User-created list
Unique Sounding Names
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Charis
Greek
"grace"
Reference to the mythological Three Graces of womanly charm, this one representing charity. Pronounced in Greek as starting with a back-of-the-throat H sound, most English-speakers would translate…
Mette
Norse, variation of Margaret
"pearl"
This is a Scandinavian variant of Margaret, and is pronounced MEH-teh or MET, rhyming with jet.
Tove
Scandinavian
"beautiful, beloved"
Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name for which there are no letters on the twenty-first century keyboard (Þórfríðr, for those interested.) Surviving and thriving in modern Scandinavia in…
Brycin
Celtic, female variation of Brice
"bright strength"
Slightly awkward girl's version of a straightforward male name.
Xia
Chinese dynastic name
This name of the first recorded dynasty of ancient China is short and simple enough to make a possible Asian-American alternative to Mia and Tia. British-Filipino child star Xia Vigor has invigorated…
Pilar
Spanish
"pillar"
The fact that this Spanish classic, which honors the Virgin Mary, does not end in the conventional letter 'a' gives it a special sense of strength, elegance, and style, making it a worthy choice. The…
Saoirse
Irish
"liberty"
Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…
Calais
French place-name
Undiscovered name of picturesque northern French port.
Jonet
Modern invented name
A Frenchy name that doesn't exist in France, probably an attempt to create a classy feminine version of John or Johnny by rhyming it with Monet.
Nera
Hebrew
"candle, light"
Because of its meaning, this is a symbolic name given to girls born on Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.
Paccia
Latin
"peace"
Many parents these days are responding to names meaning peace , and this is one of the more unusual ones (more often heard as a surname). Pronounced PACH-ee-a, it relates to such other peaceful names…
Cyra
Persian or Greek
"sun or throne, or lord"
Cyra is an unusual name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or SI-ra, rhyming with Keira or Tyra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own.…
Maija
Finnish and Latvian variation of Maria
A lovely and typical name on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Bothnia that no one in the English-speaking world will know how to pronounce. Maia sounds (virtually) the same and is far more familiar…
Téa
Greek variation of Thea
Brought into the mix by actress Tea (born Elizabeth Tea) Leoni, an attractive feminine option in the Mia/Lea mode. If you feel the need to lengthen it, you could go to Teadora or Teodora.
Indre
French or Sanskrit
"cave; possessing drops of rain"
The Indre is a river in France. Spelled Indra, it's the name of a powerful deity worshipped by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains — roughly the South Asian equivalent of the Greek Zeus or Norse Odin. But…
Reva
Hindi river name; Hebrew
"rain"
Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.
Éliane
French, Latin
"sun"
Likely a French form of the Roman Aeliana, Éliane is a name that feels at once sophisticated and elegant, but also sunny and bright. Familiar in France, Canada, and Brazil, it can be spelled with the…
Isha
Sanskrit
"master, lord"
A short and sweet Hindi name which has been relatively popular in the UK – peaking at #280 there in 2003.
Aranza
Basque
"Among the thorns"
The name of a popular Mexican singer and a telenovela character, Aranza incredibly rose out of obscurity to become Number 607 in the US in 2014. The name comes from Arantzazu, a shrine associated…
Nayara
Spelling variation of Naiara, Basque place-name
Nayara or Naiara is a Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.