Refreshingly Different

By Loislyn · Updated May 2023

Names19

Total Names19

Single page list

About this list

Names that make you say "oh, I like that" or "hmmm, never heard of it but that would be refreshing to hear!"

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Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names

The names

Showing 1–19 of 19

Boone
English from French
"blessing, lucky"
Boone is one of the advancing herd of lean and lanky cowboy names with a laid-back, backwoods, Western feel—and surprising French roots. It's inevitably linked with legendary frontiersman Daniel, and…
Caspian
Place name
"white"
One of the most romantic of appellations, Caspian is a geographical name referring to the large salty sea between Asia and Europe. It's also the name of the hero of C.S. Lewis's beloved Chronicles of…
Amelie
French and German variation of Amelia
"work"
Amelia meets Emily, gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie…
Waverly
English
"meadow of quivering aspens"
Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…
Anton
German, Russian, and Scandinavian variation of Anthony, Latin
"from Antium"
Cultured and cultivated in an old-style, Old World way, Anton is popular across Europe. It may be associated with the classic Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and also with ballroom dancer Anton Du…
Merritt
English surname
"boundary gate"
Merritt is an old-style surname name that could be seen as a positive virtue name. It was used in the late 19th and early 20th century for boys, reaching the Top 400 in 1899, and is notable today for…
Rina
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Japanese
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"
One of those short, punchy names with its roots in a variety of different cultures and languages, Rina is sister to names like Mina, Mira, Lina, and Nina. Retro in feel, but never overused in the US,…
Delta
Greek
"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"
Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…
Tova
Hebrew, Swedish
"good, pleasing; beautiful, beloved"
A lively feeling choice with multicultural origins, Tova is both a Hebrew name with a positive meaning and a Swedish variant of Tove, a modern Old Norse name meaning "beautiful, beloved". In Hebrew,…
Twila
English
"woven with a double thread; twilight; star"
The intriguing and creative feeling Twila is a vintage name that was semi-popular in the first half of the 20th century. Evoking the glowing light of twilight, it might appeal as an alternative to…
Zelia
Hebrew
"zealous, ardent"
An appealing name almost unknown in our culture but with roots in several others; worldlier than cousins Celia and Delia.
Fraser
Scottish from French
"strawberry"
Though TV's "Frasier" made the name famous, and Frazier is a well-used variation, Fraser is the original, used mostly in Scotland.
Bertram
German
"bright raven"
Last in fashion in the 1930s, Bertram might once have been firmly in the best left in the past category, but with sweet nickname Bertie and the cool option of Bram, Bertram might just be one to…
Leda
Greek
"woman, wife"
Succinct and simple in spelling, Leda is a currently rare choice from Greek mythology with that appealing four-letter, ending in -a format of Lyra, Maia, Vada, Veda, and Nora. Borne by a Spartan…
Orchid
From Greek
"orchid flower"
Orchid is a hothouse bloom that has not been plucked by many modern baby namers — yet. In the language of flowers, orchids symbolize love, beauty, and sophistication. In a 1926 silent comedy, femme…
Alcott
English
"dweller at the old cottage"
Alcott evokes shades of nineteenth-century New England, and memories of the author of the books Little Women and Little Men . Louisa May Alcott was the daughter of Amos Bronson Alcott, noted…
Daley
Irish
"assembly, gathering"
Much stronger than Dale for a boy.
Humphry
Humphry is a masculine name that represents a historical spelling variant of Humphrey. Derived from the Germanic elements "hun" (meaning bear cub) and "frid" (peace), the name literally translates to…
Thesally
from the Greek Thessaly, a region of Ancient Greece
Thessaly is the name of an area of Greece, known for being near Mount Olympus. This variation lends itself to the nickname Sally. You may also wish to consider the name Larissa, which is the capital…

Refreshingly Different

About this list

The names

Boone

Caspian

Amelie

Waverly

Anton

Merritt

Rina

Delta

Tova

Twila

Zelia

Fraser

Bertram

Leda

Orchid

Alcott

Daley

Humphry

Thesally