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Not-So-Popular Favorites

Astrathia
By Astrathia
Updated Mon Jan 29 2024
If you are looking for names that are unique or unpopular, then this is the list for you!
  1. Freya

    • Origin:

      Norse

    • Meaning:

      "a noble woman"

    • Description:

      Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning "Lady, noble woman", Freya is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
  2. Astrid

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian

    • Meaning:

      "divinely beautiful"

    • Description:

      Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."
  3. Orion

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "boundary, limit"

    • Description:

      Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.
  4. Cleo

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "glory"

    • Description:

      Cleo, one of the few girls' names to boast the cool-yet-lively o ending, is of course short for Cleopatra, the name of one of the most powerful women in history.
  5. Poppy

    • Origin:

      Flower name, English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "red flower"

    • Description:

      Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
  6. Tobias

    • Origin:

      Greek from Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is good"

    • Description:

      Tobias is one of a number of s-ending boys' names that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree.
  7. Quentin

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "fifth"

    • Description:

      Quentin, an offbeat name with lots of character, relates to the Latin for the number five and is by far the subtlest and most usable of the Latin birth-order names, masculine as well as stylish and distinctive. It was borne by a third-century saint and came to England with the Normans.
  8. Rosalind

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "soft horse or pretty rose"

    • Description:

      Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It. Along with a bouquet of other Rose names, Rosalind might be ready for a comeback.
  9. Primrose

    • Origin:

      English flower name

    • Meaning:

      "first rose"

    • Description:

      A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen in the Hunger Games series. In the Top 300 girl names in England and Wales and on Nameberry, Primrose remains rare in the US, but is made more accessible by a raft of sweet nickname options, including Rosie and Posy.
  10. Adriel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my master"

    • Description:

      This biblical name is getting wider notice. While Adrian has had its time in the limelight since the late 70s, parents are beginning to look for fresher alternatives. In the Bible, Adriel was the husband of Merab, a daughter of King Saul. Adriel, like other names ending in -el like Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel, is also the name of an angel. The angel Adriel is known as the Angel of Death. Adriel entered the charts in 2002, and has risen now into the Top 200.
  11. Odessa

    • Origin:

      Russian form of Odesa, Ukrainian place-name

    • Meaning:

      "voyage"

    • Description:

      Odessa, (transcribed as Odesa in Ukrainian) is a Ukrainian port city and was given its name by Catherine the Great, who was inspired by Homer's Odyssey. It would make an original and intriguing choice.
  12. Sven

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian

    • Meaning:

      "youth"

    • Description:

      Especially for parents of Scandinavian descent, Sven is an accessible and attractive name with an appealing mix of strength and swagger. It comes from the ancient Swedish tribe, the Sviars, who gave their name to Svealand, which later morphed into Sweden.
  13. India

    • Origin:

      Place name, from the River Indus

    • Description:

      Euphonious and long stylish in England, India was one of the fastest-rising names on the 2013 list, after jumping 240 spots back into the Top 1000.
  14. Jacoby

    • Origin:

      Variation of Jacob, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"

    • Description:

      Jacoby, a surname spin on Jacob shot up the charts in the middle of the 2000's, thanks largely to the popularity of Jacoby Ellsbury, the first Native American of Navajo descent in the Major Leagues, but has been dropping steadily since it peaked at Number 423 in 2008. As of 2022, it dropped out of the US Top 1000 and is given to around 170 boys each year.
  15. Uriah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my light"

    • Description:

      A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield. Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine. These negative connotations may be wearing off, however. (Perhaps because people don't read as much Dickens as they used to.)
  16. Osric

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "divine ruler"

    • Description:

      Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility.
  17. Aviana

    • Origin:

      Variation of Avis, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bird"

    • Description:

      Aviana is a name that's like the megapopular Ava and Ariana, but not quite as popular as either. It entered into the mainstream back in 2010 however, after actress Amy Adams chose it for her daughter, fulfilling her desire to choose a "normal" name after all, even if it didn't seem like that a decade ago.
  18. Ariah

    • Origin:

      English variation of Aria, Hebrew, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "lion of God; song"

    • Description:

      When actress Tamera Mowry named her daughter Ariah, she said it was a Hebrew name meaning "lion of God" -- which it is, if you consider Ariah a variation of Ariel. But many sources consider Ariah a spelling variation of the Italian Aria, meaning song or literally air.
  19. Harland

    • Description:

      Harland is a masculine name of Old English origin meaning 'hare land' or 'land of the hares,' referring to an area populated by these animals. As a traditional surname that transitioned to a first name, Harland has a dignified, classic quality. It reached modest popularity in the United States during the early 20th century, partly due to the influence of industrialist Harland Sanders (better known as Colonel Sanders of KFC fame). The name conveys strength and reliability, with its solid consonants and connection to the land. While never extremely common, Harland maintains steady usage among parents drawn to vintage names with natural associations. The nickname 'Harley' offers a more casual alternative for everyday use.

  20. Leith

    • Origin:

      Scottish river name

    • Meaning:

      "wet"

    • Description:

      This is an unusual surname and geographical name of medieval Scottish origin that might serve as a possible alternative to the aging Keith, though it's a bit tough on the tongue. More popularly spelt Laith in Scotland itself, which happens to correspond to an Arabic name meaning 'lion'.