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Different Unusual names
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The names
Genesis
Word name, Biblical
"the origin and formation of something; The First Book in The Bible"
With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000s. Derived from Greek, Genesis means…
Piper
English occupational name
"pipe or flute player"
Piper is a bright, musical name that entered the list in 1999, one year after the debut of the TV series Charmed , which featured a Piper, and it's been a consistent riser since. Piper Kerman is the…
Blair
Scottish
"dweller on the plain"
In the USA, Blair is gaining momentum, rising quickly for the last 10 years and likely to continue to climb. In England and Wales, where Blair has political connotations – calling to mind former…
Blake
English
"fair-haired, dark"
The unisex Blake, which indeed has two conflicting meanings, has a briskly efficient image when used for a girl. Though in the eighties it was seen very much as a boys’ name , epitomized by the…
Halle
Modern invented name or diminutive of Harald, English or Norse
"Thor's stone"
Until the beautiful actress Halle Berry inspired hundreds of parents to emulate her name, it was the diminutive Swedish families used for their sons christened Harald. Now, in a complete turnaround,…
Aya
Japanese, Hebrew, Danish, Arabic
"colorful, design; honey buzzard, bird; rock, lull, happiness; sign, verse"
Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, it ranks in the US Top 1000 and was chosen for nearly 470…
Alizeh
Persian
"wind"
This old Persian name was chosen by actress Geena Davis for her daughter. It's an attractive variation on a name that exists in dozens of forms, from Alissa and Eliza to the French Alizee, but you'll…
Annia
Latin, female variation of Antonius
"priceless one"
An ancient Roman name that has never made it into the modern world.
Arlen
English surname
"hare land"
Arlen might be thought of as an update on the midcentury Arlene or as a unisex surname-name. Arlen was given to 22 girls in the US last year vs 57 boys and those numbers may grow with the fashion for…
Arliss
Hebrew
"pledge"
Arliss is most famous as the name of a few high-profile male characters, though it can just as easily work for a baby girl.
Asa
Hebrew, Japanese, or Scandinavian
"healer; morning; of the gods"
A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa,…
Blythe
English
"happy, carefree"
Blythe is Nameberry gem — one of those names that visitors to the site are often searching for, despite the fact it's never ranked in the US charts as a given name. The name is derived the Old…
Dove
Nature name
"dove, a bird"
One of the new bird names, like Lark and Wren, this one's associated with the billing and cooing sounds of love. Soft and gentle, Dove also has the admirable association with peace. Dove was actually…
Elias
Greek variation of Elijah, Hebrew
"Yahweh is God"
Like its parent name Elijah and the related Elliot, this has potential for girls. It shares sounds with Eliza, Delilah, and Iris, along with established unisex choices, like Ellis, Emery, and Eden.…
Falcon
English, from French, nature name
"falcon, a bird"
One of the bird names that's more appropriate for a boy, though it works for a girl too.
Fifer
Scottish occupational name
"piper"
Fifer is a musical name that fits in seamlessly with the likes of Harper and Piper, but is much more unusual. It's also a Scottish demonym, referring to an inhabitant of the historic Scottish county…
Hawk
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
Kestrel
English, bird name
A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.
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…
Larkin
Irish
"rough, fierce"
While Larkin takes this name from bird to surname, there are actually more female Larkins these days than male, and it's a name that works as well for either gender. It has the literary connection to…