Unique Girl Names: Uncommon, Unusual, Cool
- Tassie
Origin:
Diminutive of Anastasia, Tasmania, Natasha, Thomasina, Tamsin, or similarMeaning:
"resurrection; bag maker; birthday of the Lord; twin"Description:
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.
- Giordana
Origin:
Italian variation of JordanaDescription:
Spelling twist makes it more striking.
- Johari
Origin:
Arabic and Swahili from PersianMeaning:
"jewel"Description:
An attractive and traditional unisex name perfect for a cross-cultural child. Despite the current popularity of names ending in -ari, Johari is surprisingly rare in the US, though recent years have seen it rise slightly. It comes from the Arabic jawhar via the Persian gohar meaning "jewels, gemstones" making it a sparkly choice, and a relation of Jawhara and Cevahir.
- Farai
Origin:
ShonaMeaning:
"rejoice"Description:
A bright, joyful and unisex name of Shona origin, also used as the name of a fashion brand.
- Ellington
Origin:
English place-name and surnameMeaning:
"Ellis' town"Description:
Ellington's popularity may be inspired by jazz great Duke, but the name is used slightly more often for girls today, perhaps because of its trendy El- beginning. Like a host of other El- names, from the familiar Ella to Eleanor to the more niche Elodie and Elula, Ellington carries the popular Ellie nickname.
- Ishani
Description:
Ishani is a feminine name with Sanskrit origins, carrying rich cultural significance in Hindu tradition. The name means 'ruling' or 'powerful' and is associated with Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology. Ishani is specifically one of the eight forms (or aspects) of Parvati known as the Ashta Matrikas. The name combines melodic sounds with profound meaning, representing feminine strength and divine energy. While traditional in India, Ishani has gained modest international recognition as parents increasingly seek names with cultural depth and spiritual significance. The name is appreciated for its relatively straightforward pronunciation despite its exotic origins, making it accessible to Western speakers while maintaining its authentic Indian roots. Ishani offers the perfect balance of uniqueness and accessibility.
- Danit
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my judge"Description:
Israeli spin on Danielle is rarely heard here.
- Ziigwan
Origin:
OjibweMeaning:
"it is (early) spring"Description:
From the Ojibwe word for early Spring, Ziigwan has a bright, jubilant sound, reflective of its meaning. Used by the Indigenous people of the Great Lakes region and the northern plains, Ziigwan may be recognized as a character from the 2022 Canadian TV comedy series, Shoresy, played by Blair Lamora.
- Eivor
Origin:
Swedish and NorwegianMeaning:
"careful island; island defender; good luck"Description:
An old-lady name in Scandinavia today, but Eivor may get a fresh start in the US, where it is associated with Assassain's Creed character Eivor Varinsdottir. Interestingly, the video game inspired several sets of parents to use the name for their sons in 2021 — the first year Eivor was ever recorded — but it has never made the charts for girls.
- Ferebee
Origin:
English place-name and surnameDescription:
Obscure surname and Yorkshire and Lincolnshire place-name (where it's spelled Ferriby) makes a jaunty first. Placed in the public eye by Manhattan socialite Ferebee Bishop Taube.
- Dabney
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"from Aubigny"Description:
A unisex surname familiarized by male actor Dabney Coleman, but with potential to carry over to the girl's side as well. Dabney feels in line with the Irish Darcy and Darby.
- Kephirah
Origin:
Variation of Chephirah, HebrewMeaning:
"young lioness; village"Description:
A distinctive Biblical place name, Kephirah could make an interesting alternative to the more familiar Keziah, Keturah, and Sapphira. Also spelled as Chephirah (and sometimes Kefeera, Kfira, Kephira, Kefirah, Kefira, and Kephyra too), it derives from the Hewrew kephir which can mean both "young lion" and "walled village".
- Answer
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"answer"Description:
An implied spiritual meaning makes this a plausible new name.
- Duna
Origin:
Hungarian river name or IcelandicMeaning:
"eiderdown"Description:
Duna refers the Hungarian word for the Danube River or to the Icelandic term for the down of a duck. Duna also bears a resemblance to both Dune and Djuna. In this era of word names and invented names, Duna may have a bright future.
- Nunana
Origin:
EweMeaning:
"gift"Description:
Sweet but spirited, Nunana is a name used by the Ewe tribe of West Africa and is most familiar as a given name in Ghana. Derived from the word for "gift", it is a pleasant choice with nicknames Nuna and Anna.
- Langley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"long meadow"Description:
A surname style name that may appeal to those who like Langston and Oakley but also L- heavy choices like Lila, Delilah, and Linley, Langley is a rare option with a nature-connected meaning. It first appeared in the US stats for girls in the 1990s, after actress Mariel Hemingway used it for one of her daughters and was given to nearly 40 girls in 2015 after Langley Fox (Hemingway) began to make her own mark on the fashion and modelling world.
- Glytta
Origin:
IcelandicMeaning:
"gleam, glint, flash"Description:
Not a creative spelling of Glitter, but a sparkly Icelandic name meaning "to gleam, to glint, to flash, to blink". Approved as a given name since 2017, it is a rarely used option that may remind people of the word marglytta, translating literally as "sea-gleam" and more familiarly used as the Icelandic word for jellyfish.
- Satara
Origin:
Arabic, HindiMeaning:
"one who covers; seven stars"Description:
A bright, musical name with multiple origins, Satara is a distinctive choice with familiar sounds. It hasn't appeared in the US stats since 2007, making it an appealing possibility for those looking for something rare, that works in multiple languages, and has a celestial feel.
- Dashley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"run through the clearing"Description:
Part Ashley, part word name, Dashley combines popular suffix lee with the speedy feeling Dash to make this trendy but rough round the edges name. Though Dash could could from Dashiell, if you take it as a word name, it gives you the poeticized meaning of "running through the clearing" which might suit a sporty family.
- Majvi
Origin:
SwedishMeaning:
"devoted mother, mother's devotion"Description:
A bright sounding Swedish name, reminiscent of Maisie, Ivy and Maia, that blends Maj with the Norse element vé, meaning "dedicated, devoted". As such, it's a light and cheerful name with a weighty meaning, that could reflect a caring nature or a mother's love.
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