Both rhythmic and serene, Serenella is one of the Italian names for girls virtually unknown in the US but definitely usable. An unusual route to Ella as a short form?

The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.

This Thai name can get shortened to Niki or Nika.

One Japanese name that feels Western, though not quite American.

A rarely heard flower name, Amapola comes from the Spanish word for "poppy", in turn associating with name with remembrance and the months of August and November. Pronounced as a-ma-POH-la, with the emphasis on the third syllable, it may feel similar enough to Amalia, Amaia, and Paula to work.

A highly unusual flower name that could give you Clio for short.

Pema is related to the more familiar Hindu name Padma and means lotus flower. This delightful name was given to only 14 girls in the USA last year, so it's guaranteed to be a unique choice. Pema is probably most familiar to Westerners through Buddhist nun Pema Chodron and through Jetsun Pema, the Dalai Lama's sister.

This name gets given to a handful of Persian girls each year in both the USA and the UK.

A sweet and feminine Italian name almost unheard of here.

Has a pleasantly fizzy, effervescent feeling.

This name was given a lithe and graceful image by ballerina Gelsey Kirkland, but was later far surpassed by Kelsey and Chelsea.

A melodic and glowing name, derived from Mapuche, the language of the Indigenous people of central Chile, Millaray means "golden flower". It ranked in the Chilean Top 100 in the 2010s and remains a familiar choice. Pronounced as mee-ya-rye, and not as mih-luh-ray as those unfamiliar with it might assume, Millaray is notably borne by actress and presenter Millaray Viera and footballer Millaray Cortés.

In English, this Persian name looks harsher than its sound or meaning. But we think it has a lot of dignity; and if Dagmar can get a look it, why not Golnar?

This fragrant name is unfortunately just too close to the English word malady to be a good omen for English-speakers.

Hasmik is the Armenian form of Jasmine, pronounced as hahs-MEEK in east of the country and hahs-MEEG in the west. It has ranked in the the Armenian Top 50 since the 2000s, reaching #12 in 2007 at its peak.

This Dutch girls' name meaning little flower is one of the more common Dutch-origin names used in the Netherlands today.

A virtually unknown choice in the U.S and rare in its native Turkey too, Papatya is nevertheless attractive and usable for the baby namer who truly wants something different, but with a familiar and floral meaning. It comes directly from the Turkish word for "daisy".

Kantuta is the Quechua name for the national flower of both Bolivia and Peru, which is known for flowering around Christmas time. With its vivid green foliage and extremely bright red bell-shaped flowers, the plant encapsulates many traditional Christmas symbols, making Kantuta one of the great unique names for Christmas babies.