Best One-of-a-Kind Names for Girls

Sheherazade

Persian

"noble lineage"

The tale-spinning heroine of The Thousand and One Nights , Sheherazade is an extravagantly elaborate name for a little girl. Too extravagantly elaborate? It's lovely and beguiling, and with the rise…

Sidonie

Latin

"from Sidon "

Sidonie is an appealing and chic French favorite that is starting to attract some American fans as a fresher alternative to Sydney. Also spelled Sidony, Sidonie was the birth name of the French…

Sigrun

Norse

"victory rune"

A popular choice in contemporary Iceland, in Norse mythology, Sigrún was a Valkyrie. She married Helgi, a legendary Danish king, and dies of sadness after he is slain by her brother, Dagr. As a name,…

Sophronia

Greek

"sensible, prudent"

Stately and elegant, but with the familiar sounds of Sophia and Sophie, Sophronia was a familiar choice back in the 19th century but has since fallen into obscurity. Derived from the Greek sophron ,…

Swan

English

"swan"

Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan…

Taci

African, Zuni

"washtub"

One African choice that might be easier to understand if spelled phonetically: it's pronounced TAH-shee.

Talwyn

Cornish

"fair brow"

Talwyn is a contemporary Cornish word name that can be pronounced with the emphasis on either syllable. With its fashionable -wyn ending, Talwyn could easily be used on an American-born baby.

Thaddea

Feminine variation of Thaddeus, Aramaic

"gift of God"

Although Thaddeus has long been used in this country, Thaddea is almost unknown and, with its air of mystery, could make a distinctive choice. Thaddea might be a unique substitute for the…

Thalassa

Greek

"the sea"

A pretty, rarely used Greek name, Thalassa is the ancient personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean, who is sometimes considered the mother of Aphrodite. In 1991, a newly discovered…

Theodota

Feminine variation of Theodotus, Latin from Greek

"given to god"

With Theodora showing signs of revival, this rare saints' name could be an appealing alternative.

Thessaly

Greek, place name, meaning unknown

The name of an area in northern Greece, known in the era of Homer's Odyssey as Aeolia, Thessaly makes a spirited and pretty place name. Reminiscent of Tessa, Rosalie, and Thea, the name likely…

Tiernan

Irish

"little lord"

An old Irish surname cousin of Tierney that makes an unusual and appealing Irish gender switch.

Tikvah

Hebrew

"hope"

Appreciated by religious Jews for its connection to "Hatikva," the Israeli national anthem.

Toril

Norwegian

"Thor's battle"

Also spelled Torill, Torril and Torrill, this refined variation is derived from the Old Norse name Þórhildr and its more modern Norwegian form, Torhild. Stylish in Norway in the 50s and 60s, this…

Ulyssia

Feminine variation of Ulysses, Latin from Greek

"wrathful"

Ulyssia is an ultra-rare feminization of the stately presidential name Ulysses. It has only made the American charts one time — in 2003 when it was given to five baby girls.

Umbria

Italian place name, from the Umbri, one of the chief tribes settling the Italian nation

Umbria is a lovely, virtually unused Italian name for girls , reflecting the beautiful rolling hills of the area's countryside. And since it's right next door to Tuscany, in which Siena resides,…

Umeko

Japanese

"plum-blossom child, patient"

Unfamiliar Asian choice that can work for a parent in search of something really different.

Undine

Latin

"little wave"

Mythological water spirit with the more common spelling of Ondine, heroine of an Edith Wharton novel.

Venetia

Italian place-name

Venetia, the name of the region encompassing Venice, has a radiant, picturesque authenticity, as do the related Venezia and Venice. Venetia is the title of a novel by Benjamin Disraeli centering on…

Verbena

Latin

"sacred foliage"

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.