Nameberry's Favorite Unique Names

This is a Hebrew word name, created from the word zahav, meaning gold.

Variation of Aviela/Abiela, feminine forms of the Biblical Aviel/Abiel "God is my father". The modernized/anglicized double-l spellings are popular now in English-speaking countries.

A cultural crossover with multiple roots. Ashwin is an English surname from the Anglo-Saxon male name Æscwine, meaning "ash tree + friend". It's also a popular Hindi name: in Hindu mythology, the Ashvins or Ashwini are twin Hindu gods of the sunrise and sunset. Either way, it has a soft, strong sound and great nickname potential in Ash or Win

Parents have been creating their own names from existing appellations since the beginning of time. So have authors, from Shakespeare to George R. R. Martin. As far as modern attempts go, Esmarie, which combines Esme and Marie, has a nice natural flow and a sound that is very pleasant.

Nehemiah is an Old Testament name used by the Puritans, whose white-bearded image kept it out of favor for centuries, until it suddenly reappeared in 1998, along with the more user-friendly Josiah and Isaiah.

Since so many of the biblical prophet names -- Daniel, Jonah, Nathan, Samuel -- are overused, you might want to consider this distinctive alternative. Hosea was the author of the book of prophesies bearing his name, whose underlying message was a promise of restoration. The Talmud claims that he was the greatest prophet of his generation.

Pronounced "crwa", this unusual name was chosen by Cedric the Entertainer for his son.

Nakoa is a Top 100 name for boys in Hawaii. It became more widely known after actors Lisa Bonet and Jason Mamoa chose it for their son.

Amadeo and Amedeo are both valid Italian forms of the Roman Amadeus, most famous as the middle name of the composer Mozart as well as the title of a movie about him. Mozart's name was actually the Greek Theophilus, but he transformed it to the Latin version. Amadeo is also used in Spain, where it was the name of a 19th century king who was born in Italy.

Madrigal might be a pretty and highly distinctive choice for a child of a musical family--or for the parent looking for a less conventional path to the nickname Maddie than Madeline or Madison . Definitely more striking than Cadence or even the increasingly popular Aria.

This unusual Scottish surname was made immortal by Michael Faraday, a British scientist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His name is now a unit of scientific measurement for electricity - a 'power'ful name for any little boy.

Feminine form of Ophir, a Biblical place name famed for its riches.

A name some people first encountered in the old children's book series The Five Little Peppers, in which Sophronia, the youngest of the Peppers is nicknamed Phronsie.`It was also used by Dickens in two of his novels: The Old Curiosity Shop and Our Mutual Friend.

Araluen is a beautiful Aboriginal Australian place name, used in several sites, always connected to the dainty water lily.

The name of the (male) otter protagonist of Henry Williamson’s 1927 novel Tarka the Otter.

Mime Marcel Marceau actually had two versions of the same name. Marcel, Marceau, Marcella, Marcus, Mark -- all are variation of the Roman mythological name Mars, the god of war.

A neologism coined for the 2012 Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, which aims to come up with new terms for emotions that currently lack words

Mazarine is a deep blue color also used as a first name in honor of Cardinal Mazarin, a leader of France in the 17th century. As a first name, Mazarine is as charming as it is unusual.

Idan is a Hebrew unisex place-name rarely heard in this country.

This name coined for a character in the movie 10,000 BC, feels right on trend right now, given the popularity of Evie, Eva, Evelyn etc. In the movie, the name’s meaning is given as "the promise of life", but some creative parents have used the alternative spelling Evoleht — "the love" spelt backwards. Other spelling variants that have appeared on the SSA list include Evolette, Evalette, Evalet and Evoleth.