Truly Unusual Names for girls and boys

Ayat

Arabic, Persian

"sign"

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…

Golda

English, Yiddish

"gold"

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.

Sable

English animal name

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…

Favor

English

"kindness, benefit; approval, support"

A warm-sounding word and virtue name used by the Puritans and still popular in parts of Africa, especially with the Favour spelling. It might be used as a nickname for the longer, perhaps even bolder…

Akasha

Hindi

"ether"

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 .

Ayleth

This medieval sounding name is a modern invention, used in the video game Final Fantasy.

Rosalba

Latin, from the phrase rosa alba

"white rose"

One of many Spanish elaborations of Rosa.

Malu

Hawaiian

"peace"

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…

Shulamit

Hebrew

"peace"

Shulamit--which has a variety of different spellings--is a serious-sounding Old Testament name that appears in the Song of Songs. Its common nickname is Shula, which is sometimes used on its own.…

Padma

Sanskrit

"lotus"

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.

Sabah

Arabic

"morning"

A popular Arabic name borne by a famed Lebanese actress and singer, could provide an intriguing alternative to Sarah.

Amoret

Literary name

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.

Cyane

Greek

"bright blue enamel"

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