Unusual Word Names

By Arcane · Updated May 2023

Names36

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Total Names36

Across 2 pages

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of 2

About this list

Mostly in English but there'll be a few from languages I'm familiar with (i.e. mostly Spanish but also some I know well)

Related Lists

Boy Names Lists Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names Girl Names Lists Nature, Place and Word Names Unisex Baby Names

The names

Showing 1–20 of 36

Genesis
Word name, Biblical
"the origin and formation of something; The First Book in The Bible"
With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000s. Derived from Greek, Genesis means…
Rio
Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river; place of the cherry blossoms"
Rio is a reductive ranchero place-name with an attractive Tex-Mex lilt. No Doubt's Tom Dumont has a son named Rio Atticus. Also a South American place name, and associated with the Rio Grande, it's…
Creed
English word name
"I believe; statement of belief"
Cool, solid, and often spiritual, Creed derives from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe". It appeared sporadically in the US Top 1000 back in the late 19th century, but remained only quietly…
Scout
Word name
"one who gathers information covertly"
Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now-grown middle daughter,…
Sailor
Occupational name
Supermodel Christie Brinkley launched an entire name genre when she picked this breezy occupational name for her daughter in 1998, and it has become more prevalent in recent decades. The Saylor…
Haven
Word name, English
"a place of safety"
Like Harbor, one of the new generation of word names with appealing meanings, though (female) memoirist Haven Kimmel has tipped it decidedly toward the girls' side. There are now more than ten female…
Lyric
Greek
"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"
Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it. Currently more popular for girls in the US, it was in the Top 1000 for boys between 2007 and 2020.…
Perla
Spanish variation of Pearl
Consistently popular Latina gem name; good choice for those who can't shake Pearl's grandmotherly vibe.
Sky
Nature name
Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls , played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we…
Mar
Latin
"sea"
The Spanish and Portuguese word for "sea" is a Top 100 name in Spain. In America, it's sometimes used as a nickname for names like Martina and Marina, but it could also plausibly stand on its own.
Arrow
Word name
Words are not always easy to translate into baby names , but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o -sound ending, which…
Vesper
Latin
"evening star"
This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming…
Rhythm
Word name
"repeated sound pattern"
A musical name that is undeniably cool, Rhythm may appeal to fans of Anthem, Lyric, Cadence, and Poem. First appearing in the US stats for girls in 2003 (having debuted for boys three years prior),…
Rocio
Spanish
"dewdrops"
This name, which refers to Mary as the Virgin of the Dew, is all but unknown in the Anglo community, but popular enough in Hispanic families that it made the US Top 1000 until least until 2006. Also…
Wednesday
English
"Woden's day"
Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various…
Solace
English word name
A rare unisex word/virtue name that is currently given to around 10 babies of each gender per year in the US. It could make for an unexpected route to bright, easygoing nickname Sol (or trendy…
Cielo
Italian
"sky"
Expansive, sunny Italian word name.
Poet
English word name
A recently entered name on the roster, Poet was used for her daughter by Soleil Moon (Punky Brewster) Frye, who obviously appreciates the advantages of an unusual name. This is a possible middle name…
North
Word name
North's image and gender status was irrevocably changed when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their newborn daughter. But why not? West is firmly established as a name,…
Poem
Literary name, English word name
"a composition in verse"
A handful of baby girls were named Poem in the US in the most recent year, along with Poet and Poetry. But of course, these word names can work for boys too.

Unusual Word Names

About this list

The names

Genesis

Rio

Creed

Scout

Sailor

Haven

Lyric

Perla

Sky

Mar

Arrow

Vesper

Rhythm

Rocio

Wednesday

Solace

Cielo

Poet

North

Poem