The unusual and the odd

Ivo is an unusual, catchy name with the energetic impact of all names ending in 'o'. Hardly heard in the U.S., it is used a bit more frequently in England, as is the related Ivor, a favorite of such novelists as Evelyn Waugh and P.G. Wodehouse. Ivo is currently most popular in the Netherlands.

Unusual and unfashionable name found in Toni Morrison's novel Tar Baby.

Intriguing and unusual.

Lush and unusual.

Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and writer. Cute nickname: Ludo.

Unusual name chosen for her son by actress Nia Long, who combined it with the even more unusual literary middle name, Zhivago.

Unusual and lush Roman name adopted, improbably, by the Puritans.

Traditional Arabic choice, used for both boys and girls.

Highly unusual name of a small, tranquil island in the Caribbean; chosen for her daughter by singer Nelly Furtado.

Also an Israeli place-name, this is an unusual, feminine choice.

Shakespeare's moor has exclusive ownership of this name.

Everyone says they want an unusual name — well, if you truly do, this is one with Biblical cred that fits the bill, with the added attraction of the user-friendly nickname of Oz or Ozzie. Ozias is the name of several minor figures in the Bible. Osias is another spelling.

Patrin is a truly unusual yet easily comprehended choice.

This name of a saint martyred in Cornwall makes an unusual choice with traditional roots.

Familiar-sounding hybrid name, made more unusual by virtue of the Q.

Extremely unusual ella-ending choice.

Pretty and unusual, worth consideration.

Raphael is a romantic archangel name that sounds both artistic and powerful. Raphael is also a great cross-cultural choice, with significance for people with both Latinate and Jewish roots, plus plenty of grounding in the English-speaking world.

Straightforward but very unusual choice, deriving from a place name in Italy.

With its appealing double-a configuration, this is the name of an Israeli kibbutz on the Galilee beach. For girls, Saar is a popular modern name in the Netherlands, a shortened form of Sarah.