User-created list
Unusual Names I've Met
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Mairead
Irish, shortened fom of Mairghread, variation of Margaret
"pearl"
Pronounced MAW-rayt or ma-RAYD, Mairead is close enough to Maureen to be accepted here. The name became popular in Ireland due to admiration for the saint of that name. Peig and Peigi are its…
Zinzan
Claye
Mirjana
Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
"bitter, beloved or drop of the sea"
A light and pretty name used in several Eastern European countries, which may be a form of Miriam or Mary.
Naphtali
Hebrew
"wrestling, struggling"
Rarely used biblical choice -- he's a son of Jacob -- with a bit of a white-bearded image.
Dominique
French, feminine variation of Dominic, Latin
"belonging to a lord"
Had a surge of popularity in the Dynasty days, now has subsided in the wake of fresher French choices like Destry and Delphine, though it retains its sense of sophistication. It's one of the most…
Greer
Scottish, contraction of surname Gregor; Latin
"alert, watchful"
This attractive Scottish surname choice, has a certain amount of glamour thanks to feisty British-born red-haired forties Academy Award winner Greer Garson, who was born Eileen Evelyn Greer…
Patrik
Patrik is a masculine name that represents a Central and Eastern European variant of Patrick. Derived from the Latin name Patricius, meaning 'nobleman' or 'of noble birth,' Patrik carries an air of…
Hennie
Indianna
Indianna is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Indiana, which references the U.S. state named after the American Indians. The double 'n' spelling gives the name a distinctive touch…
Saskia
Dutch
"Saxon"
From the first time we saw the name Saskia attached to a portrait of Rembrandt's wife (her full name was Saakje van Uylenburgh, but she was always called Saskia), we have found it utterly charming…
Karys
Karys is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a modern variation of Karis (derived from the Greek word 'charis' meaning 'grace' or 'kindness') or related to the Welsh name Carys,…
Shania
Ojibway
"I'm on my way"
This obscure Native-American name owes its very life to country singer Shania Twain, who dropped her original name, Eileen, for it.
Shauni
Shauni is a modern feminine name that emerged in the late 20th century, gaining some recognition through the character Shauni McClain on the popular TV show 'Baywatch' in the early 1990s. The name…
Keren
Hebrew
"ram's horn, ray of light"
Israeli-born singer Keren Ann introduced this traditional Hebrew name to the US, where it could well be mistaken for Karen. Nevertheless, 100 girls were given the name in a recent year.
Kezia
Hebrew
"cassia tree"
This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it…
Sinead
Irish form of Janet
"God is gracious"
One of the best known of the Irish girls' names , thanks to singer Sinead O'Connor. Though it's still in the Irish Top 100, it's no longer quite as fashionable in Ireland as Aoife or Aisling. But by…
Siobhan
Irish Gaelic
"god is gracious"
Siobhan is the Irish variation of Joan, which is derived from the ancient Anglo-Norman name Jehanne. In this way Siobhan is indirectly related to the name Sinead—the Irish form of Jeannette, which…
Tabitha
Aramaic
"gazelle"
Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible,…
Kaea