Mikasa references Mount Mikasa, a mountain in Japan with three peaks, thought to look like bamboo hats. The Mikasa battleship was named after the mountain.

A modern Japanese name meaning "future", borne by figure skater Mirai Nagasu. The name is technically unisex, but more often given to girls. Mirai is also a Shona female given name, meaning "wait".

Hestia is the name of the Greek goddess of the hearth, home and chastity. Though Hestia has been long dormant as a name, it's a possibility for the parent in search of a classic name with deep roots that's also unusual. It's one of the Greek goddess namesthat's both familiar and distinctive.

Aisa is a concise feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Japanese, it can mean 'loved one' or 'one who is cherished,' while in Swahili traditions, it relates to 'life' or 'living.' The name also appears as a variant of Aisha, an Arabic name meaning 'alive' or 'prosperous.' This multicultural background gives Aisa global appeal and versatility. Though not widely common in Western countries, the name has seen occasional use throughout different periods and regions. Its brevity makes it distinctive yet easy to pronounce across languages. Aisa carries positive connotations in its various cultural contexts, typically relating to concepts of life, love, and vitality. The name's simple elegance and cross-cultural significance make it appealing to parents seeking something meaningful yet uncommon.

Commonly associated with the Japanese beverage company Asahi, which produces a beer by the same name.

Depending on which characters you use, this Japanese name can have many meanings. The first part can mean "love, affection" or "indigo", while kanji for the second element include those meaning flower, perfume, include, sing, and praise. Whichever you choose, this is a distinctive Japanese name that travels easily into other languages.

Demetria is a dramatic ancient Greek earth goddess possibility with the star-studded nickname Demi. Young actor/singer/songwriter Demi Lovato was born Demetria, but contrary to common hearsay, Demi Moore was born Demi.

An even more unusual cousin name is the Cornish Demelza, made somewhat familiar via the TV series Poldark.

Possibly related to the Ermin- names (which gave us Emma and her variants) or to Herman OR to the Persian/Kazakh/Armenian names Arman or Armen, this is an unusual choice which fits current trends.

A very unusual biblical name, Rei was one of David's most loyal supporters.

A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Other now-extinct Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleora and Cleola, achieved some popularity in the early 20th century when there was a crazy for all things Egypt-related as the ancient tombs were opened and artifacts displayed. In the US, Cleopatra became a popular silent film in 1917 starring Theda Bara.

In Egyptian mythology, Amon is a major god associated with creation and the air. He was later fused with the Sun god, Ra, and became Amun-Ra.

A prominent character name from the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, derived from an Arabic word meaning "(water) droplet" ⁠— Katara belongs to a water tribe.

This unusual surname name has been made famous by Pretty Little Liars actress Troian Bellisario. Troian is a family name on her father's maternal side, possibly meaning "of Troy", but more likely deriving from a Slavic name meaning "triad; trinity".

Akari is a gender-neutral Japanese name used fairly evenly between the sexes in the US.

This spelling of Electra makes this vibrant name less electric and more kinetic.

Along with Mika, a nickname for Mikael.

A very popular Japanese boys' name whose characters refer to the constellation Ursa Major. Short form Hiro might work better in the West, as may another popular Japanese boys' name, Ren.

Akiro is well used in Japan, the first name of famed director Kurosawa. Also transliterated as Akirou, it can mean "bright boy" or "man of autumn", depending on which Kanji elements are used.

Also written as Atarah, this regal name appears in the Old Testament, borne by the wife of Jerahmeel. With its confident air and concise appearance, it was given to just under 50 girls in the US in a recent year, while Atarah was chosen for 60.