Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally appropriate spelling.

The Isidora spelling, though equally legitimate, is about 90 percent less common than Isadora.

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.

Spelt Xanthos in Greek, this alternate name for Apollo has a noble sound (pronounced ZHAN-thus) and can always be shortened to Xan.

Variation of Isolde, the name of a great Celtic heroine. The mononymous French singer Yseult is the most notable bearer today.

Abra is soft, sensitive feminine form of Abraham that was the name of a soft, sensitive character in the John Steinbeck book and movie, "East of Eden." In the bible, Abra was a favorite of King Solomon and it was a popular name in seventeenth century England. Abra is also a West African name used for girls born on Tuesday. The magical 'abracadabra' is thought to have originated in the Aramaic language.

More stylish than either Paula or Pauline, it was given a glamour gloss by model Paulina Porizkova in the nineties.

This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, has inspired a whole host of diminutives (including Nuala and Nola) and variant spellings, from Finola to Finula to the Scottish and English Fenella. In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for 900 years.

One time joke name, à la Lily Tomlin's bossy telephone operator, Ernestine is ready for a possible reevaluation, like cousins Josephine and Clementine.

This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.

Sachiko was one of the first Japanese names familiar to Americans when it was used in the 1950s by actress Shirley Maclaine for her daughter, called the adorable short form Sachi. While Sachiko does not rank on the US Social Security baby names list, Sachi was given to 25 girls in the most recent year counted.

Conjures up the rich brown colors of raw and burnt umber, but it may be too close to girls' Amber.

An Irish last-name-first-name that could make a child feel distinctive, while still having the regular guy nickname of Quinn. Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller spelled their son's name Quinlin.

This evocative name of a dramatic tropical Indian fig tree is ready to move west.

Odeline is a delicate feminine name with French origins, formed as a diminutive of Oda or Odette, or possibly as a feminine version of Odo or Odin. These root names carry Germanic elements meaning 'wealth' or 'fortune.' With its graceful '-line' ending, Odeline has a lyrical, almost musical quality that evokes images of elegance and refinement. Though relatively uncommon in modern usage, it fits well with the trend toward rediscovering vintage French-inspired names. The name maintains an air of classic sophistication while remaining distinctive. Odeline might appeal to parents seeking a name with European flair and historical depth without being overly popular or common.

Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.

Old Irish spelling of Dermot / Diarmaid. This spelling is commonly used in the legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne, a love story from Irish legend.

Fanciful feminissima name created by L. Frank Baum for a character in The Patchwork Girl of Oz.

Laetitia adds a layer of ancient patina to the more prosaic LETITIA.

Kingsley is a sophisticated Harry Potter name that entered the US Top 1000 in 2013.