Unique names for boys and girls

Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry.

Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin, it's currently in the Welsh top 100 and in the England and Wales Top 500 over all.

Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade.

This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.

Noemi is a charming Latin spin on Naomi; another twist is Neomi. A quiet mainstay on the US Top 1000 since 1957, Noemi was one of the fastest rising names in 2023.

A zippy little international name. The Hebrew name relates to the month of Israeli independence, while the Slavic Ziva (also spelled Živa and Siva) is a goddess of love, life and fertility.

Appealingly gentle and romantic French classic--with a lot more charm than Steve.

With Grace mega popular and Gracie on the rise, this modern compound name provides a trendy alternative. With the vibes of Brooklyn and Evelyn and the contemporary feel of Oaklynn and and Emberlynn, Gracelynn is currently in the US Top 400.

Spelling variant of Arianwen. Note that in Welsh, the -wyn suffix is usually masculine.

Feels more modern than the Y version but also less authentic.

Back in the 5th century, Gwynedd was a kingdom in northern Wales, though in modern times, it is both an unusual, unisex name and a Welsh county. For girls, it is more familiar in its modern form, Gwyneth or Gweneth.

With the growing popularity of Celia and Cecilia, this vintage canasta-playing nickname name could be due for a comeback.

The Good Witch's first cousin.