Unusual / Interesting names

Altalune

Latin

"over the moon"

Altalune is an invention used by Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson as one of several middle names for their daughter. It's evocative Latin meaning roughly translates to "over the moon." Celebrity baby…

Nira

Hebrew

"light, or furrow, plowed field"

Symbolic name given to girls born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.

Ozara

Hebrew

"treasure, wealth"

Striking and glamorous, though perhaps just plain Zara is intriguing enough.

Amidala

Italian

"beautiful flower"

An attractive enough name, but for die-hard Star Wars fans only.

Mabry

Variation of Mayberry, English and Irish

"mud hill"

Cute and eminently wearable surname name for girls.

Rajani

Sanskrit

"dark, of the night"

Lots of charm.

Rishi

Sanskrit

"sage"

Wise, with vivacity.

Asha

Sanskrit; Swahili

"hope; life"

Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s,…

Priya

Sanskrit

"beloved"

Priya originated in India as a name derived from the Sanskrit word for "beloved." In India, where names are often given based on one's birthday and horoscope, Priya is traditionally given to girls…

Haruko

Japanese

"born in spring"

A traditional possibility for a Japanese or Japanese-American child born in April or May.

Raffaela

German variation of Hebrew Raphaela

"God heals"

Whether spelled Raffaela, Rafaela, Raffaella, or Raphaela, a euphonius name with a dark-eyed, long-flowing-haired image. Like Gabriella and Isabella, is beginning to be drawn into the American…

Javiera

Spanish, feminine form of Javier, Spanish version of Xavier

"new house, bright"

Javiera, pronounced ha-vee-AIR-a, is not as well used as twin brother JAVIER, but makes an attractive Latina choice.

Florencia

Spanish, from Latin

"flourishing, prosperous"

A pretty elaboration on Florence used in Hispanic countries.

Thalassa

Greek

"the sea"

A pretty, rarely used Greek name, Thalassa is the ancient personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean, who is sometimes considered the mother of Aphrodite. In 1991, a newly discovered…

Hypatia

Greek

"highest, supreme"

Hypatia, an ancient Greek name, has a distinguished namesake: Hypatia of Alexandria was an early philosopher and scholar of mathematics and astronomy. Fittingly, the name derives from the Greek…

Melusine

French, folkloric name

Melusine was a figure from early European folklore, associated with the water. Her legends are especially connected with the northern and western areas of France, as well as the Low Countries. She is…

Mimosa

Latin plant name

Adventurous parents are venturing deeper into the garden in search of fresh names, but remember that this also makes for an alcoholic brunch.

Pomona

Latin

"apple"

This name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees is also associated with a suburban town in Southern California.

Arianwen

Welsh

"silver, white, fair, blessed"

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen combines the pretty Welsh element gwen with the silvery arian , giving it a metallic and shining meaning. The name is sometimes listed as one of the daughters…

Fiorella

Italian

"little flower"

Not only are individual flower names more popular (and out-there) than ever, but so too are the more generic names like Florence and Flora. While brother name Fiorello became known via long-term New…