Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
Welsh
"sea fortress"
Merlin is an ancient wizardy name still occasionally (and increasingly) used today. Thirteen baby girls were named Merlin in the US last year, and about seventy boys.
Greek
Modern Greek variant of Nephele.
English
"trickling stream"
A locational surname with its origins in the North of England, occasionally also used as a first name. Notable bearers include actor Dacre Montgomery ( Stranger Things ) and author and filmmaker…
Place name
Mount Olivet is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in…
Latin
"pig"
Portia is a perfect role-model name, relating to Shakespeare's brilliant and spirited lawyer in The Merchant of Venice , and is now also a Hunger Games name . Another Shakespearean Portia was the…
Irish
"black stranger"
An Irish surname possibility for those who like Daley, Royal, Dougal, and Dolan, though it may sound too much like doily to catch on for modern boys. Nevertheless, it was fairly well used in the 20th…
Finnish variation of Eric
"eternal ruler"
Creative gem perfect for an architect's son, in tribute to modern Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen.
Arabic
"seer of truth"
Name of the last king of Egypt.
"dweller in open country"
An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.
Irish / Anglo-Norman surname
"son of Patrick"
A common surname in Ireland, often use as an anglicization of Mac Giolla Phádraig. This name could honor a Patrick. It's also a way to get to Fitz as a nickname.
Spelling variation of Hawthorne
The version with the e at the end relates to novelist Nathaniel, so that may be the one most parents attracted to this unusual name would choose. Hawthorn nudges it toward the nature category:…
Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius
"fiery"
Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones.…
Scottish variation of Welsh Ifor, English form of Norse Ívarr
"lord; yew tree, bow warrior"
Ivor, a favorite choice for upscale characters in Brit Lit novels by authors like P.G. Wodehouse and Evelyn Waugh, is an interesting and unusual name just waiting to be discovered by parents in this…
Scottish place-name
This undiscovered Scottish port city name has a nice, upbeat feel and lots of good nickname possibilities.
Place-name
Juneau could go either way as a name. The newfound fame of the movie heroine Juno knocks this unrelated though identical-sounding Alaskan name out of consideration for boys, for the moment. Though…
Scottish river name
"wet"
This is an unusual surname and geographical name of medieval Scottish origin that might serve as a possible alternative to the aging Keith, though it's a bit tough on the tongue. More popularly spelt…
"amber, shining, bright"
Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…
French variation of Marcel
"little warrior"
Mime Marcel Marceau actually had two versions of the same name. Marcel, Marceau, Marcella, Marcus, Mark -- all are variation of the Roman mythological name Mars, the god of war.
English word name
"always"
Inspired by Taylor Swift's 2020 album Evermore , seven sets of parents chose this name for their daughters in 2022. With a poetic meaning of "forever" or "always", this is one that we could see…
"golden, blond"
An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that's unusual but historic. Now a Top 60 name in Italy, Flavia has been a rarity in the US, but with the upswing in F names for girls, this could…
