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Unusual and On-Trend
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Luther
German
"army people"
Once restricted to evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant revolution. In more recent times it has been favored by parents…
Nevin
Irish
"holy"
Possible Gaelic alternative to Kevin and Devon.
Duncan
Scottish
"dark warrior"
Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity…
Bayard
French
"russet-haired"
An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse. Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin is a…
Booker
English
"scribe"
Booker would make for a very cool name, for writers, reformers, R & B fans and those wanting to pay tribute to Booker T. Washington. Booker T. Washington, born into enslavement, became a dominant…
Turner
English
"works with a lathe"
Turner is a name that's both preppy and painterly, recalling the exquisite watercolor seascapes of British painter J.M.W. Turner. An occupational name in the Taylor-Carter mold, Turner is a more…
Rhiannon
Welsh
"divine queen"
Strong and outdoorsy, yet pretty and queenly, Rhiannon was a once obscure Welsh name, brought into the mainstream in 1976, following Fleetwood Mac's flash hit song of the same title. It stormed into…
Zia
Short form of Luzia or Terézia, Hungarian, Portuguese
"light; harvest"
A short and zippy name that would blend right in with but also stand out among a group of girls named Mia, Gia, Lia and Tia. It is a multicultural choice, used in Hungary as a short from of Terézia,…
Carys
Welsh
"love"
Light, pretty and distinctive in appearance, Carys is one of that sweet group of girl names with a loving meaning. A relatively modern name, it didn't come into use in its native Wales until the late…
Edmund
English
"fortunate protector"
The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…
Calder
English
"rocky water"
A cool, rugged sounding name, Calder is connected to an ancient Scottish clan, an English village, and a Scottish River, along with the sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile (as in,…
Annora
Latin
"honor"
Annora is a noble name, a distinctive twist on its most essential form: Honor. Other variations to explore include Honora and Nora.
Story
English word name
"an account of incidents or events"
An imaginative choice with an uptempo Cory/Rory/Tori sound, perfect for the child of a writer — or anyone with a good story to tell. Story has been finding some appreciation among celebs like…
Bruin
English or Dutch
"bear or brown"
Bruin is the Old English term for bear, taken from the Dutch word meaning brown. Bruin might be a sports fan's choice or an animal name in hiding. As a kind of hybrid of Roone and Bruno, it's…
Evadne
Greek
"pleasing one"
In Greek mythology, Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon. Evadne also appears in literature (Mary Shelley's "The Last Man") and has a pop culture reference as the cousin of Wonder Woman. A more…
Thayer
French variation of Taylor
"tailor"
Thayer is an affable, less-common alternative to Taylor, with a much more indirect connection to its occupational source. Actor Thayer David (born David Thayer: Thayer was his father's first name)…
Cosette
French literary nickname
"little thing"
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…
Clarion
Word name, English from French and Latin
"trumpet"
Tuneful variation on the Claire names.
Kenyon
English
"white haired or blond"
Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone. Though Kenyon appears in English records as far back as the fourteenth century and…
Lucinda
English, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Lucia
"light"
Lucinda, an elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his 1605 novel Don Quixote , is a pleasingly pretty alternative to Lucy. It was subsequently used by Moliere in his play The Doctor in Spite…