Unique Baby Girls Names

  1. Appoline
    • Caprice
      • Origin:

        French from Italian
      • Meaning:

        "impulsive change of mind"
      • Description:

        Caprice is a word name with an appealing sound and a light-hearted meaning. Caprice is a rare name, used for only ten baby girls in the US in 2023.
    • Capucine
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "nasturtium"
      • Description:

        Capucine was a chic French actress half a century ago and has been one of the most fashionable girl names in France in recent decades, ranking in France's Top 100. Capucine is also popular in French-speaking Belgium. To Americans and other English speakers, this name still feels fresh -- so fresh that last year, no baby girls were named Capucine in the US.
    • Carina
      • Origin:

        Italian
      • Meaning:

        "dear little one"
      • Description:

        Carina is a pretty delicately feminine name whose fall from popularity is not helped by its similarity to hurricane name Katrina or slang victim Karen.
    • Carlotta
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of Charlotte, French diminutive of Charles
      • Meaning:

        "free man"
      • Description:

        Carlotta has a large measure of finger-snapping charm and substance — despite being a not too pleasant character in The Little Mermaid. Carlotta is also the diva/prima donna in The Phantom of the Opera, and there was an Empress Carlotta of Mexico.
    • Carmela
      • Origin:

        Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel
      • Meaning:

        "garden"
      • Description:

        It will be a long time before Carmela shakes the image of TV's Sopranos wife.
    • Eleanora
      • Origin:

        Latinate form of Eleanor, meaning unknown
      • Description:

        Eleanor is back, Nora is back, and, as predicted, Eleanora is back too, as of 2023.
    • Emmeline
      • Origin:

        Old French form of archaic German Amal
      • Meaning:

        "work"
      • Description:

        Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!
    • Guinevere
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "white shadow, white wave"
      • Description:

        Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
    • Helena
      • Origin:

        Latinate form of Helen, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "torch; shining light"
      • Description:

        Helena is one of those classic names that just misses making the US Top 1000 girl names for its entire history, falling off for a single year in 1992. Since then it's been drifting lazily up the charts, and makes a perfect choice if you want a name that both fits in and stands out.
    • Imogen
      • Origin:

        Celtic
      • Meaning:

        "maiden"
      • Description:

        Imogen has long been fashionable in England and is gaining favor in the US among stylish parents. Pronounced the British way — the initial i is short as in Kim, as is the final E as in Ken — Imogen is as pretty and classy as it is distinctive.
    • Ines
      • Origin:

        Italian, Portuguese, Slovene and Croatian variation of Agnes
      • Meaning:

        "pure, virginal"
      • Description:

        This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody true romances in history!
    • Irena
      • Liesel
        • Lilium
          • Origin:

            Flower name, Latin
          • Meaning:

            "lily"
          • Description:

            Lilium is the genus of the lily family of plants and sounds a bit botanically formal for a first name. Try Lillia or Lilias.
        • Loretta
          • Origin:

            English variation of Italian Lauretta; diminutive of Laura
          • Meaning:

            "bay laurel"
          • Description:

            Though Loretta has long ago lost its Latin flair, fashionable Sarah Jessica Parker's choice of it as the middle name of one of her twin daughters freshens it up a bit. It's one of several such names, like Anita and Rita that we can envision making a comeback.
        • Mariella
          • Origin:

            Italian and Dutch diminutive of Maria
          • Meaning:

            "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
          • Description:

            Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative.
        • Maude
          • Origin:

            English and French diminutive of Matilda, German
          • Meaning:

            "battle-mighty"
          • Description:

            Maude, also spelled Maud, is a lacy, mauve-tinted name that was wildly popular a hundred years ago, but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose it again, especially as a middle.
        • Maxine
          • Origin:

            Latin
          • Meaning:

            "greatest"
          • Description:

            With the success of all names Max, from Max itself to Maxwell to Maxfield to Maximilian, it's just possible that Maxine could be lured away from her mah-jongg game at the clubhouse and into the nursery. She's already been chosen by hip musician Nick Hexum for his daughter, sister to Echo.
        • Miriam
          • Origin:

            Hebrew or Egyptian
          • Meaning:

            "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
          • Description:

            The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.