Quirky Vintage Unique Names for Everyone

This is it! The list I typically send to my expectant friends and friends looking to change their names! An eclectic collection of various types of names, you're bound to fall in love with at least one!
  1. Ada
    • Origin:

      German or Turkish
    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility, or island"
    • Description:

      Ada is one of the classic baby names for girls that is suddenly super stylish again. A favorite at the end of the nineteenth century, Ada is an alternative to the over-popular Ava. Ada is also part of the trend toward simple, old-fashioned names beginning with a vowel, like Ivy and Ella.
  2. Adelaide
    • Origin:

      Variant of Adelheidis, German
    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"
    • Description:

      Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
  3. Alister
    • Angelina
      • Origin:

        Greek, Italian, Spanish, Russian diminutive of Angela
      • Meaning:

        "angel"
      • Description:

        The gorgeous Angelina Jolie has promoted the star power of her name and changed Angelina's image from delicate to intense, from older Italian mama to stylish multi-cultural child. Kids might relate to the dancing mouse in the series of charming children's books, Angelina Ballerina, or to the Harry Potter character, Angelina Johnson Weasley, a member of Dumbledore's army.
    • Anneke
      • Origin:

        Dutch
      • Meaning:

        "grace"
      • Description:

        Dutch, Limburgish and Afrikaans diminutive of Anne.
    • Antonio
      • Origin:

        Spanish and Italian variation of Anthony
      • Meaning:

        "from Antium"
      • Description:

        Antonio is a Shakespearean favorite -- the Bard used it in no less than five of his plays, and has long been a ubiquitous classic in Spanish-speaking countries, where the nickname Tonio is also prevalent. Antonio is also among an elite group of perennially popular names in the US, where it has always been among the boys' Top 1000 since baby name record-keeping started in 1880.
    • Arlo
      • Origin:

        Irish or English
      • Meaning:

        "between two hills"
      • Description:

        Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry.
    • Astor
      • Origin:

        Provençal; Icelandic
      • Meaning:

        "hawk; thunder god"
      • Description:

        Similar to the floral name Aster, this spelling derives separately from Old Provençal astur "hawk") and from the Icelandic name elements as ("god") and þor ("thunder").
    • Atticus
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "from Attica"
      • Description:

        Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a real winner among boy names. Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004 and is a firm Nameberry favorite.
    • Aurelia
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "the golden one"
      • Description:

        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 climb.
    • Aveline
      • Origin:

        French from German
      • Meaning:

        "desired; or island, water"
      • Description:

        Aveline is a name that's long been an obscure cousin of more widely-used choices, but may come into its own riding the tail of the megapopular Ava, which may derive from the same root.
    • Bennett
      • Origin:

        English, medieval form of Benedict
      • Meaning:

        "blessed"
      • Description:

        Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Jane Krakowski could shoot it even higher.
    • Charlotte
      • Origin:

        French, feminine diminutive of Charles
      • Meaning:

        "free man"
      • Description:

        Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.
    • Clarke
      • Origin:

        Variation of Clark
      • Description:

        A rising choice for girls that fits in with tailored surnames such as Sloane, Greer, and Blair.
    • Clyde
      • Origin:

        Scottish river name
      • Description:

        Even though in the past Clyde may have been identified as half of the infamous outlaw duo with partner Bonnie Parker—especially after the 1967 movie in which he was played by Warren Beatty—Clyde has always had an element of jazzy cool that could overcome all the rest.
    • Conrad
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "brave counsel"
      • Description:

        Conrad has a somewhat intellectual masculine image, a solid name that has been consistently on the popularity lists, especially well used in the 1920s and 30s, and given a pop of rock energy by the Elvis-like character of Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye, Birdie--("We love you Conrad, oh yes we do!").
    • Dante
      • Origin:

        Latin diminutive of Durant
      • Meaning:

        "enduring"
      • Description:

        Though closely associated with the great medieval Florentine poet Dante Alighieri -- who's so famous most people skip the last name -- it's not as much of a one-man name as you might think. Heck, it's not even a one-poet name, thanks to British pre-Rapahaelite Dante Gabriel Rosetti. Though especially well used in the Italian-American community, it would make a striking name for any little boy.
    • Declan
      • Origin:

        Irish, meaning unknown, possible "man of prayer"
      • Meaning:

        "man of prayer"
      • Description:

        Declan is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Deaglán. St. Declan was one of the first missionaries to bring Christianity to Ireland, preceding St. Patrick. Originally from Wales, he founded the monastery of Ardmore in Ireland.
    • Early
      • Origin:

        Word name
      • Description:

        A word that's been used, very infrequently, as a name for hundreds of years. Interesting sound and meaning.
    • Eden
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "place of pleasure, delight"
      • Description:

        Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the seventeenth century.