Girl Names Lists · International Baby Names
Girl Names Uncommon in the US
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About this list
Uncommon girl names in the US may be well-liked and widely used in other countries around the world. Ebba might be uncommon in Seattle, for instance, but standard in Stockholm, while Alba is unusual in Milwaukee but everywhere in Madrid.
Along with Ebba and Alba, other fashionable girl names uncommon in the US include Darcy, Imogen, Laia, and Thais. Scandinavian names are an up-and-coming trend — Sigrid, Juni, Fenna, and Leni are among the rare options we recommend.
Restricting our search to the Top 100 names of European countries, on the theory that almost every name from Asian and African cultures will be rare in the US, these are the girl names outside of the Top 1000 in the United States but heard on every street corner from Manchester to Minsk.
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The names
Aitana
Spanish place-name
Aitana is the name of a Spanish mountain used by the poet Rafael Alberti for his daughter. He reportedly chose it because the mountain was his last glimpse of Spain when he went into exile after the…
Fernanda
Feminine variation of Fernando, Spanish and Portuguese version of German Ferdinand
"bold voyager"
Fernanda is very popular in the Latino community, with a lot more charm than its male counterpart. The standard nickname is Nanda, and variations include Ferdinanda and Fernandina. Oscar-nominated…
Arlet
Spanish and Catalan variant of French Arlette
Arlet's is in the Top 100 in Spain, and this love is carrying over into the states as well, with Arlet being among the fastest-rising names of 2022. Related name Arleth is also red-hot, and was one…
Freyja
Old Norse variation of Freya
"a noble woman"
The original form of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, whose name is now a worldwide sensation. Freya is the most common variant, although Freja is preferred in Denmark and Sweden. Iceland still…
Inaya
Arabic, Bengali and Urdu
"care, concern"
Inaya is a soft and expressive name that derives from the Arabic word "inayah", meaning "care, concern, help". It is an indirect Qur'anic name, and the strictly feminine form of the unisex Inayat . A…
Karla
German variation of Carla
Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
Ainara
Basque
"swallow (bird)"
A distinctive nature name and member of the trendy bird category, Ainara might make an unusual choice with a lovely secret (to English speakers, anyway) meaning. A Top 100 choice in Spain and in the…
Luisa
Italian, Spanish
"renowned warrior"
This streamlined Italian and Spanish spelling of Louisa is currently very popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal, where it's usually spelt Luísa.
Aina
Scandinavian and Finnish variation of Aino, Catalan variation of Anna, Japanese, Latvian, Kazakh, Yoruba
"always; grace; lover of green; sight; mirror; delivery had complications [umbilical cord twisted around neck]"
A bright-sounding name with multicultural appeal, used regularly as a first name in Japan, Scandinavia, Latvia, and Spain. The Yoruba name Aina, pronounced ah-ee-NAH, is traditionally used for baby…
Alba
Latin, Germanic, Spanish , Italian., "white, light; elf; dawn"
"white, light; elf; dawn"
Bright, lively, and multicultural, Alba has the vintage mellowness of Alma but spirited feel of Ebba, Phoebe, and Pippa too. Derived from multiple different sources, a recent year saw it appear as a…
Ailbhe
Irish
"world, light, white; rock"
Ailbhe is a unisex Irish name that has appeared throughout Irish history, borne by a 6th-century (male) saint, and by a female warrior of Fianna, a legendary group of women warriors, led by Fionn…
Alberte
Nordic variation of Alberta
Good choice if you want to avoid connections with the Canadian province, but the confusing spelling is probably not worth the hassle.
Alix
French
"noble type"
A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex,…
Alva
English form of Irish Ailbhe, Swedish and Norwegian feminine form of Alf
"white; elf"
While the male Alva or Alvah relates directly to the minor Biblical character, the female version is more likely an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ailbhe, or a feminine form the name Alf (and Alf-…
Africa
Place name, various meanings
Most Africas today would be named for the continent, but the name actually existed in Scotland in medieval times, where there was a Celtic queen named Affrica. Africa has also been a Spanish name for…
Aisling
Irish
"dream, vision"
Aisling is currently a very popular Irish name for girls . Pronounced variously as ASH-ling, ASH-lin or ash-LEEN, it was part of the revival of authentic Irish names in the twentieth century, and is…
Agnes
Greek
"pure, virginal"
Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos , meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as…
Anita
Spanish diminutive of Ana; Sanskrit
"grace; unguided"
Once a Top 100 name, this Spanish diminutive of Ana still retains some of her Latin flair. A notable namesake is noted attorney Anita Hill, another is the great jazz singer Anita O'Day. Plus there's…
Anni
Anni is a feminine name with Nordic and Germanic origins. It functions as a diminutive of Anna or Anne, names ultimately derived from the Hebrew Hannah, meaning 'grace' or 'favor.' Anni is…
Anahita
Persian
"immaculate"
Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls. Anahita was derived from the Old…