Unique Girl Names: Uncommon, Unusual, Cool
- Sachli
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"long-haired"Description:
Sachli, pronounced "sahch-lee", is a Turkish girl name that feels extra cool today with both the trendy "lee" sound, and the "-i" ending that has been red-hot for girl names recently. Sachli Gholamalizad is an Iranian actress who wears this name.
- Caledonia
Origin:
Latin place-name for ScotlandMeaning:
"hard or rocky land"Description:
Caledonia is a rhythmic and alluring place name used by singer Shawn Colvin for her daughter. It would make an interesting and apt choice for a girl with Scottish ancestry.
- Winsome
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"agreeable, lighthearted"Description:
Sweet, modern descriptive name, but perhaps a little too cute for its own good.
- Zillah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"shade"Description:
A light, bohemian-sounding biblical name, mentioned in the bible as a wife of Lamech, one of the first men.
- July
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"month name"Description:
Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and seven boys were named July in 2013, putting this month name into the class of gender neutral names.
- Denali
Origin:
Place-name and Native AmericanMeaning:
"the great one"Description:
Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. Twice as many girls as boys were given the name in 2021, but the gender gap is closing.
- Blessing
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Blessing is among the Top 1000 girls' names in the UK and recently joined the ranks in the US as well. With modern spiritual names like Shiloh, Chosen, and Halo trending upwards, Blessing is likely to continue to rise in popularity.
- Caro
Origin:
Diminuitve of Carol or Caroline, English, French ,"free man"Meaning:
"free man"Description:
Upper-crusty nickname occasionally used in Britain, particularly in 1930s novels featuring significant garden party scenes, but eclipsed here by Carrie et al.
- Tegwen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"fair, lovely, shining"Description:
Tegwen is nowhere near as pretty as its meaning. Other -wen names -- Anwen, Bronwen, Rhonwen -- have more appeal.
- Sistine
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Sylvester Stallone used Sistine, the name of the Vatican chapel, the site of Michelangelo's magnificent frescoed ceiling, for one of his daughters -- an imaginative choice.
- Gracia
Origin:
Spanish variation of GraceDescription:
Although Gracia is the literal Spanish translation of Grace and is used as the Grace equivalent in Spanish-speaking countries, where it's pronounced grah-see-a, it's also a long-time if unusual Grace variation pronounced gray-sha. You might consider Gracia if Grace is getting too commonplace for you.
- Finola
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"white shoulders"Description:
Finola, the readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions of the name, would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls' names.
- Jonquil
Origin:
English flower name, from LatinMeaning:
"reed"Description:
Jonquil is an unusual flower name that is less outlandish than Daffodil and less common than Daisy. It just might appeal to parents seeking a singular botanical option.Unlike most flower names, Jonquil wasn't introduced until the 1940s, and saw some usage in the U.K. during the forties and fifties.
- Elvie
Origin:
Short form of Elva, IrishMeaning:
"leader of the elves"Description:
If Ellie and Evie are fashionable, why not Elvie? This is a diminutive of the Anglicized version of the Irish name spelled Ailbhe.
- Laken
Origin:
Variation of Lake, EnglishMeaning:
"lake"Description:
Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.
- Auburn
Origin:
Color nameMeaning:
"deep reddish-brown"Description:
With its rich aural relation to names like Aubrey and Audrey, this color name could be the next Amber, or Scarlett.
- Everest
Origin:
Place-name, world's tallest mountainMeaning:
"from Évreux"Description:
Everest has an attractive enough sound and lofty enough meaning to come into style, à la Sierra. George Lucas bestowed this aspirational name on his baby daughter in 2013 and it has been climbing up the charts ever since. Currently in the US Top 1000 for boys, it was also given to around 100 girls in a recent year.
- Frederica
Origin:
Feminine variation of FrederickMeaning:
"peaceful ruler,"Description:
Frederica is an interesting possibility for the parent unintimidated by its old-fashioned formality, and who can appreciate the vintage charm and verve lurking inside its stuffiness.
- Gurnaaz
Origin:
PunjabiMeaning:
"God's Pride, Proud of God"Description:
A girl name common amongst Punjabi and Sikh families in India.
- Consuelo
Origin:
Spanish from LatinMeaning:
"she who brings consolation"Description:
Consuelo is a chic, highly sophisticated Spanish name that works well with Anglo surnames. It was regularly on the U.S. popularity list through 1983, reaching as high as Number 339 in 1930.