User-created list
Unique Sounding Names
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Esclarmonde
Occitan
"Light of the World"
Esclarmonde de Foix was an Occitan countess and an important figure in Catharism, a medieval Christian movement, which allowed women and men to both hold church offices. Her tale inspired an opera by…
Eulalie
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
Eurydice
Greek
"wide justice"
Flowing and intriguing, Eurydice is a name from Greek mythology, borne by the wife of musician Orpheus. After she is poisoned by a snake and condemned to the underworld, Orpheus attempts to rescue…
Evadne
Greek
"pleasing one"
In Greek mythology, Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon. Evadne also appears in literature (Mary Shelley's "The Last Man") and has a pop culture reference as the cousin of Wonder Woman. A more…
Ffion
Welsh
"foxglove"
This unusual (to non-Welsh speakers) is near the top of the charts in Wales, carried by the recent taste for native Welsh names. Those in Wales say it's already on the way down, but for outsiders…
Fiadh
Irish
"wild"
Fiadh is the fastest-rising girls name in Ireland, derived from the ancient root word for "wild". Sassy but gentle at the same time, it also entered the England and Wales Top 1000 in 2020 and has…
Ghislaine
French from German
"pledge"
Ghislaine still sounds unusual to us, even though in France this name is dated. It can also be spelled Ghislain. In the US, it is best known through association to Ghislaine Maxwell, the…
Giada
Italian
"jade"
Popular in its native Italy, Giada has been quietly and stylishly used in English-speaking countries for several years now. Television cook Giada De Laurentiis made this a possibility — then…
Gioia
Italian
"joy"
Prettier than Joy and just beginning to be used here.
Gormlaith
Gaelic
"blue princess or illustrious lady"
Gormlaith was the wife of the 11th century ruler of Ireland Brian Boru. The name is also used in Scotland. Despite its beautiful meaning, many will find the hard "gorm" sound too much to get past.
Halcyon
Greek
"kingfisher bird"
This highly unusual name -- the Halycyone was a mythic bird who could calm the seas -- conjures up images of utter peace and tranquility because of the phrase "Halycon days"...and the sleeping pill.
Iona
Scottish place-name
This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names.
Iphigenia
Greek
"of royal birth"
In mythology, Iphigenia was sacrificed by her father, Agamemnon -- a difficult legacy to pass on to a daughter, and only one reason the name is hardly ever used.
Kaori
Japanese
"smell, fragrance"
Kaori is a Japanese girls' name once largely unknown but brought into the spotlight by celebrity couple Eniko and Kevin Hart, who gave it to their daughter in 2020. Kaori is easily translated in the…
Kassiani
Greek
"cinnamon"
Kassiani, also spelled Kasiani or Cassiane, is an ancient Greek name best known as the name of a saint famous as a hymnographer. The Hymn of Kassiani, traditionally sung on Tuesday of Easter Week in…
Khione
Greek mythology
"Snow"
Khione was the name of several minor figures in Greek mythology, of which the most notable is the nymph who Hermes turned into a snow cloud. Khione works as both a high-brow mythological name and a…
Kirrily
Aboriginal, Australian
"tree bark or leaf"
Kirrily, which rhymes with cheerily, is a name that's uniquely popular in Australia. It originated in recent decades as an elaboration of several similar names – the European Kyra or Keira, the Maori…
Kyrie
Short form of Kyra or Greek
"Lord"
Kyrie elieson is one of the oldest religious refrains, meaning Lord, have mercy. As a first name, though, Kyrie is less a name of God and more a nickname-name that might be short for Kyra or a…
Leire
Basque place name
Also spelled Leyre and taken from the name of a monastery fortress, the popular and lilting choice in Spain will pose pronunciation problems elsewhere. Among the Top 100 girls' names in Spain, Leire…
Loire
French river and region name
The lovely sound and image of the French river and lush valley would make this a most distinctive and captivating choice. Pronunciation: low-ahr.