Names that scream "Extremely Unique"

  1. Seven
    • Origin:

      English word and number name
    • Description:

      This number name first came to public attention when Erykah Badu and Andre 3000 chose if for their son, Seven Sirius Benjamin, born in 1997. Over a decade later, David and Victoria Beckham used it as their daughter's middle name, and now in these days of unisex word names, it's rising for both sexes. It's certainly one of the most name-like numbers: after all, it's only a letter away from Steven.
  2. Zebulon
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "exaltation or little dwelling"
    • Description:

      An Old Testament name with a Puritan feel and post-Zachary possibilities--one of several routes to the cool nickname Zeb.
  3. Sinead
    • Origin:

      Irish form of Janet
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      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 now everyone in the Western World knows it's pronounced shin-aid and so would have no trouble fitting in on an American playground.
  4. Siegfried
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "victorious peace"
    • Description:

      Also spelled Sigfrid, this hefty German name has an appropriately majestic meaning: "victorious peace". Fittingly, a famous bearer was the English World War I poet and pacifist Siegfried Sassoon. Sassoon was named after the hero of a Wagner opera, which in turn was based on a tragic hero from German legend.
  5. Aphrodite
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "foam or born from the sea"
    • Description:

      The name of the Greek goddess of love has rarely descended to mortal use, though the Roman equivalent Venus, thanks to tennis star Williams, now seems completely possible. But with the new fashion for goddess names, we may see more little Aphrodites in the playground with Jupiter and Juno. Nineteen baby girls received the name in the US last year.
  6. Dagmar
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "Day maiden"
    • Description:

      This royal Danish name has long been used across Scandinavia, Germany and Slavic countries and somewhat in the US around the turn of the last century --it was #622 in 1888. There were two notable silent screen stars named Dagmar, one with Polish, the other with Danish roots.
  7. Puck
    • Origin:

      Literary name
    • Description:

      Puck was Shakespeare's mischievous pixie who'a had a few television incarnations in more recent years. A popular name in The Netherlands but nowhere else, from what we can tell.
  8. Topaz
    • Origin:

      Greek gem name
    • Description:

      As a name, Topaz is a quietly used option, with a distinctive ending and a sleek but sassy feel. As a golden gemstone, it is said to have energizing properties and bring good luck to those who wear it. It is also the the birthstone for November, making it an ideal choice for a spirited November baby.
  9. Helios
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sun"
    • Description:

      The name of the young Greek sun god, brother to the moon goddess Selene, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses.
  10. Katniss
    • Origin:

      Literary and botanical name
    • Description:

      Katniss Everdeen is the heroine of the popular Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, whose name comes from the (very real) edible aquatic plant of the genus Sagittaria. Katniss's father tells her that if she "finds herself," she'll never go hungry. Other unusual botanical names in the series include Primrose, Posy, Rue, and Clove, all for girls. Several of the boys' names come from ancient Rome: Cato, Seneca, Flavius, Caesar. Katniss the name has less appeal than Katniss the heroine, though it's definitely more attractive than Renesmee.
  11. Ireland
    • Origin:

      Place name
    • Description:

      Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin put Ireland on the map when they chose it as a first for their daughter, saying that geographic names were a family tradition. And it seems they were a bit ahead of the curve (or trendsetting)—Ireland has been among the fastest-rising names of recent years. Other Irish place names include Shannon, Kerry, Galway, and Dublin.
  12. Lolita
    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Lola and Dolores, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "lady of sorrows"
    • Description:

      In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it seems that a few parents are prepared to look past this problematic association, seeing this as a offbeat option for those who defy convention. We would recommend thinking seriously about the background of this name before bestowing it on your daughter.
  13. Blossom
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "to bloom"
    • Description:

      Now that parents have picked virtually every name in the garden, from the common Rose to the captivating Zinnia, some are reconsidering the old, more generic names like Flora and Posy and Blossom — which was last in favor in the 1920s and still has a Floradora showgirl aura.
  14. Renesmee
    • Origin:

      Literary invention
    • Description:

      Invented by author Stephenie Meyer for the Twilight series for the half-human, half-vampire daughter of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, it's an amalgamtion of the names of Bella's mother Renee and Edward's adoptive mother Esme. Much to our surprise, some people are trying this at home.
  15. Lourdes
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese, from French, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      This name of the French town where a young peasant girl had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1858 vaulted into the spotlight when Madonna chose it for her daughter, but few other families except for devout Roman Catholics have followed her lead (any more than they've used Rocco for their sons).
  16. Narcissa
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "daffodil"
    • Description:

      This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa and Daffodil theoretically make perfect names for December babies.
  17. Sequoia
    • Origin:

      Native American, Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "sparrow"
    • Description:

      This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.
  18. Klaus
    • Origin:

      German variation of Claus, diminutive of Nicolas, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "people of victory"
    • Description:

      Two drawbacks: some unpleasant World War II associations, and the Santa clause.
  19. Baby
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Usually reserved as a term of endearment, Baby is likely used as a name when parents have yet to choose an official one but need to register their baby. For a girl, it can be considered a nickname for Barbara too.
  20. Flannery
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Flannghal"
    • Description:

      Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.

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