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Unique and Elegant Baby Names

  1. Cyrilla

    • Origin:

      Latin from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "lordly"

    • Description:

      Cyrilla is an obscure feminization of Cyril that's a bit buttoned-up but also intriguingly unique, with an authentic pedigree. Spelling Cirilla is more visible thanks to The Witcher series, in which its the name of the heroine Princess Cirilla, nicknamed Ciri. 40 baby girls were named Cirilla in the US in 2021, vs. only 10 called Cyrilla.
  2. Anemone

    • Origin:

      Flower name; Greek

    • Meaning:

      "daughter of the wind"

    • Description:

      Anemone is a floral name that relates to the ancient Greek myth of the famous love story of Aphrodite and Adonis, in which Aphrodite transforms her wounded lover's blood into a flower, the crimson anemone, whose blossoms are opened by the wind — accounting for its other name, windflower.
  3. Sinjin

    • Origin:

      Phonetic spelling of St. John

    • Description:

      The name St. John is much more usable in its phonetic spelling — similar to the way St. Clair evolved into Sinclair. St. John has some literary cred — St. John Rivers is a cool character in Jane Eyre.

      St. John has been attached to a number of notable men — not as a first but as a middle name, one shared by Evelyn Waugh, Basil Rathbone, Richard Harris and Brian Eno.

  4. Anoushka

    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Ann

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      A lively, affectionate Russian pet name that is never given as a full name in its homeland, but has found some popularity in upper-crusty British society. It's also a surprising cultural crossover name due to its resemblance to the Indian name Anushka. British-Indian musician and composer Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi, is a famous bearer.
  5. Marmaduke

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "devotee of Maedoc"

    • Description:

      One of the ultimate teasable names, an Irish saint's name now associated with the oversized comic-strip dog. Scottish adventurer Bear (born Edward) Grylls took up the challenge when he used it for his son.
  6. Ambrosius

    • Description:

      Ambrosius is a masculine name of Greek and Latin origin, derived from the Greek word "ambrosios," meaning "immortal" or "divine." It is the original Latin form of the more common Ambrose. The name carries significant historical weight, having been borne by Saint Ambrosius of Milan, an important 4th-century theologian and one of the four original doctors of the Catholic Church. Throughout European history, the name appeared among clergy, nobility, and scholars, maintaining associations with learning and spiritual devotion. While Ambrosius has never been widely popular in modern English-speaking countries, it retains appeal for parents drawn to names with classical roots and substantial historical significance. The name projects dignity and intellectual seriousness, with potential nicknames including Ambrose, Brose, or even Sio.

  7. Kassiani

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "cinnamon"

    • Description:

      Kassiani, also spelled Kasiani or Cassiane, is an ancient Greek name best known as the name of a saint famous as a hymnographer. The Hymn of Kassiani, traditionally sung on Tuesday of Easter Week in the Greek Orthodox Church, is associated with fallen women. The 9th century saint Kassiani was supposed to be in love with the Emperor Theophilos, who rejected her when she proved to be more intelligent than he.
  8. Faustina

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "fortunate one"

    • Description:

      A name with several distinguished namesakes: the wife of ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a famous Italian opera singer, and two Catholic saints--making it both substantial and unusual.
  9. Quinlan

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Caoinlean, slender "

    • Description:

      An Irish last-name-first-name that could make a child feel distinctive, while still having the regular guy nickname of Quinn. Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller spelled their son's name Quinlin.
  10. Corisande

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "chorus-singer"

    • Description:

      Corisande is a very unusual, haunting choice, with the aura of medieval romance--it is found in early Spanish romantic tales, arriving in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century.
  11. Phyllida

    • Origin:

      Greek variation of Phyllis

    • Meaning:

      "green bough"

    • Description:

      Phyllida, a "Masterpiece Theatre"-style appellation, seems far fresher and more unusual than Phyllis. It's green-related meaning makes it one of the prime names that mean new beginnings.
  12. Thelonius

    • Origin:

      Latinized form of German Tielo or Till

    • Meaning:

      "people"

    • Description:

      One of the coolest of names, thanks to legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Sphere Monk, who inherited it from his father. It has been used very sparingly since the 1960s--just a sprinkling of baby boys receive the name each year. Monk's middle name Sphere is pretty unique too--a cousin of Cosmos and Cosmo. Some other jazz names to consider: Bix, Ellington, Ella, Etta, Mingus, Dexter and Calloway. :
  13. Imre

    • Origin:

      Hungarian, from German

    • Meaning:

      "strength"

    • Description:

      Commonly heard in its native country, and might get a boost here too, now that Alanis Morrissette has used it for her son Ever's middle name.
  14. Cadell

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "battle"

    • Description:

      Cadell is a surname that is unlikely to win many supporters, except perhaps from parents looking for an alternative to Caden. But while Cadell is more distinctive, that L ending is weaker and less appealing than Caden's strong N.
  15. Melisende

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "strong in work"

    • Description:

      Melisende, the mellifluous name of a 12th century queen of Jerusalem, gave rise to the more modern (but less lovely) Millicent. Other old forms include Melisent, Malasintha, and the French Melisande, a fairy tale heroine.
  16. Mignonette

    • Origin:

      Form of Mignon, French

    • Meaning:

      "delicate, dainty"

    • Description:

      Mignonette is kind of a diminutive of a diminutive. Mignon is the French word for cute, so Mignonette is more or less cutie.
  17. Elihu

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah is God"

    • Description:

      Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light.
  18. Ursa

    • Origin:

      Short form of Ursula, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "little female bear"

    • Description:

      Ursa might be a good choice if you're looking for a bear name for your daughter but want to avoid the She Witch curse placed on Ursula by Disney's The Little Mermaid. Too bad, because Ursula is a classic and lovely name, but Ursa has less baggage.
  19. Iolanthe

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "violet flower"

    • Description:

      Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882 Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of multi-syllabic classical name once considered too weighty for a modern baby girl, but now within the realm of possibility--this one as a dramatic twist on Violet. The biggest drawback is its variety of legitimate pronunciations in English.
  20. Theophania

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Description:

      This ancient name, belonging to a Byzantine empress, may be difficult for a modern child to carry, though it can be an original way to get to cute nickname Thea or even Theo or Teddie. The English variation Tiffany may be more wearable, but with a much less elegant image.