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. But with so many lovely long forms, we'd advise keeping this as a nickname.

Intriguing combo of elements.

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.

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.

The Hawaiian word for sunflower is also used figuratively for people who gaze toward the sun, and has a nice resonance with Lion King name Nala.

Fatou and its long form Fatoumata are variations of the popular Muslim name Fatima, who was one of four perfect women cited by the Quran.

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.

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."

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

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.

This name was occasionally used in the Middle Ages by members of the House of Sicily. A revival of this floral name would make an interesting addition to the increasingly broad selection of botanical names being used at the moment.

Originally a short form of names beginning with either of the elements gêr "spear" or gisil "pledge, hostage". Now usually a short form of Gertrud.

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.

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

The fashion for elaborate girly-girl names, especially those that end with -ella or -ana, has put this distinctive Latin favorite into play.

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.

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.

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.

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.