Unique Girl Names: Uncommon, Unusual, Cool

Ties to the unfortunate Mama are now unraveling, leaving Cass or Cassie to stand on its own as a fresher sounding Cathy or Kate. With gender-neutral names abound and the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls, Cass may be on the up and up.

Isla is a contemporary gem, so why not Isle? As an English word name, it takes you straight to the literal definition — a small island — which could have an appealing, aspirational ring to it, for those wanting to raise independent children.

While some sources assign the place-name the romantic meaning "beautiful daughter of the stars," the Virginia region itself says the name is of uncertain Native American origin with many possible but no definitive meaning. No matter: Shenandoah is a lovely name that's rare but usable.

These days, it's more likely you'd call your daughter the popular Belle or Bella.

Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.

Intriguing combo of elements.

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.

She'd better be. Merry is one of the classic names for Christmas babies.

This is one surname-name that may swing decidedly to the male side, thanks to highly-visible young actor Alden Ehrenreich.

Simple yet meaningful Iranian name that would make an excellent import to the English-speaking world.

A rarely heard name that was the title of a hugely popular Big Band song in the forties. Amapola, with the emphasis on the third syllable, is one flower name that has not been widely discovered.

This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) may still carry a whiff of the hippie, but this one has a nice, airy feel.

Wylie is one Celtic surname with as much appeal for girls as for boys. Wylie is ripe for spelling variations: Wiley is as appropriate as Wylie but when you spell it Wylei, as Corey Parker did for his son, you're getting into yooneek naming territory.

Dreamy name occasionally used in the Philippines. The fashionable "raya" sound may garner some more attention for Hiraya.

A warm, sunny, and extremely rare name, even within its native France. Idalie would be especially perfect to honor an Ida.

Juneau, the name of the city in Alaska, has rightfully taken a back seat as a name to the classic Juno. Most famous reference: When the pregnant teenager is introduced in the movie "Juno," the prospective adoptive father says, "Oh, like the city in Alaska." Juno takes a deep breath and then says simply, "No."

Jannat is derived from the Arabic word jannah, which refers to the final paradise for good souls in the afterlife. Jannat is primarily used among Indian and Pakistani Muslims. Cennet is the Turkish variation.

Especially used in Bengal and Bangladesh, Sonali is nowadays considered to mean "golden". Bengali actress Sonali Chowdhury is a notable bearer of this name.

Mercer is one fashionable occupational name that can work as well for girls as boys, perhaps because of the soft c or the conventionally feminine nickname Mercy.