroli is usually associated with an essential oil made from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. Less floral than orange blossom water, Neroli gets its name from the…
Ginnifer is a modern feminine name that emerged as a phonetic respelling of Jennifer, which derives from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, meaning "fair and smooth." This variant spelling gained visibility…
"fiery"
Diminutive of Ignatius or its female form Ignatia – or, if you're thinking outside the box, of Ingrid or even Indigo. British actor, presenter and comedian Noel Fielding named his second daughter…
Modern invented name
One of the oft-mocked Zappa kid names; it supposedly was a nickname his father had for his wife's pinkie toe.
Irish
"swarthy"
This somewhat boisterous Celtic name would be at home in a noisy pub or out walking on the moors. In Scotland, it was originally a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion. Duff…
French surname
Scottish actor Dougray (born Stephen) Scott made us aware of this name when he took on his French grandmother's surname as his stage name.
Invented name, English from Italian
Made famous by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose parents fashioned her name from a musical term meaning "with sweetness".
English word name
Christmas is a day name long and quietly used as a name for babies born at Christmas . Prettier and more modern than Noel or Noelle.
"beloved"
For years there was only one Cher, and then along came the charming heroine of the movie "Clueless." The world now officially has enough Chers in it.
