Best Unique Girl Names: Under 50 Births

Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.

An appealing Italianate alternative.

Leonore is a melodic variation of the wide range of names related to Eleanor and, via a different root, Leonie that are so stylish throughout Europe right now and bound for greater visibility in the U.S. The name of one of the little princesses of Sweden, Leonore carries the gravity of Eleanor with more quirky charm.

The only downside: Spelling and pronunciation confusion given so many similar variations, from Lenora to Leonie to Eleanora and onward.

Caledonia is a rhythmic and alluring place name used by singer Shawn Colvin for her daughter. It would make an interesting and apt choice for a girl with Scottish ancestry.

Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls.

Sylvester Stallone used Sistine, the name of the Vatican chapel, the site of Michelangelo's magnificent frescoed ceiling, for one of his daughters -- an imaginative choice.

The name Kiri was made famous by New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, whose original name was Claire. Cute but slight, Kiri is close to several other names from Kiriah to Keira to Kyra and its diminutive Kyrie.

Mini names beginning with R are a trend to watch for both sexes. Recently, celebrities have been loving names like Ren, Rue, and Ro(w). The four-letter spelling, complete with a silent E, makes Rowe feel like a complete package despite its single syllable.

With its rich aural relation to names like Aubrey and Audrey, this color name could be the next Amber, or Scarlett.

Revel is a joyous word name that may appeal to parents wanting a non-traditional Biblical choice or simply a name that expresses how they feel.

Eliška is warm and friendly, in the Misha, Sasha mode.

Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky nature name Primrose. Intuitive nicknames Penny or Rosie make it feel more wearable.

Funny how one letter can turn a name from ordinary to special. Parisa is so much more distinctive than either Marisa or Paris.

Pronounced as Fred with an a, Freda is sometimes heard in England, but mostly among older generations. Much more popular in the U.K. these days, though yet to reach the US, is Freya.

Lupine (spelled Lupin outside of North America) is a flower related to sweetpeas. It was given its wolfish meaning because the plant was said to deplete the soil. Comedian Jenny Slate used it as a middle name for her daughter Ida in 2020.

Audacious offshoot of Roxanne, the wayward heroine of the musical Chicago.

Sachiko was one of the first Japanese names familiar to Americans when it was used in the 1950s by actress Shirley Maclaine for her daughter, called the adorable short form Sachi. While Sachiko does not rank on the US Social Security baby names list, Sachi was given to 25 girls in the most recent year counted.

Mount Olivet is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in the Gospels, took place on the Mount of Olives, and in the Acts of the Apostles it is described as the place from which Jesus ascended to heaven. This name makes a fresh alternative to Olivia and is worthy of consideration.