User-created list
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Nicodemus
Greek
"victory of the people"
This rarely used New Testament name could make an unusual route to the cool nickname Nico. Borne by the person who helps to entomb Jesus following his crucifixion, it has the powerful meaning of…
Kadence
Variation of Cadence, word name
"rhythm, beat"
K-beginnings are often substituted for Cs, and this spelling is definitely finding favor with many parents, among them skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. However, sometimes the original is the best - we…
Rohana
Sanskrit
"sandalwood"
A multicultural choice with a variety of meanings, Rohana could make an interesting alternative to Johanna, Rosanna, Rowan, Rowena, or Roshan. It may be considered a variation of the Hindi Rohan,…
Merilee
English, word name or combination of Mary and Lee, or Scottish place-name
Merilee and Merrilee were early respelled or word names, ahead of their time in some ways. Merrilee hit the Top 1000 for a couple of years in the 1940s, but last year no baby girls were given either…
Nizhoni
Amaranthos
Kimana
Native American, Shoshone
"butterfly"
Kimana, the name of a resort in the foothills of Mountain Kilimanjaro in Kenya, would make an unexpected path to the nickname Kim.
January
English month name from Latin
"doorway"
Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name. The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann…
Amethyst
Gem and Color name
As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top…
Velvet
English word name
"a fabric characterized by a short soft dense warp pile"
Velvet is a name that couldn't possibly be softer or more luxuriant. Many people have fond memories of it via the character of Velvet Brown, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet ,…
Polexia
Meaning unknown
Polexia Aphrodesia was the futuristic sounding name of the Anna Paquin character in the movie "Almost Famous."
Folashade
Folashade is a beautiful feminine name of Yoruba origin from Nigeria. The name combines two elements: 'Fola' meaning 'honor' or 'wealth,' and 'shade' meaning 'crowned with a garland.' Together, the…
Araminta
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
Alethea
Greek
"truth"
Alethea, the name of the Greek goddess of truth, came into fashion in England in the 16th century, in tandem with the virtue names. Alethea may find new favor now, thanks to its similarity to Athena,…
Othilia
Ignacia
Latin
"ardent, burning"
This Spanish form of the yet-to-be-revived Ignatius was borne by an early and influential Philipina nun known as Mother Ignacia.
Kiri
Maori
"tree bark"
The name Kiri was made famous by New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, whose original name was Claire. Cute but slight, Kiri is close to several other names from Kiriah to Keira to Kyra and its…
Spring
Word name
Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.
Niji
Andromeda
Greek mythology name
"advising like a man"
One of the stellar unique baby names from mythology, Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of Cassiopeia who, like her mother, literally became a star--the constellation that bears her name.The…