User-created list
By kaynames · Updated October 2015
Across 6 pages
of 6
Word name
"ridge of rock or coral on sea floor"
Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers. Although Reef remains well outside of the US Top 1000, it has charted…
Irish
"golden princess"
Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in…
Hebrew
"lily"
Susannah is by far the most stylish form of the classic name now that Susan and Suzanne have retired. Susannah has biblical and musical pedigrees, is impervious to trends, and has an irresistible,…
Hebrew, Swedish
"good, pleasing; beautiful, beloved"
A lively feeling choice with multicultural origins, Tova is both a Hebrew name with a positive meaning and a Swedish variant of Tove, a modern Old Norse name meaning "beautiful, beloved". In Hebrew,…
Feminine variation of Henry, German
"estate ruler"
Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that…
Place-name
Sonora may be a more unusual and melodic choice than Sierra, but this Mexican state name may sound too much like Senora to work as a name.
English variation of Emmanuela
"God is with us"
Long and lilting but with the familiar sounds of Emma and Ella, Emmanuella is an alternative spelling to the Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian Emanuela. Familiar in the UK and is also popular in…
English and Scottish
"treeless hill"
Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr…
English, Latin
"June"
Juna, a variation of the newly stylish month name June, goddess name Juno, or literary Djuna, is among the fresher-feeling girl names starting with J . While Juna has never been given to more than 50…
Latin
"of the sea"
Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris," star…
"crown"
Also written as Atarah, this regal name appears in the Old Testament, borne by the wife of Jerahmeel. With its confident air and concise appearance, it was given to just under 50 girls in the US in a…
Literary surname and shortened form of Augustine, Latin
"great, magnificent"
While Austin is a popular boys' name, this spelling, honoring novelist Jane, nudges the name toward gender-neutral, chosen last year for 67 baby boys and 57 girls.
French from Greek
"of Delphi; womb"
Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed…
French artist name, from diminutive of Simon
A new favorite of the bohemian set, brought to light by actress Monet Mazur, daughter of the artist who designed the Rolling Stones' mouth logo.
Choctaw, English, Spanish, Hindi, or Kiswahili
"leaping waters; town; spear strength; mountain peak"
Tula is a multicultural name, linked to the names Tallulah, Gertrude, and Tullia, a mountain range in Antarctica, and to the Greek Toula, used for the heroine of the hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding…
Hindi
"nebula, mist"
More unusual alternative to Tiara.
"fire"
This phonetic Anglicization of the Irish name Eithne was made familiar by the single-named Irish singer and composer. St. Eithne was the daughter of a king and an early Irish convert to Christianity.
Greek
"she who brings victory"
Rarely heard today-- it fell off the list around 1980--Bernice is a biblical name of Greek origin. In the Bible, she is a sister of King Agrippa. Bernice was a Top 100 name in the US for more than…
English place-name and surname
"Ellis's town"
Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also…
Laiken is a masculine name with modern origins, possibly derived as a variant spelling of Laken, which means 'from the lake' in Old English. This contemporary spelling with an 'i' gives the name a…
