Strange, Unusual and Unique Names

Leighton

English

"meadow town"

One of those names that's suddenly on the map because of a celebrity's influence, Leighton Meester of the TV show Gossip Girl . She pronounces it LAY-ton but some will intuitively say LEE-ton.

Paige

English, occupational name

"page to a lord"

Paige is more name, and less word than the occupational Page. Paige is also sleek and sophisticated a la Brooke and Blair and reached as high as Number 47 in 2003, when there was a very popular…

Matilda

German

"battle-mighty"

Matilda is a sweet vintage name that has been gently climbing the popularity list for the past 15 years, after a half-century slumber. The spunky children's book heroine Matilda is one factor in its…

Logan

Scottish surname

"little hollow"

Logan, with its appealing Scottish burr, is a very hot boys' name—it's in the national Top 10 and heading for Number 1 in some states—and can also make a rich and resonant choice for a girl. Jason…

Camryn

English variation of Cameron, Scottish

"crooked nose"

This Cameron variation was popularized by actress Camryn Manheim and the character in Twitches of the same name. It also makes it more obviously feminine, which might appeal to some parents,…

Brooklynn

Spelling variation of Brooklyn, place name from Dutch

"marshland"

This extra-N variation matches up with the current preferred spellings of Oaklynn, Raelynn, and Adalynn, however it has always been outranked by popular Brooklyn. Though both spellings have trended…

Mae

Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, Latin

"beloved, bitter, drop of the sea; pearl"

Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its…

Danielle

French feminine variation of Daniel, Hebrew

"God is my judge"

Along with Daniela, Michelle, Nicole, and Denise, Danielle was a big hit from the 1960s to the nineties, sitting comfortably in the Top 20 for several years. Parents then responded to its chic,…

Noah

Hebrew

"motion"

There is a female figure in the Old Testament named Noa or Noah, whose name derives from the Hebrew No'ah, meaning "motion". The popular Biblical male name Noah (sometimes spelled as the streamlined…

Maisy

Scottish diminutive of Margaret

"pearl"

The Maisie spelling may be more widely used, but Maisy is perfectly proper and also makes the British Top 100. And as Maisy, she feels like a closer relative to Daisy, another Margaret diminutive.

Charleigh

Variation of Charlie, English diminutive of Charlotte, French "free man"

"free man"

The popular -leigh suffix is clearly an attempt to feminize this traditionally boyish nickname — and it works. There were about 350 baby girls named Charleigh in the US last year — and zero baby…

Luz

Spanish

"light"

Pronounced LOOSE, this name that refers to the Virgin Mary—"Our Lady of Light"—is one of the most widely used Spanish name for girls . Its sleekness and stylish final z gives it a modern appeal, like…

Lilia

Spanish, Italian and Russian

"lily"

Lilia is pretty double L name that makes for sparkly, floral choice with plenty of international flair. More distinctive that Lily, less popular than Liliana, Lia, and Lilian, Lilia was a new entry…

Hadlee

Spelling variation of Hadley

This extra-trendy -ee suffix helped Hadlee ride the wave of Hadley's popularity into the US Top 1000 in 2013.

Cambria

Place name, Latin from Welsh

"Wales"

Most names that start with Cam- are on the upswing, so why not this obscure term for Wales as well as for a prehistoric time period.

Caledonia

Latin place-name for Scotland

"hard or rocky land"

Caledonia is a rhythmic and alluring place name used by singer Shawn Colvin for her daughter. It would make an interesting and apt choice for a girl with Scottish ancestry.