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Unusual Baby Names

  1. Ragnar
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "powerful army; wise warrior; counsel from the army"
    • Description:

      An fearsome old Norse name with a long history in Scandinavia. It's gotten a boost in the States from popularity of the History Channel drama "Vikings," in which the protagonist is named Ragnar. Ragnar Lodbrok (meaning "shaggy pants") was a legendary warrior whose story was told in the Viking sagas. Ragnar also recalls name of the Norse Judgment Day, Ragnarök.
  2. Enos
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "mankind"
    • Description:

      A thundering biblical name - belonging to a grandson of Adam and Eve, also known as Enosh - that hasn't made as much of a comeback as similar Enoch. Enos is also a book in the Book of Mormon, and the name of the first chimpanzee to go into orbit. Caution: depending on your accent, it could have one or two unfortunate rhymes.
  3. Olwen
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "white footprint"
    • Description:

      Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.
  4. Étienne
    • Origin:

      French variation of Stephen, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "garland, crown"
    • Description:

      Appealingly gentle and romantic French classic--with a lot more charm than Steve.
  5. Niobe
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Description:

      The mythological queen whose perpetual weeping for her slain children turned her into a stone has always cast a pall over this name. Still, when other names with less-than-savory associations -- Delilah, Ophelia, Persephone -- are becoming popular, parents might want to consider this one of the more unusual mythology names for girls.
  6. Tudor
    • Origin:

      Welsh and Romanian variation of Theodore, Teodor, or Theodoric
    • Meaning:

      "gift from God; ruler of the people"
    • Description:

      Known as a British royal family line as well as a style of architecture, this name feels both solemn and formidable, but with an intriguing "dark-academia" feel to it too. Currently in the Top 1000 in England and Wales, it is also used in Romania and Moldova.
  7. Talullah
    • Origin:

      Irish, Anglicized variation of Tuilelaith
    • Meaning:

      "lady of abundance"
    • Description:

      Talullah or Talulla, the old Irish name of two early saints, is almost identical to the Native-American Tallulah. A modern hipster favorite, however it's spelled.
  8. Hadriel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "splendor of Jehovah"
    • Description:

      An alternative to the formerly male Ariel, which is now in the grasp of "The Little Mermaid."
  9. Osric
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "divine ruler"
    • Description:

      Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility.
  10. Wellesley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "the farm amonst the willows"
    • Description:

      Even if you'd like your daughter to attend the venerable women's college, don't saddle her with this pretentious British surname.
  11. Price
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "son of Rhys"
    • Description:

      Some names referring to expensive things -- Tiffany, Armani, Porsche -- are in fact declasse, but Price transcends that label with its simplicity and strength.
  12. Tane
    • Origin:

      Maori, Tahitian
    • Meaning:

      "man, male"
    • Description:

      In Maori mythology Tāne (also called Tāne Mahuta) was the god of forests and birds, son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa. Tāne was the one who pushed his powerful parents apart to create the land and sky.
  13. Haldor
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "Thor's stone"
    • Description:

      This, like many Norse and Scandinavian names, remains icebound, though with the unexpected rise of such ancient Scandinavian mythology names as Odin, Thor, and Freya, we may see Haldor rise again.
  14. Éinri
    • Description:

      Éinri is the Irish Gaelic form of Henry, a masculine name with Germanic origins meaning "home ruler" or "ruler of the household." The original Germanic name Heimirich combines the elements "heim" (home) and "ric" (ruler, power). In Ireland, Éinri has been used for centuries, often appearing in historical records of Gaelic families. While less common than the anglicized Henry in modern Ireland, Éinri represents a connection to Irish linguistic heritage and culture. The name has maintained a modest presence in Ireland but hasn't achieved widespread popularity internationally compared to other Irish names like Liam or Aidan.
  15. Osias
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "salvation"
    • Description:

      Osias has a Latinate and biblical feel without making an appearance in the Bible. The related Ozias, on the other hand, is a form of Uzziah, found in the Greek and Latin Old Testament, and could make a distinctive path to the nickname Oz or Ozzie--both far cooler, in our opinion, than Oswald.
  16. Drum
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Cool, musical modern choice, especially as a middle name.
  17. Cagney
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "tribute"
    • Description:

      Cagney is one of the spunkiest Irish surnames around, and could make a lively and fresher successor to the tired Casey.
  18. Ptolemy
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "aggressive, warlike"
    • Description:

      Pronounced "TAHL-a-mee," this was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals and several Greco-Egyptian rulers, as well as the name of a famous Greek astronomer. Actress Gretchen Mol brought it into modern times when she chose it for her baby.
  19. Eos
    • Origin:

      Greek; Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "dawn; nightingale"
    • Description:

      Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn.
  20. Leonid
    • Origin:

      Russian, variation of Leonidas "lion"
    • Meaning:

      "lion"
    • Description:

      This form got noticed as the first name of long-reigning Russian president Brezhnev; other bearers include playwright and short-story writer Andreyev, Leonid the Magnificent,a Russian performance artist on America's Got Talent, and Leonid McGill, the protagonist of a Walter Mosley private eye series. All in all, though, Leonid is not the most likely to join the pride of lion-related names here.

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