997+ Unique, Rare, and Unusual Girl Names
- Gloriana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"glory"Description:
Originally the name of the titular faerie queene of Spenser's epic poem "The Faerie Queene," published in 1590. Gloriana was, along with Belphoebe, an allegory for Queen Elizabeth.
- Basilia
Origin:
Greek, feminine variation of BasilDescription:
Rare but attractive female form of Basil.
- Arley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from the rabbit meadow"Description:
Abbreviated form of Harley that might also be spelled, for girls, Arleigh or Arlee.
- Joa
Origin:
Finnish, Danish, Swedish variation of JoMeaning:
"Jehovah increases"Description:
A unisex Scandinavian name. Joa is more common for boys in Finland but equally split between sexes in Sweden and Denmark.
- Emiko
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"smiling child; beautiful child"Description:
A fresh and pretty Japanese name which would be an unusual route to the popular Emmy/Emi nickname. In Japanese, this name can be formed from a variety of different kanji combinations with different meanings, but "laughing child" and "beautiful child" are two appealing possibilities.
- Beline
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"goddess"Description:
This French name meaning goddess is a possible Gallic import in the Celine mode.
- Islay
Origin:
Scottish place-nameDescription:
Islay is the name of a Hebridian island famous for its whisky. Don't be fooled by the "y" at the end - this name is pronounced exactly like the more well-known Isla.
- Iolani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"hawk of royalty"Description:
Iolani feels quintessentially Hawaiian, a stylish origin for baby names these days thanks to Malia, the Hawaiian name of the Obamas' older daughter. The initial I is pronounced with a long e sound, as in Waikiki, and the name Iolani has four syllables.
- Eureka
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"I have found [it]"Description:
For most, Eureka will be tied up with the bathtub myth of Archimedes' discovery of volumetric displacement, making it linked to the idea of invention, discovery and innovation. Some Australians might more closely link it to the Eureka stockade, a 19th Century rebellion of miners and workers against the colonial British government. Amanda Knox named her baby girl Eureka in 2021.
- Florencia
- Bellona
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"fighter"Description:
A beautiful name with a combative meaning (from the Latin bellare "to fight"), belonging to a Roman goddess of war. Bellona has never appeared on the SSA list, but it could be an intriguing option for fans of the popular Belle/Bella.
- Euna
Origin:
CherokeeMeaning:
"waterfall"
- Sitara
Origin:
Urdu from PersianMeaning:
"star"Description:
A beautiful Urdu name with a musical sound and a lovely celestial meaning. Sitara got a boost in 2022, potentially from the award-winning 2020 short film "Sitara: Let Girls Dream", bringing awareness to the issue of child marriage.
- Clarity
Origin:
English virtue nameMeaning:
"the quality of being clear"Description:
Clarity is one of the lightest of the newly rediscovered virtue names, with a bit of three-syllable sparkle, old-fashioned charm and a clear vision for the future. Clarity is a very desirable quality in this confusing world and it also, unlike some other newly coined word names, has real meaning and history as a name.
- Giulietta
- Pari
Origin:
Iranian/PersianMeaning:
"fairy"Description:
Simple yet meaningful Iranian name that would make an excellent import to the English-speaking world.
- Garance
Origin:
French color and botanical nameDescription:
This botanical name, referring to the vivid deep red color and to the madder plant from which it derives, is almost unknown to English speakers. But it's been trending in France recently, reaching the Top 100.
- Meridian
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"midday / pinnacle"Description:
In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".
- Eleadora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of the sun"Description:
Cross classic Eleanor with rising vintage star Theodora and you get Eleadora, a beautiful Greek name with a wonderful meaning.
- Ismerie
Origin:
FrenchDescription:
This French form of the name Ismeria is one of those uncommon names that's been consistently used in France since the middle ages.The origins of this rare name are shrouded in mystery. Ismeria / Ismérie is an obscure figure in European Christian legend, sometimes purported to be the great-aunt of Jesus Christ, who is connected to the devotion of the Black Madonna.