Mystical and romantic with a charmingly Old Norse feel, Solveiga is the variant of Solveig that is found in Latvia and Lithuania.

Akshara is a unisex name taken from one of the names of Lord Vishnu.

Ezri is one of the cool new unisex names starting with E, except as a Biblical name, it's not so new. Used for both genders in Israel, in the US it's currently running five to one in favor of girls, surprisingly. Its deviation from the better known and more traditional Ezra makes it feel like one of the more truly gender neutral names.

This Hawaiian name gracefully celebrates the force of nature, paying tribute to the ocean. If you're looking for unique names that mean ocean, this should be on your short list.

Slightly awkward girl's version of a straightforward male name.

A character name that makes an appearance in Shakespeare's King Lear, Nerilla has hardly been heard in modern times. Fewer than five baby girls received the name in the US last year, which places it among the rarest of the rare.

In the Bible, Elim is an oasis where the Israelites stopped during their Exodus from Egypt. It is a place of plenty representing the natural blessings of God, with twelve springs of fresh water and seventy date palm trees to provide food and shade.

Shakti is the female equivalent of the god Shiva in Hinduism. A sacred name sometimes used in a secular way.

Aza is an excellent Arabic choice: elegant and simple. Too simple for you? Consider Aziza.

A mighty lion in sheep's clothing. Though Amandla looks, to the untrained eye, like a variant of milquetoast Amanda, it actually derives from the word for "power" in the Zulu and Xhosa languages, two of the major languages of South Africa. Anti-Apartheid activists often used the phrase "Amandla Awethu!", meaning "power to the people," as a rallying cry at protests. There was also a 2002 documentary about the role of music in the downfall of Apartheid called "Amandla."

Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a Turkish variation is Azize. In African mythology, the Azizi are a supernatural race of forest dwellers who give practical and spiritual advice.

Just a few years ago, Dustin, Dylan, and Daryl seemed like radical, edgy names for girls; now even Great-aunt Alberta wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

Sibry or Sibree were used as personal names in medieval times and are also surnames. Obscure but accessible, this name has real modern possibilities.

Hereswith is a rare name that comes to us from the dark ages. She was a Northumbrian saint, whose more famous sister, Hilda, was the Abbess at Whitby and patron of the first English poet, Caedmon. The name has a soft, lispy sound that is more wearable than its spelling would suggest.

This unique one-syllable name was added to the mix by Mariel Hemingway for her now grown model/actress daughter; it could make a distinctive middle name or Bree substitute.

Beren is a gender-neutral name that's rare in the US, given last year to 20 baby boys and only five baby girls. But it's simple, distinctive, and yes, strong, plus it comes with an amazing nickname -- Berry.

Many names relating to oak as in the tree are becoming more popular for baby girls, including Oaklynn, more popular than twin Oaklyn three to one. About 1800 baby girls were named Oaklynn versus 600 spelled Oaklyn.

Bridget variation that's the root of the unattractive nickname Biddy. Bedelia is another spelling.

Familiar in Brazil, Tamires is a Portuguese variation of the strong Tomyris, a name borne by an ancient warrior queen of Massagetae (modern-day Turkmenistan) who defeated Cyrus the Great when he tried to invade her country. Also spelled as Thamyres, Thamyris, Tamyris, and Tamiris to list a few, it is a no-frills yet regal choice.