Unique Girl Names: Uncommon, Unusual, Cool

An intriguing surname option with ties to the natural world and to cool names like Hollis and Holland. But beware: another origin of the surname is from Old French horier meaning "pimp, brothel keeper".

Despite fitting in with the modern word name trend, Glorious has been in use since 1925, when it first appeared on the charts for girls. At peak usage, it was given to 15 baby girls in 1948, although we expect this could rise now that model Jessica Hart used it for her son.

If Joely (as in actress Richardson) is a name, why not Noely? As nickname-names become both more acceptable and more fashionable, Noely may be a fresh spin on one traditional name for Christmas babies.

Hunter is gaining favor among girls—for those in search of something less common, we recommend Hutton.

Similar enough to Mavis in sound that it might just work, Mefus is a sweet and summery choice taken directly from the Welsh word for "strawberries". The pronunciation, MEH-vis is likely to be unintuitive outside of Wales, though within Wales, it might have the same energy as choosing Apple or Plum. One for the middle spot, perhaps.

A modern invented name, possibly a variation on Ziola, which comes from Greek Zoilos meaning "lively". It appears in several songs by the band Jane's Addiction, inspired by the adopted name of a former girlfriend of one of the band members.

The Social Security Lists show Willodean and its variant spellings to have been used throughout the 1920s and 30s especially in Southern states. There are a few theories on its origins (an invented name created to honor William/Willard and a a female name ending in "-dine", or it may be an Anglicization of a Native American name). Either way, it has a willowy sweetness that deserves a comeback.

Along with Joyful, Joyous works as an updated version of Joy. It would make for an inspired middle name to honor an ancestral Joy.

Used in the novel and subsequent Disney movie Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century , Zenon is typically a masculine name of Greek and Polish origin, however, in the book and film, it was used for a girl who lives on a space station and is sent to earth as a punishment.

Keira Knightley made her first name famous, single-handedly changing the most popular spelling from Kiera to Keira. Now we're moving on to use her last name as baby name inspiration. Knightley is a last name used as a first that we predict will be used more for girls, with its trendy -ley ending, in the future.

A preppy surname and place name derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Ælfweard "elf guardian" + the -by suffix, meaning "village, homestead". Ellerby feels like a quirkier Ellery or Emery.

Destry rides again, this time as a Western flavored baby name. Derived from the French surname Destrier, from an Anglo-Norman word meaning "warhorse", this rugged name was popularized by the 1930 novel Destry Rides Again by Max Brand, subsequently adapted for the big screen.

Also spelled Radhiya, this is a strong but--as the definition says--agreeable name.

Fresh, evocative choice.

Eluana is a soft Italian name that might be a nice choice for people who are attracted to names like Elena and Emilia but are looking for something a little more unusual. Eluana is evidence that beyond the few familiar choices such as Gianna and Angelina, there are hundreds of attractive Italian names worth consideration.

Used by Shakespeare in his play Timon of Athens, Phrynia is a Shakespearean that hasn't caught on as Ophelia, Jessica, or Imogen have — possibly because of its unusual sounds, its toady meaning, and the fact Timon of Athens is less well known than the likes of Hamlet.

The spirited and bright Tayari is a name of Swahili origin, notably used in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Tanzania. It is adapted from the word for "ready, prepared", making this an aspirational name for someone who is either organized, ready for a challenge, or prepared to deal with anything as it arises.

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.

Common Japanese name among Gen X women.

Finja Is a Josephine nickname that ranks among the Top 100 girl names in Germany.