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Unusual and Fancy Names for Girls

helenwhite
By helenwhite
Updated Wed Oct 11 2023
If your'e looking for unique or unusual names you have come to the right place! Here are beautiful and elegant names like Ambrosia, or Eloquent. But also fun unconventional names like Jacaranda and Theophania!
  1. Serenity

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "peaceful"

    • Description:

      Peaceful, calm, and untroubled: these are qualities parents may be hoping for, either on their parenting journey or in their child’s life. The name Serenity encapsulates these hopes, conjuring up a sense of balance, composure, and ease.
  2. Arabella

    • Origin:

      Latin, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "yielding to prayer; lovable"

    • Description:

      Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around 1300 babies each year.
  3. Antonella

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Antonia, Spanish, Italian, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Antium"

    • Description:

      Antonella is an elaborate feminine form of Anthony growing in popularity throughout Latin America as well as in the US. It first entered the US charts back in 2017 and has since shot into the Top 300, given to around 1330 girls in a recent year.
  4. Gwendolyn

    • Origin:

      Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "white ring"

    • Description:

      One spelling variation that's more popular than the original, this somewhat old-fashioned name might be in honor of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer prize for poetry, or may be a way to get to the modern short form Gwen.
  5. Marceline

    • Origin:

      Feminization of Marcel, French

    • Meaning:

      "little warrior"

    • Description:

      Balancing femininity, vintage charm, and fantasy nerdiness, Marceline is one to watch. Marceline the Vampire Queen from the 2010-2018 animated TV series Adventure Time brought her elaborate French name back into public consciousness. It re-entered the Top 1000 in 2020, after an 86 year hiatus, and keeps rising. Nicknames Marcie and Marcy are rising in popularity as well. Marceline may appeal to parents who like frilly, traditional, and sophisticated names such as Josephine and Genevieve. Marcella is another variation to consider.
  6. Calliope

    • Origin:

      Greek mythology

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful voice"

    • Description:

      Melodic and beautiful but with a touch of sass, Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry — and perhaps less glamorously, the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016, and in more recent year, IT appeared in the Top 500.

      Also spelled as Kalliope — the more traditional Greek transliteration — Calliope means "beautiful voice", making this a musical and poetic choice. It was rarely heard in the US until the 2000s when Calliope "Callie" Torres from the show Grey's Anatomy helped introduce it to a wider audience.
  7. Xiomara

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Guiomar, Spanish, Portuguese

    • Meaning:

      "famous in battle"

    • Description:

      The gorgeous and romantic name Xiomara popped into the Top 1000 from 2004-2011 after a contestant on America's Next Top Model increased interest in her rare name.
  8. Seraphina

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "ardent; fiery"

    • Description:

      Seraphina is one of the most-searched name on Nameberry, destined for even greater popularity. The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired the lovely name Seraphina.
  9. Lakelyn

    • Origin:

      American invented name or variation of Lachlan

    • Meaning:

      "pretty lake; lake; lake land"

    • Description:

      If you can add Lyn to it, someone will. This particular -lyn name is a rising star of the 2020s, having entered the US Top 1000 in 2022, alongside sister spelling Lakelynn. Meaning "lake lake" or "pretty lake", depending on which Lynn meaning you choose to apply, it could also be viewed as a feminine form of Lachlan ("lake land").
  10. Persephone

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "bringer of destruction"

    • Description:

      Magical and earthy, sophisticated but off-beat, Persephone appears as the daughter of Zeus by Demeter in Greek mythology. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was decreed by Zeus that she would spend six months of the year with her mother, allowing crops to grow, and six in mourning, thus accounting for the change of seasons. As such, she is both the goddess of the Underworld and of Spring.
  11. Odelia

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, German

    • Meaning:

      "I will praise the Lord or wealth"

    • Description:

      Pretty Hebrew name that would create a strong but feminine impression, as well as a variant of the Germanic name Odilia or Ottilie.
  12. Temperance

    • Origin:

      Virtue name

    • Description:

      Not too long ago, Temperance was found only on lists of Puritan baby names.
  13. Araminta

    • Origin:

      Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"

    • Description:

      Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old Bachelor and then again in 1705 when it was used by architect and playwright Sir John Vanbrugh in his play The Confederacy.
  14. Yvette

    • Origin:

      French, feminine of Yves

    • Meaning:

      "yew tree"

    • Description:

      This French name has the elegance of other '-ette' names such as Colette and is a botanical name without being too obvious about it.
  15. Delphine

    • Origin:

      French from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "of Delphi; womb"

    • Description:

      Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed to be the womb of the earth. All of these derive from the Greek word delphus "womb".
  16. Celestia

    • Origin:

      Variation of Celeste, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"

    • Description:

      Celestia is a heavenly name that sounds more ethereal than Celeste, Celestia might make a distinctive, feminine choice if your taste runs toward names like Angelina and Seraphina.
  17. Ethelene

    • Description:

      Ethelene is a feminine name with Anglo-Saxon origins, derived from the Old English element 'ethel' meaning 'noble' or 'of noble birth.' It emerged as an elaboration of the medieval name Ethel, popular during the late Victorian era when Anglo-Saxon names experienced a revival. Ethelene has a vintage, somewhat aristocratic quality that evokes images of the early 20th century. While never achieving widespread popularity, it maintained modest usage through the 1930s before declining. The name's similarity to the chemical compound ethylene gives it an unintended scientific association. Today, Ethelene has become quite rare, appealing primarily to parents seeking authentic vintage names with historical depth and the melodious quality of its three flowing syllables.

  18. Emberlynn

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      With Ember in the US Top 200 and Gracelynn, Raelynn, and Oaklynn all on trend, Emebrlynn feels right at home in the Top 1000.
  19. Ottilie

    • Origin:

      German, French

    • Meaning:

      "prosperous in battle"

    • Description:

      Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as a near-homonym for "oddly".
  20. Novella

    • Description:

      Novella is a feminine name with Latin and Italian roots, derived from 'novus' meaning 'new' or 'young.' Beyond its literal meaning, Novella carries literary associations as it refers to a short prose narrative in Italian literature – longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. This connection gives the name intellectual and artistic connotations. While not among the most common names, Novella has maintained a steady presence in Italian communities and has seen occasional usage internationally. The name carries a romantic, melodic quality typical of Italian feminine names, with its soft consonants and vowel ending. Novella offers a beautiful option for parents seeking a name with literary flair and a touch of European elegance.

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