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Unusual and On-Trend
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Gaia
Greek and Latin
"earth mother; rejoicing"
Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient…
Delta
Greek
"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"
Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…
Anselm
German
"with divine protection"
A somewhat solemn appellation, Anselm is a saint's name, connected to the twelfth century archbishop of Canterbury, and in modern times tied to the German neo-expressionist painter Anselm Kiefer.
Dashiell
Anglicization of French surname de Chiel, meaning unknown
Dashiell, though missing from many other name sources, is among the hottest new names, chosen by such celebs as Cate Blanchett and author Helen ( Bridget Jones ) Fielding. With its great dash and…
Delia
Greek
"born on the island of Delos"
Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia. Delia's name is based on that of the Greek island of Delos, which in Greek myth…
Vida
Spanish, Slovene, Lithuanian, Persian, Swedish, Serbian,"life, visible, willow, to see"
"life, visible, willow, to see"
Vida is a multicultural gem, familiar in a number of languages by not overly popular. It featured in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the 20th century, and in recent years, it has seen renewed…
Parson
English occupational name
"clergyman"
The name Parson might have seemed ridiculous even a few years ago, but when Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe named their son Deacon, they opened up a whole new field of ecclesiastical cool.…
Millay
English literary name
Pretty and distinctive choice for poetry lovers.
Avie
Avie is a charming feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may serve as a diminutive of names like Avery, Avis, or Aviva, or stand as an independent name. In Hebrew contexts, it can relate…
Sayler
Sayler is a modern feminine name that appears to have emerged as an occupational surname repurposed as a first name, following the trend of surname-to-first-name transitions. Historically, Sayler (or…
Brewster
English occupational name
"female brewer"
With its slightly cocky feel, this well-used surname is not often heard as a first.
Ramses
Egyptian
"son of God"
Ramses was the name of several kings in Ancient Egypt, including the long-reigning Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great. Unfortuntely, some may associate it with the condom brand name.
Odele
English from Greek
"song"
Sounds a lot like the recently revived Adele.
Zadie
English variation of Sadie, from Sarah, Hebrew
"princess"
When aspiring British writer Sadie Smith decided to change her name to the more distinctive and zippy Zadie at the age of fourteen, this attention-magnet name was born. But though it might sound like…
Cadell
Welsh
"battle"
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…
Whittaker
English
"white field"
If you discount the connection to the controversial Whittaker Chambers in the days of the Red Scare, Whittaker is a pleasant enough British surname with the preppyish nickname Whit.
Emmanuelle
French, feminine variation of Emanuel
"God is with us"
The female version of Emanuel could become more prominent, though for some it still carries a steamy image dating back to a then sensationally erotic French film. Singer and Shameless star Emmy…
Coralie
French from Latin
"coral"
Coralie is a French name not often heard here, though she's gaining some recognition via Neil Gaiman's similar sounding spooky and lovely children's book, Coraline . Other literary appearances:…
Sanjay
Sanskrit
"triumphant"
Historic and popular Indian name, borne by the son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. On classic Hindu epics, it was the name of the charioteer of King Dhritarashtra; in the UK is was a character on…
Aloisa
German variation of Louisa
"renowned warrior"
Obscure form of an old-fashioned favorite that's poised to make a comeback. This version, which owes as much to Alison as to Louisa, has a stylish A beginning and a multi-syllabic feminine grace.