Boys and Girls Names Not in the top 1000

Mika

Japanese, Slovene, Hebrew, English, Greek

"beautiful fragrance; who is like God?; follower of Demeter"

Mika is a sparky and stylish Japanese girls' name that translates easily to English. Also used as a Slovene and Hebrew diminutive for Mihaela and Michaela, as an alternative spelling to the Biblical…

Delphine

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…

Mariska

Hungarian and Dutch diminutive of Maria

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Robust and energetic with an even blend of spikiness and elegance, Mariska is a diminutive of Maria, notably used in Hungary and The Netherlands. Internationally, it was brought into the spotlight by…

Sora

Japanese or Korean

"sky; conch shell"

A simple and pretty multicultural name: as a Japanese name, it's unisex and means "sky"; as a Korean name, it's feminine and means "conch shell".

Maeva

Tahitian

"welcome"

Though it sounds like a variation of the Irish Maeve, Maeva actually hails from Tahiti, and is currently enjoying a wave of popularity in France, where it ranks in the Top 100, possibly via popular…

Atara

Hebrew

"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…

Tressa

Short form of Theresa, English, Greek, or Cornish

"to harvest; third"

While Tessa is now preferred, this slightly sharper diminutive of Theresa was the more familiar option in the early 20th-century. It enjoyed a brief return to the US charts in the 60s and 70s but is…

Juna

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…

Enya

Irish

"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.

Tula

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…

Austen

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.

Leonora

Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknown

Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora…

Orla

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…

Ambrosia

Latin, feminine form of Ambrose

"Immortal"

Ambrosia combines some of the more whimsical qualities of more popular Aurora and Isabella, with a heavenly meaning. In Greek mythology, Ambrosia was not a goddess or other figure but literally the…

Astoria

Place name

Long more associated with the New York Waldorf- hotel and the neighborhood in Queens than as a baby name, Astoria is finally beginning to emerge from their shadow and find favor with parents looking…

Tate

Norse

"cheerful"

Though Tate is used almost exclusively for boys, we can see Tate as a stronger surname alternative to Kate or a clipped form of Tatum.