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Unusual and On-Trend
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Osborn
English
"divine bear; divine warrior"
A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the…
Jorah
Hebrew
"early rain"
Jorah, a Biblical name with a lovely nature-related meaning, might make a fresher alternative to the overused Jordan. It's similar to the feminine Nora, Cora, and Laura, but depending on your…
Bazel
Slavic variation of Basil
"regal"
Gives a good boy name a bad boy feel.
Warrick
English
"fortress; strong leader who defends."
Warrick has recently come into the spotlight as the character Warrick Brown on the TV show CSI . The more conventional spelling is Warwick, a medieval English noble name.
Luana
Combination of Louise and Anna or Hawaiian
"content, at ease"
In the slipstream of Luna, this everywhere-and-nowhere international name, with its attractive liquid sound, is popular in several European countries along with Hawaii.
Noaz
Hebrew
"bold"
A unique name with familiar sounds, Noaz may appeal to those who love Noah, Boaz, Ezra, and Azariah but also want something braver. Meaning "fearless, courageous, bold" from its Hebrew origins, one…
Noam
Hebrew
"pleasantness, charm, tenderness"
Noam is an underused modern Hebrew name with any number of attractive attributes attached to its meaning; it doesn't have the biblical weight of Noah, but could make a more distinctive alternative to…
Carlin
Irish
"little champion"
While the lin ending is more commonly found in girls' names, Carlin is an authentic Irish male choice and was used just about evenly for both sexes in the US last year.
Jonquil
English flower name, from Latin
"reed"
Jonquil is an unusual flower name that is less outlandish than Daffodil and less common than Daisy. It just might appeal to parents seeking a singular botanical option. Unlike most flower names,…
Avalon
Celtic
"island of apples"
Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…
Ellison
English
"son of Ellis"
Updates Ellis -- but also has a lot of feminine potential thanks to Allison/Ellie similarity.
Arliss
Hebrew
"pledge"
Arliss is most famous as the name of a few high-profile male characters, though it can just as easily work for a baby girl.
Quinlan
Irish
"descendant of Caoinlean, slender "
An Irish last-name-first-name that could make a child feel distinctive, while still having the regular guy nickname of Quinn. Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller spelled their son's name Quinlin.…
Avril
French
"April"
The French Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne put the spotlight on this name when she made the charts with "Sk8er Boi". It is simply the French form of April, the fourth month of the year, whose name…
Amarantha
Flower name; Greek
"unfading"
Amarantha is a rare botanical name whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal. The Italian and Spanish form is the somewhat-more-acccessible Amaranta.
Sanna
Swedish, Finnish, Inuktitut
"lily"
If you're ready to move beyond Anna and Hannah, consider this traditional Scandinavian short form of Susanna, historically very popular in its native lands. Sanna is also a modern Inuktitut form of…
Samina
Arabic
"healthy"
Samina is a little-known name in the US, given to only a handful of baby girls each year, that is prime for wider use. It's attractive, easy to spell and pronounce, and makes a perfect alternative to…
Anthea
Greek
"flowery"
This unjustly neglected floral name is smart and crisp, with a touch of Athena, Anna, and Cynthia about it. It also has that stylish Greek mythological heritage: Anthea is an epithet of Hera, the…
Keela
Irish
"slender"
Is Keela distinct enough from Kayla to sound fresh and new? Maybe, though its similarity to the trendy cluster of names that also includes Kaylie and Kylie and Kelly may be enough to turn you off.…
Alain
French, variation of Alan
Alain gives the midcentury Alan a bit of gallic dash.