User-created list
Really Unusual Names That I Love!
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Dionysus
Greek
"godlike one of Nysa"
Also written as Dionysos, Dionysus was a son of Zeus and the god of wine, revelry, fertility, and dance. Likely meaning "godlike one of Nysa" — Nysa being a region in Greece where Dionysus was raised…
Isamar
Spanish, Conflation of Isabella and Maria
This is one elaboration of the ubiquitous Isobel that we think should be chosen more often and would work well in many languages.
Ngaio
Maori
"reflections on the water"
New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New…
Nereida
Greek
"sea nymph"
More intriguing than the more familiar form Nerida, this name is perfect for a beach baby, or a baby born under a water sign.
Viridis
Latin
"green"
Viridis is a medieval Italian name which is also the Latin word for green. This name is a beautiful option for parents looking for an unusual name that conveys freshness, youth, springtime and…
Edita
Edita is a feminine name with roots in several European languages. It originated as a form of Edith, derived from the Old English 'Eadgyth,' meaning 'wealth, fortune' and 'battle.' Popular in Eastern…
Kismet
Word name
"fate"
The next Destiny? Kismet seems like it might be fated for increased use.
Galileo
Italian
"from Galilee"
The name of the great Renaissance astronomer and mathematician, Galileo would make a distinctive hero-name for the son of parents involved in those fields. Deriving from Latin and Hebrew, it refers…
Ceres
Roman
"nourishment"
Little known name of the goddess of the harvest — her name literally means nourishment, and is the origin of the word cereal. A possibility for the parent seeking something original, but with the…
Aesop
Greek
There once was a moralizing fabulist who tried to make it as a baby name...and failed.
Parthenope
Greek
"maiden's face"
A mythological name, Parthenope is a rare and distinctive choice that may nevertheless appeal to those looking for little known alternatives to Penelope or Persephone. While some sources suggest the…
Thekla
Greek
"fame of God"
Deriving from the ancient Greek name, Theokleia, Thekla is a contracted form that appears in the New Testament. According to the Acts of Paul, Thekla (or Thecla) is a 1st century saint and the first…
Euphemia
Greek
"fair speech"
Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.
Millay
English literary name
Pretty and distinctive choice for poetry lovers.
Millais
Millais is an unusual feminine name derived from a Scottish surname, most famously associated with the Pre-Raphaelite painter Sir John Everett Millais. Pronounced 'MILL-ay,' this name carries…
Ia
Cornish
This punchy little name, reminiscent of Latin Io, has a whimsical and beautiful fable behind it. According to legend, the Cornish saint Ia was an Irish princess who sailed across the sea to Cornwall…
Mauve
French
"violet-colored"
Mauve is an offbeat color name whose soft and sentimental Victorian spirit is conveyed by the name. One of the newer color names like Blue, Gray and Plum that are increasingly being used as novel…
Orpheus
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
Nira
Hebrew
"light, or furrow, plowed field"
Symbolic name given to girls born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.
Hecuba
Greek literary name
Queen Hecuba was the legendary queen of King Priam of Troy, mother of Hector, Paris, Cassandra and others. Euripedes' tragedy Hecuba depicts Hecuba's grief over the death of her daughter Polyxena,…