Unique Girl Names: Uncommon, Unusual, Cool

A lovely soft-yet-strong unisex Swahili name, with a great meaning to boot, similar in sound to Farah, and Ferrari.

Used in the Harry Potter franchise for the Metamorphmagus character, Nymphadora Tonks, this name is derived from Ancient Greek. Made up of doron meaning "gift" and 'númphē meaning "nymph" or "bride, young wife, girl", it is associated with a character who despises her name and refuses to go by it. A bold choice, though it does have the familiar nicknames Dora and Nora.

If Erykah Badu can name her son Seven, why can't you name your daughter (or son) this? Eleven has recently gotten a lot of attention via the character on the TV show Stranger Things.

Gertie has a certain homespun charm, summoning to mind butter-yellow braids and denim overalls, summoning mind the adorable character played by little Drew Barrymore in E.T. Is the world ready for the return of Gertie and Gertrude? Maybe?

A pretty and intriguing elaboration of Gal — made internationally famous by Israeli actress Gal Gadot.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Aoibheann, which is also in use in Ireland itself. Eavie/Evie would make an adorable short form.

Didion is an unusual feminine name that likely derives from surnames or place names of Greek or French origin. It may be connected to the Greek name 'Didymus' meaning 'twin,' or possibly from French regional surnames. The name gained some recognition through association with celebrated American author Joan Didion, whose literary contributions may inspire parents to choose this name. As a first name, Didion remains extremely rare, appealing to parents seeking a distinctive, intellectual choice with literary connections. It has a sophisticated, modern sound despite its historical roots. The name's uncommon nature means a child named Didion would likely be the only one in their community, making it an individualistic choice with cultural cachet.

Featherleigh Dale is the femme fatale of a certain age in American writer Elin Hilderbrand's novel The Perfect Couple, adapted as a television series by Netflix.

A softer take on Hunter. Huntley could be considered a truly neutral name in the US, where it was given to 102 girls and 98 boys in 2024, making the split 51:49. Borrowed from a place name in South West England, Huntley could be considered cool, tough, and preppy at the same time, or, it may remind some of a a high-profile English murder case.

Juba, a strong and resonant unisex name, belonged to an ancient African king, is a city and river name, and is traditionally given to Ashanti (of Ghana) girls born on Monday.

In Finland, many pet forms of names end in U, such as Elsu, a nickname for Elsa.

Familiar but underused, Rhiya has been given to a handful of girls each year in the US since 2007. Likely a variation of the water-inspired Greek name Rhea, the musical Sanskrit name Riya, or the regal Welsh option, Rhiannon, Rhiya could also be linked to Arabic Rihanna ("basil") or to any name with a "REE-uh" ending, from Maria to Fariha to Dimitriya.

Meet my sibling, Sibley. Joking aside, Sibley sounds more possible than ever thanks to its trendy -ley ending and the new stylishness of big sister name Sybil.

Keshvi is an epithet of the goddess Radha, who rules over love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion.

A lovely option to get to cool nickname Kit, Kitara is a Japanese girl name and also the name of an ancient East African empire.

Jakarta, the name of the capital and largest city of Indonesia, is located on the island of Java. Both Jakarta and Java could make interesting and unusual choices for a girl.

Ethel is one of.those vintage names that will always will be out...or will it? A generation ago we might have said the same for now-fashionable names like Florence and Ida. Even if Ethel rises, Etheline might sound too much like a chemical compound.

A sparky short form of a variety of names with a similar feel to the likes of Hattie, Essie, Sasha, and Effie. Also used as a surname, it might make an interesting alternative to Stacey, Annie, or Tasha.

This Celtic saint's name is the most offbeat Jen name of all.

Spelling twist makes it more striking.