Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
Greek
"green bough"
Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958,…
Japanese
"second son"
Also written as Jirō, this is a commonly used Japanese name, sometimes as a standalone and sometimes as a suffix. Often written to mean "second son", other kanji elements may be used to create the…
Literary name
"little she-bear; peace; good natured, charm"
A literary name with a simple yet alluring sound, Sula may appeal as an alternative to those who like Lula, Lola, Susannah, and Tallulah. The protagonist and titular character of Toni Morrison's 1973…
Feminine short form of David or short form of Octavia
Tavi has been catapulted into the spotlight by teenage fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson. This cute name, previously not on anyone's scope, could be a way to honor an ancestral David or a short form of…
Kazakh and Tajik variation of Tomyris, Persian, Iranian
"family"
Popular in Kazakhstan, Tomiris is the Kazakh form of Tomyris, the name of a warrior-queen noted for defeating Persian ruler Cyrus the Great when he tried to invade her country of Massagetae…
Variation of Lawrence
Alive thanks to Ponderosa papa Greene and SNL creator Michaels, both from Canada, where the name is much more popular.
Hebrew
"light, brilliance"
A Top 100 name in Israel, where it is overwhelmingly feminine. Zohar is currently used equally between girls and boys in the US but is rising far more quickly for boys.
English nature name
Soft and mellifluous nature-surname name, situated miles away from the dated Marshall.
Spanish from Greek
"victory"
Closer to Nike than to Nicholas, this is an attractive, viable import. It's also one of several Italian and Spanish baby names that get you to the stylish and attractive nickname Nico.
English habitational surname
"Earna's settlement"
Arrington originated as a habitational surname for those from a town of the same name in Cambridgeshire, England. According to the etymology of the name, the town was settled by an Earn or Earna —…
English place-name
"from the oxen crossing"
High-collared and straightlaced, with the deadly "Ox" nickname.
"rock"
Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to…
Variation of Pepin
"awe-inspiring"
Super-sweet name that was the title of a Broadway play -- but best known as a type of apple. The Dutch variation is Pepijn is finding some popularity in that country, where short nickname names are…
Latin
"bird"
Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his…
Irish
"cub, Leo"
If you like Dylan, Quinn, or Leo but find them too popular, Quillan could be a distinctive and interesting alternative. It is sometimes connected to the zodiac sign of Leo, making it a cool way to…
Italian variation of Remus, Latin
"twin"
With its stylish -o ending and similarity to the likes of Remy, Rio, and Leo, this Italian name could make an appealing and distinctive choice. A variation of Remus, it is associated with Roman…
English
"woodcutter or reciter"
One of the more subtle occupational surnames, Sayer is a pleasant, open, last-name-first name, particularly apt for a family of woodworkers -- or writers. Some parents are beginning to consider Sayer…
"from the willow farm"
British last name that, though rather gentle, feels like a sharper, sleeker Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.
French
"wood, forest"
Doesn't everything sound better with a French accent? Sylvain, the French variation of the Roman wood god's name, sounds somehow cooler and more sophisticated than Sylvan.
Scandinavian
"Thor's stone"
Shades of Thurston Howell, the effete millionaire castaway on Gilligan's Island.
