Favorite Unique Girl Names

Luna

Latin

"moon"

The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10…

Ruby

Latin

"deep red precious stone"

Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn't lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again…

Margot

French, diminutive of Margaret

"pearl"

Margot is suddenly a star again. After a nearly-half century absence, it hopped back on the Top 1000 list in 2013 and is on the rise. The Margot spelling is now given to three times as many baby…

Stevie

Short form of Stephanie, Greek

"garland, crown"

Stevie survives as a short form of Stephanie thanks to the immortal Ms. Nicks. After a little more than a decade out of the limelight, she rejoined the US Top 1000 in 2014. It is now leading the…

Lennon

Irish

"lover"

A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon, an Irish name for girls as well as boys with a…

Saylor

Surname-name or spelling variation of Sailor

"ropemaker; dancer, acrobat; boatman"

Currently in the US Top 300, Saylor finds the middle ground between the popular and unisex Taylor, and the more unexpected, wordier Sailor. In fact, it is currently used more often than either of its…

Collins

Surname derived from Nicholas or Colin, Greek or Irish and Scottish

"people of victory or pup"

Collins is a surname name that has made the girls' Top 1000 thanks to its use for the daughter of the real-life Blind Side heroine. As of 2022, Collins climbed into the US Top 300. This derivation of…

Diana

Latin

"divine"

Diana, the tragic British princess, inspired many fashions, but strangely, not one for her name. For us, Diana is a gorgeous and still-underused choice. Diana is the Latin name for the Roman goddess…

Aurelia

Latin

"the golden one"

Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to…

Navy

English, word name

"fleet of ships; sea-based branch of the armed forces; dark blue"

When R & B singer Nivea made this highly original choice for her daughter's name back in 2005, she claimed to have thought of it in terms of the color and not the seagoing armed service. As a word…

Thea

Greek

"goddess, godly"

Succinct and stylish, sweet but vivacious, multicultural and versatile, Thea has a lot going for it. A Top 100 choice in Sweden, France, Norway, New Zealand, and the UK, it is also familiar in…

Astrid

Scandinavian

"divinely beautiful"

Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the…

Monroe

Scottish

"mouth of the Roe river"

Monroe is a presidential name which, thanks to the immortal beauty of Marilyn Monroe, is catching on fast for baby girls. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon chose it for their twin daughter, honoring…

Meredith

Welsh

"great ruler"

Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now. Meredith's highest point of popularity for girls in the…

Jovie

Modern invented

"jovial"

Jovie has a lively and cheerful sound and makes a fresh twist on old (and new) favorites like Jody, Josie, and Jolie. It could be considered a short form of Jovita, Jovena, and Jovana - all feminine…

Romy

Diminutive of Rosemary, Roma, Romana, Romilly etc.

Austrian actress Romy Schneider seemed to be the singular bearer of this international nickname name until it found new style currency in the past decade, entering the US Top 1000 for the first time…

Elowen

Cornish

"elm"

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name…

Amelie

French and German variation of Amelia

"work"

Amelia meets Emily, gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie…

Anais

Catalan and Provencal pet form of Hebrew Anna

"grace"

Anais is an unusual, alluring name forever attached to the daring French-born American novelist and diarist Anais Nin (born Angela, with Anais as one of her middle names), who became the inspiration…

Etta

English and Scottish, short form of any name ending with -etta: Henrietta, Loretta etc.

Thanks to the surprise hit revival of Etta James' song At Last and because of recent interest in vintage style nicknames, Etta has established herself as a possible successor to Emma and Ella. While…