User-created list
By kkilgallon · Updated May 2023
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Variation of Hilary
"happy, cheerful"
Alair is a lighter, more unusual form of Hilary.
Variation of Alexandra, Greek
"defending men"
This spin on the "Alex" prefix was the 88th most popular girl name in Scotland in 1900.
French surname, possibly meaning "cheerful"
"cheerful"
Allaire, a last name in France. could make a first, with its light and airy feel.
Greek or Latin
"the best; ear of corn"
From the root for aristocrat, an upwardly mobile choice -- or if you go by its other meaning, an earthy delicious choice. Arista is a rare name for girls that has the popular A beginning-and-ending…
Latin
"silver"
South America provides a continent of interesting, undiscovered names -- Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and the tango-rhythmed Argentina.
Italian
"handsome, beautiful"
Bello is as handsome as Bella is beautiful, but rarely heard outside the Italian community. With its energetic 'o' ending, it could be ripe for export.
Cecylia is a distinctive spelling variant of Cecilia, a feminine name of Latin origin meaning 'blind' or traditionally associated with the Latin family name Caecilius. This particular Polish spelling…
Variation of Valencia, Spanish place-name
Might sound as if your child had the sniffles every time she said her name.
French surname
Bardot joined the first and last names of other glamour girl icons such as (Jean) Harlow when David Boreanaz chose the surname of '50s French sex symbol Brigitte Bardot for his daughter. Bardot…
"feather"
Occasionally heard in England, rarely here.
Variant of Zilpah
A highly unusual Old Testament name that had a burst of popularity in the States in the 19th Century.
Place-name and Latin
"dove"
Colombia is a South American country name, with a rhythmic sound and peaceful connotations. The Irish Colm, Scottish Callum, and Columba are all attractive relatives of Colombia (or Columbia, if…
Italian, German, Dutch, and Polish version of Eleanor
"bright, shining one"
The usual form of Eleonara is Eleanora, with each syllable pronounced, but transposing, adding, or subtracting a vowel or syllable here or there works fine and adds to the international, feminine…
Biblical place-name
Idalah is a town in Zebulon that makes a distinctive first name for a modern girl. Where the boys get most of the ancient yet unusual Biblical names, Idalah is one for the girls' side.
Latin "imperial"
"imperial"
Rather imperious as a baby name, but has an interesting history. Imperia is the name of an obscure French saint, also known as Impère and Impérie, also borne by the famous Italian courtesan Imperia…
African-Ugandan
"born after twins"
Affectionate sounding name that could have birth-order meaning.
Persian
"azure blue stone"
Out-of-the-ordinary gemstone name derived from lapis lazuli, which is said to enhance awareness and intellect, impart ancient wisdom and cure many ailments, making it an interesting possibility for a…
Variation of Agnes
"pure, virginal"
Annis and Anice are both antique variations of Agnes that have fallen out of use, perhaps because of pronunciation problems (ANN-is, or an-EES?)
Nature name
The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.
Guinivere is a variant spelling of Guinevere, the name of King Arthur's queen in Arthurian legend. Derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar, meaning 'white phantom' or 'fair one,' it combines 'gwen'…
