Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names · Nature, Place and Word Names · Unisex Baby Names
Unique Word Names for Babies
Across 13 pages
of 13
Panacea
Greek
"a cure for all ills"
Penumbra
Latin
"partial shade"
Petrichor
Latin
"the earthy scent of fresh rain on dry ground"
A poetic choice.
Serendipity
English
"unexpected good fortune"
A unique virtue name with a sound as happy and lively as its meaning.
Savage
English, Irish, or Jewish surname
"wild, untamed; grandfather"
It doesn't matter if Savage is a surname on your family tree — it's a highly controversial choice for a first name with connections to racism and colonialism. Despite this, over a dozen sets of…
Sonder
Invented name
"the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own"
A neologism coined for the 2012 Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows , which aims to come up with new terms for emotions that currently lack words
Velleity
Latin
"a wish not strong enough to lead to action"
Axis
Latin
"axle, pivot"
Boreal
English word name from Latin
"northern"
This English word name derives from the name of the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas, by way of Latin borealis "northern". A fictional bearer is Lord Boreal from Philip Pullman's His Dark…
Bonnet
English word name or variation of Bonita, Latin
"hat; good"
You could see Bonnet as rarely used word name and an unexpected route to nicknames Bonnie and Betty. Or, you could view it as a (masculine) French form of Latin Bonitus, and as a surname-style choice…
Camber
English from Latin
"curved inwards"
Part Cameron, part Amber, Camber may be a new name but it feels right for our times. As a word, camber means a slightly arched surface.
Cassava
Nature name
Better known as Tapioca, Cassava makes an innovative way to get to the nicknames Cass or Cassie.
Cassowary
Malay
"large flightless bird"
Euphonious
Greek
"sweet-sounding"
Chalice
Latin
"cup"
A pure and wholesome image... unless it's poisoned!
Chickadee
English
"songbird"
The chickadee gets its distinctive name from its distinctive call: chick-a-dee-dee-dee !
Clerihew
English surname and word name
"humorous verse form"
A humorous rhyme, named for English humourist and novelist Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875–1956), who invented the form.
Coriander
Greek
"bed bug"
This herb is also known as cilantro. It's meaning, "bed bug" is on account of its smell, characterized by the ancient Greeks as bed bug-like.
Defiance
French
"resistance"
Could be a modern virtue... or perhaps not for the parents!
Elixir
Arabic
"medicinal substance; philosopher's stone"
Potentially a cool route to Ellie and similar in sound to Alexa and Elisha, Elixir is a word name associated with healing, magic, and gold. Yet to appear in the US stats, it would make a very cool…