Celebrity Names · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
French
"brown-haired one"
The best-known bearer of this name by far is basketball superstar LeBron James. While LeBron James is a great athlete and American hero, only 19 baby boys were named LeBron or Lebron in 2021.
Hebrew
"life"
We all know that Chaka really means disco.
"swift to the plunder"
Actor Mahershala Ali single-handedly put this Biblical name on the map. If you think it's difficult to pronounce and spell, consider that it's short for Maher-shalal-hash-baz, the longest name in the…
Variation of Orpah, Hebrew
"fawn or gazelle"
The misspelling that created an indelibly one-person name. And we mean that literally: Despite Oprah Winfrey's fame and appeal, there were no baby girls named Oprah last year, OR Orpah. The Biblical…
Nickname name
Cardi B is the stage name of the rapper born Belcalis Almanzar. The name Cardi originated as a short form of Bacardi, a nickname the musician got because her sister is named Hennessy, after the…
Paget is a feminine name originating as an English surname derived from Old French, meaning 'young servant' or 'page.' It gained limited use as a given name for girls in the 20th century, drawing…
English, diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Yes, it's a word name, but Busy is also a rare pet form of Elizabeth. And yes, actress Busy Philipps was christened Elizabeth--she was given the nickname because she was such an active child. She…
Color name
The singer known as Pink (born Alecia) brought this hue onto the name-possibility palette, especially as a middle choice. Could Pink be the next Blue?
Icelandic
"birch tree"
Associated with the mononymic Icelandic singer and her iconic swan dress.
English
"fame; gossip, story"
Celebs Demi Moore and Bruce Willis made waves in the 80s when they named their now-grown daughter after novelist Rumer Godden. The author was actually born Margaret, with family surname Rumer as her…
English surname
"button-maker"
While presidential surnames as first names are much rarer today than they were in the early 20th century, our 46th President's last name joined the ranks of given names (for boys) in 2021. That year,…
American invented name from Louisiana Creole
You know who Beyonce is. One of the most famous people in the world. When she was born, her name was truly unique; it was a riff on her mom's maiden name, Biyence, with an accent over the final E.…
Spelling variation of Bethany, Hebrew
"house of figs"
Bethenny is the spelling introduced to the world by and closely associated with Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel. While the name has a bit of charm, we recommend sticking with the original…
English word and nature name
Projects the sleek and playful image of the aquatic mammal, plus that of the striking British-born Brazilian/Nigerian/Afro-Caribbean singer (born Sealhenry).
Czech
"white"
Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.
Afrikaans version of Beate or Beata
"blessed"
Namibian supermodel Behati Prinsloo, who has walked the runway for every designer from Prada to Versace to Vera Wang, has introduced us to this Afrikaans version of Beata and relative of Beatrice.…
Persian literary name
When comedian David Atkins adopted this Arabian Nights-type name, it became almost feasible, but could lead to tough times in the schoolyard.
Invented nickname
Up-and-coming actress Beanie Feldstein is attracting attention toward her unusual — but rather cute — nickname. She was born Elizabeth Greer Feldstein but nicknamed "Elizabeanie" by her childhood…
Bar is a feminine name with multicultural roots and concise elegance. In Hebrew, it means 'pure' or 'grain,' and holds significance in Israeli culture where it's used for both genders, though more…
Tan is a succinct masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Chinese culture, it functions as a surname but can also be a given name meaning 'sandal wood' or 'flat, peaceful land.' In…
