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Unusual and On-Trend
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Benton
English surname and place name
"bent grass enclosure"
Benton is an old English surname of a type usually given to local landowners. It is also recorded in early records as Beneton and Bentune. Benton newly returned to the Social Security list in 2011…
Adel
Persian, Arabic, German
"fair, honest; noble"
As a Persian and Arabic name, Adel derives from adala meaning "to act justly", linking it to honesty and fairness — aspirational qualities for anyone to possess. From its Germanic origins, Adel comes…
Marit
Aramaic
"pearl"
An unusual and straightforward name with an attractive Scandinavian accent; a royal name in Norway.
Elysia
Latin
"from Elysium"
While this might be used as an alternative spelling to Elisa, Alyssa, Alicia, and similar, this form stands out from the pack as Elysia relates to Elysian Fields, the home of the blessed dead in…
Bowie
Scottish
"blond, yellow"
Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…
Anniston
English surname and American place name
"Anis' town; Annie's town"
A name with plenty of celebrity glamor and contemporary flair, Anniston has a variety of origins. On one hand, it's a place name, deriving from a city in Alabama of the same name. Founded in the late…
Winslet
English surname and place-name
"Wynn's channel or stream"
Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of…
Bastian
Diminutive or variant of Sebastian, Latin, Greek
"man of Sebastia"
A name that sounds both arty and rough-and-tumble, Bastian can be used as either a short form or a stand-alone variant of elegant Sebastian. Also spelled as Bastien, Bastiaan, and Bastían, it notably…
Darien
Spelling variation of Darian
"rich, kingly"
The Darien spelling, which relates to the posh Connecticut town, peaked at Number 393 in 1994 but more recently has been just hanging on at the bottom of the Top 1000. Still, a name with an appealing…
Morrissey
Irish
"descendant of Muiris"
When British rocker Steven Patrick Morrissey decided to use his last name alone, it became a viable option for baby namers, a lot cooler than Morris or Maurice, with the nice three-syllable lilt of…
Alaïa
Arabic
"sublime"
Fashion designer surname that could make a dynamic first.
Irina
Russian from Greek
"peace"
Irina is a Russian ballet-inflected classic, one of the Three Sisters in the Chekhov play. While some Americans will pronounce this like Irene with three syllables, the pronunciation used throughout…
Marcheline
French
"warrior"
Marcheline was the first name of Angelina Jolie's late mother, who was part French-Canadian, which Jolie and Brad Pitt used as the middle name for their twin daughter Vivienne. The name is related to…
Espen
Scandinavian
"god bear"
Strong and unusual Scandinavian name, but with two possible pitfalls: people might mis-hear it as Aspen, or associate it with sports network ESPN. Variants include Esper and Esben.
Canton
Place name, word name, French
"corner, district, township"
More accessible than some of the more distant names in the atlas, Canton fits into the category of the no-nonsense, new-sounding boys' names many parents are looking at. There are multiple places…
Fraser
Scottish from French
"strawberry"
Though TV's "Frasier" made the name famous, and Frazier is a well-used variation, Fraser is the original, used mostly in Scotland.
Isadora
Greek
"gift of Isis"
For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a…
Anneliese
German, Dutch
"grace + oath"
Anneliese is a German and Dutch combination of Anna and Liese (a form of Elizabeth) with an Old World feel but modern appeal. The Anglicized Annalise spelling in in the US Top 500, but this authentic…
Saskia
Dutch
"Saxon"
From the first time we saw the name Saskia attached to a portrait of Rembrandt's wife (her full name was Saakje van Uylenburgh, but she was always called Saskia), we have found it utterly charming…
Carsten
Low German and Nordic variation of Christian
This Nordic-sounding name is ripe for wider usage, especially as a fresh alternative to Christian or similar-sounding Carl.