997+ Unique, Rare, and Unusual Girl Names

  1. Callen
    • Origin:

      Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "rock"
    • Description:

      Callen is a unisex Gaelic name growing in popularity here. Its newfound trendiness is possibly related to the Chris O'Donnell character on "NCIS: Los Angeles", known only as G. Callen.
  2. Dyani
    • Origin:

      Native American
    • Meaning:

      "deer"
    • Description:

      Beautiful Indigenous name connected to visual artist Dyani White Hawk. Dyani was most popular in 2001, when it was given to 73 baby girls.
  3. Kimimila
    • Origin:

      Lakota, Native American
    • Meaning:

      "butterfly"
    • Description:

      Kimimila is a trending choice among parents with Lakota heritage. It's especially popular in South Dakota, where many Lakota live today.
  4. Freesia
    • Origin:

      Flower name, from German surname
    • Meaning:

      "Freese's flower"
    • Description:

      A rare, free-feeling flower name for the parent who wants to move far, far beyond Rose and Daisy. Named for German physician Friedrich Freese.
  5. Noely
    • Origin:

      Variation of Noel, French
    • Meaning:

      "Christmas"
    • Description:

      If Joely (as in actress Richardson) is a name, why not Noely? As nickname-names become both more acceptable and more fashionable, Noely may be a fresh spin on one traditional name for Christmas babies.
  6. Azra
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "virgin"
    • Description:

      Azra is a perennial favorite Arabic name for girls in Turkey, Bosnia and Croatia. In the West, Azra could become a fresher take on Virginia or a more feminine spin on Ezra.
  7. Babette
    • Origin:

      French, diminutive of Barbara
    • Description:

      A less common relic of the Claudette-Paulette-Annette era.
  8. Swan
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "swan"
    • Description:

      Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan carries an image of grace, though perhaps also a bit of languor. It's a lovely and original name, right for our times.
  9. Garnet
    • Origin:

      Jewel name, from the French
    • Meaning:

      "pomegranate"
    • Description:

      One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl.
  10. Kizzy
    • Origin:

      Variation of Keziah
    • Meaning:

      "cassia tree"
    • Description:

      Kizzy was a character in Alex Haley's Roots; this and other Keziah variations were widely used among enslaved people. In Roots the name is explained by the hero Kunta as 'you sit down' or 'you stay put' in the Mandinka language meaning that 'this child would never get sold away'.
  11. Lalage
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "to chatter"
    • Description:

      An interesting name despite the pronunciation challenge. It has literary roots, both in the classical poetry of Horace, and as a character in John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman. Appealing nicknames are Lalla and Lally.
  12. Janie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Jane, English
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Will this old-fashioned nickname make a comeback, now that Jane has shed her "plain" image? Janie is cute and approachable, and would stand as well on the birth certificate as Josie and Jessie do now.
  13. Harbor
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      We've seen Haven take off as a nouveau girls' name; Harbor could follow in its wake.
  14. Iana
    • Origin:

      Latin, Slavic variation of Jane
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      In Roman mythology, Iana was an epithet of Diana, goddess of the moon.
  15. Answer
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      An implied spiritual meaning makes this a plausible new name.
  16. Elodia
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Alodia, German
    • Meaning:

      "foreign riches"
    • Description:

      As Elodie filters into the mainstream, parents may turn to the rarer Spanish form Elodia as an alternative.
  17. Dua
    • Origin:

      Albanian, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "love, prayer"
    • Description:

      Dua is one of those names that has been popularized in English speaking countries by a single celebrity: British-Albanian model-singer Dua Lipa. It's simple, modern, appealing, and may find a wider audience thanks to its attractive namesake.
  18. Aiman
    • Origin:

      Kazakh
    • Meaning:

      "beauty of the moon"
    • Description:

      The male and female versions of Aiman come from different origins. While the feminine Aiman has a lunar meaning and origins in Kazakhstan, the masculine Aiman is a variation of the Arabic name Ayman.
  19. Audyn
    • Origin:

      English, variation of Auden
    • Meaning:

      "old friend"
    • Description:

      Auden is increasing in use for girls each year, and the feminized spelling Audyn is beginning to follow along. Parents are loving the gentle but unisex sound of this surname, associated with poet W.H., Auden.
  20. Inoa
    • Origin:

      Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "name chant"
    • Description:

      Inoa is an evocative choice from the South Seas.