unusual girls' names bookended by a

Athena

Greek

"from Athens"

Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the…

Alora

Variation of Eliora, Alara, Elara, or Elora

"the Lord is my light; water fairy; hazelnut, spear"

Alora combines a number of stylish elements: the pretty Al- beginning of Alice, Alessia, and Alma, the -ora ending of Aurora, Elora, and Nora, and a multicultural feel, owing to its various origins.…

Arabella

Latin, Scottish

"yielding to prayer; lovable"

Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around…

Aurelia

Latin

"the golden one"

Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to…

Anya

Russian diminutive of Anna

"grace"

Anya is a Russian variation of Anna, which came from the Hebrew name Hannah. Anya is the form found most frequently in Russia, Poland, and other East European countries, while Anja is the spelling…

Abyssinia

African place-name

Abyssinia is the ancient name of the Ethiopian Empire, no longer found on any map but with a possible future as a melodic girls' name in the ever-expanding place-name category. Among African names…

Acadia

Greek

"idyllic place"

Acadia, the French name for Nova Scotia and the name of a gorgeous national park in Maine makes a fresh, rhythmic choice for your little girl. Acadia is an original yet accessible member of the…

Arcadia

Greek

"region offering peace and contentment"

Arcadia, a name for an unspoiled paradise, makes an attractive secular alternative to Nevaeh or Eden. For parents who want an unusual name with a friendlier nickname, Arcadia has the advantage of…

Adalia

Hebrew, German, "God is my refuge; noble one"

"God is my refuge; noble one"

Distinctive, elegant, and luxurious, Adalia can be a variation of Adele, or a Hebrew name with a Biblical background. Although it is given exclusively to girls in the US, in the Bible it is…

Adeliza

Medieval English and Old Swedish form of Adelaide

"noble, nobility"

Adeliza is a unique member of the popular Adelaide-Adeline family. Different enough to distinguish it from all the others? Maybe, and it's definitely got an appealing sound that makes it sound a bit…

Ailsa

Scottish from Norse

"elf victory"

Ailsa is a traditional Scottish name for girls related to a rocky island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. It might make an interesting alternative to the outdated Ashley or overly popular…

Alastriona

Irish: feminine form of Alasdar

Spelled Alastríona in its native language, this Irish cousin of Alexandra is little-known but fairly intuitive.

Alexandrina

Greek, variation of Alexandra,

"defending men"

Alexandrina is the most elaborate and unusual of the Alex- girls's names.The real first name of Queen Victoria, who was given it in honor of her godfather, Alexander I of Russia (her childhood…

Alinta

Australian Aboriginal

"fire, flame"

This Noongar girls’ name has a dainty sound that belies its fierce fire meaning and could easily cross over into the American or European context.

Aletta

Dutch from Germanic

"noble, nobility"

A form of Adelaide (and therefore related to Alice, too) used in the Netherlands. The country's first female physician was Aletta Jacobs. In the USA, Aletta is rare, but on a slight upward trend. It…

Amadea

Latin

"God's beloved"

Amadea is a strong and musical feminine form of Amadeus, as in Mozart.

Andromeda

Greek mythology name

"advising like a man"

One of the stellar unique baby names from mythology, Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of Cassiopeia who, like her mother, literally became a star--the constellation that bears her name.The…

Apollonia

Feminine variation of Apollo, Greek mythology name

"destroyer, strength; father's light"

This name of a third-century Christian martyr has an romantic, appealing feel in the modern world. It first came to American attention via Prince's love interest in the film Purple Rain . It could…