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Truly Unusual Names for girls and boys

BabyMammie
By BabyMammie
Updated Tue May 16 2023
Usable names that most won't have heard of, for parents who want a child that is unique in every way.
  1. Ghislaine

    • Origin:

      French from German

    • Meaning:

      "pledge"

    • Description:

      Ghislaine still sounds unusual to us, even though in France this name is dated. It can also be spelled Ghislain.
  2. Sable

    • Origin:

      English animal name

    • Description:

      Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both associations carry hints of luxury.
  3. Ayat

    • Origin:

      Arabic, Persian

    • Meaning:

      "sign"

    • Description:

      Ayat is a Quranic name for girls that literally translates to "sign" or "clue" but in the context of the name, it refers to signs of God, manifestations of the divine, or verses from the Quran. In Islamic tradition, Ayat al-Kursi, or "The Throne Verse", is considered the greatest in the Quran and is often displayed and memorised, giving this name a powerful feel.
  4. Drexel

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "to turn"

    • Description:

      Drexel is an occupational surname but the original meaning of what a person who "turned" for a living actually did is unclear: It may mean turning the soil or making hay or spinning cloth or creating decorative objects. With the rise of the similar-sounding Dexter, Drexel might catch on.
  5. Amoret

    • Origin:

      Literary name

    • Description:

      This lovely name from Spenser's The Faerie Queene is borne by a character who represents married love. A related unusual-yet-usable choice: Amabel.
  6. Golda

    • Origin:

      English, Yiddish

    • Meaning:

      "gold"

    • Description:

      A name with an obvious meaning, for a long time associated with Golda Meir, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Nickname Goldie seems to be catching on in the celebrity community.
  7. Warrick

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "strong leader who defends."

    • Description:

      Warrick has recently come into the spotlight as the character Warrick Brown on the TV show CSI. The more conventional spelling is Warwick, a medieval English noble name.
  8. Prosper

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "favorable, prosperous"

    • Description:

      In France, pronounced PRO-spare, Prosper is a fairly common name; here it presents a worthy aspirational message for a child.
  9. Hoku

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian

    • Meaning:

      "night of the full moon"

    • Description:

      Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.
  10. Thessaly

    • Origin:

      Greek, place name, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      The name of an area in northern Greece, known in the era of Homer's Odyssey as Aeolia, Thessaly makes a spirited and pretty place name. Reminiscent of Tessa, Rosalie, and Thea, the name likely derives from that of an ancient tribe, though the exact meaning isn't known.
  11. Padma

    • Origin:

      Sanskrit

    • Meaning:

      "lotus"

    • Description:

      A name rich in Hindu tradition as the alternate name for the Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty and charm; currently borne, appropriately, by model-actress-writer Padma Lakshmi.
  12. Pamina

    • Origin:

      Italian

    • Meaning:

      "little honey"

    • Description:

      This operatic Italian name -- it appears in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" -- is a more unusual route to the nickname Pam/Pammy.
  13. Cyane

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "bright blue enamel"

    • Description:

      Cyane is a mythological Sicilian nymph who lived in a pool and whose name is an intriguing twist on the color name trend.
  14. Madrigal

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "song for unaccompanied voices"

    • Description:

      Madrigal might be a pretty and highly distinctive choice for a child of a musical family--or for the parent looking for a less conventional path to the nickname Maddie than Madeline or Madison . Definitely more striking than Cadence or even the increasingly popular Aria.
  15. Pazel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "peace"

    • Description:

      Pazel's abbreviated version, Paz, is far more modern and attractive.
  16. Malu

    • Origin:

      Hawaiian

    • Meaning:

      "peace"

    • Description:

      Malu is a charming Hawaiian name chosen by ex-Talking Head David Byrne for his daughter. Malu might also be an abbreviated form of Malou, which is an abbreviated form of Mary Louise. Malu or Malou might be a retro-chic nickname for a child given the family names of Mary and/or Louise.
  17. Akasha

    • Origin:

      Hindi

    • Meaning:

      "ether"

    • Description:

      This Hindi name for the fifth element, related to the male Akash which means "open sky," was used by Anne Rice in her Vampire Chronicles.
  18. Babochka

    • Description:

      Babochka is a feminine name of Russian origin that directly translates to 'butterfly' in Russian. This delicate and whimsical name carries the symbolic meanings associated with butterflies—transformation, beauty, and freedom. As a given name, Babochka is exceedingly rare even in Russia, where it would more commonly be recognized as the word for butterfly rather than as a personal name. The name has a distinctive rhythmic quality with its three syllables and soft 'ch' sound. In Western countries, it might be chosen by parents with Russian heritage or those seeking a truly unique name with a natural connection. Its rarity makes it an extremely distinctive choice with an inherent poetic quality.

  19. Rosalba

    • Origin:

      Latin, from the phrase rosa alba

    • Meaning:

      "white rose"

    • Description:

      One of many Spanish elaborations of Rosa.
  20. Tinuviel

    • Origin:

      Literary name

    • Meaning:

      "Daughter of the twilight / nightingale"

    • Description:

      Lúthien Tinúviel is an elf princess in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, who falls in love with a mortal human, Beren, and chooses to become mortal herself rather than to live without him. Tinúviel is a Sindarin name given to her by Beren, meaning "daughter of twilight" and therefore "nightingale".