User-created list
Unusual and On-Trend
Across 62 pages
of 62
Nerissa
Greek
"from the sea"
An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice . Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named…
Melora
Greek
"golden apple"
Euphonic hybrid of the sounds of Melissa and Laura. Melora Hardin is an actress who was featured on The Office.
Valentia
Latin
"healthy"
Used in Italy and Spain, but in non-Latin countries could be confused with Valencia.
Aleda
Aleda is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be derived from the German name Adelaide, meaning 'noble kind' or 'noble type,' offering a more streamlined variation. Alternatively,…
O'shea
Irish
"hawklike, stately"
One of the jauntiest o' the O' names, the birth name of actor/ rapper Ice Cube.
Calhoun
Irish
"from the narrow forest"
A beaming, friendly Irish last-name-first-name waiting to be discovered, though anyone into American history might associate it with John C. Calhoun, a 19th century statesman who defended slavery.…
Macaulay
Scottish
"son of righteousness"
Made famous by former child star Macaulay Culkin, one of the more popular Mac names.
Canute
Scandinavian
"knot"
More familiar in its K forms, where it's associated with football legend Knute Rockne, Canute has a tough, macho image.
Marlena
Marlena is a feminine name with various European origins, primarily formed as a blend of 'Maria' and 'Elena' or 'Magdalena.' The name carries a romantic, elegant quality while maintaining strength.…
Marika
Dutch variation of Mary
Foreign variations of Mary are definitely the way to go; this one has a nice Dutch-girl feel. It also works as a cultural crossover name, e.g. between European languages and Japanese.
Taisie
Scottish
"soft or gentle"
Taisie is a feminine name of Scottish Gaelic origin, typically considered a diminutive form of names like Anastasia or potentially derived from Tess or Stacy. In Gaelic contexts, it might be related…
Ike
Diminutive of Isaac, Hebrew
"laughter"
Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century. The rise of Isaac and the stylishness of short down-to-earth…
Albia
Latin
A rarely heard ancient Latin names for girls that has a not-so-appealing brand name feel. Try Alba instead.
Valetta
Latin place and surname
This name of the major Maltese city takes on an air of attractiveness via model Amber Valletta, making it an appealing alternative to the overexposed Valerie and Vanessa.
Viridis
Latin
"green"
Viridis is a medieval Italian name which is also the Latin word for green. This name is a beautiful option for parents looking for an unusual name that conveys freshness, youth, springtime and…
Adelisa
Hybrid of Adele and Lisa
A whole raft of names that start with Adel are coming back into fashion, from Adele to Adelaide to Adeline to Adelina, and so Adelisa -- a hybrid of the Adel sound and the isa suffix -- was given to…
Alida
Diminutive of Adelaide
Alida had a brief flurry of popularity a hundred years ago but is rarely used today. But given the rise of so many names related to Adelaide and Adeline, Alida might be rediscovered.
Emira
Feminine variation of Amir, Arabic
"commander, prince"
Emira is one of those pan-international names that feels pleasant enough but seems so unrooted to any one culture that it might as well be made up.
Emina
Arabic and Slavic
"truth"
This name of an Albanian supermodel is a short form of many Slavic choices but is an intriguing alternative to Emma on its own.
Quarry
Nature name
Has the offbeat quality and macho feel -- like Stone and Flint -- that appeals to increasing numbers of modern parents.