One-of-a-Kind Names for Girls
- Selby
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from the willow farm"Description:
Selby, a rarely heard British surname, feels sleeker and more distinctive than Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.
- Devri
Origin:
Greek, variation of Devra, HebrewMeaning:
"bee"Description:
Devri derived both as a variant of the Hebrew name Devra, related to Deborah, and as an independent Greek name. With Deborah and Debbie firmly in grandma territory, Devri would be a lovely and modern honorific.
- Umbria
Origin:
Italian place name, from the Umbri, one of the chief tribes settling the Italian nationDescription:
Umbria is a lovely, virtually unused Italian name for girls, reflecting the beautiful rolling hills of the area's countryside. And since it's right next door to Tuscany, in which Siena resides, maybe Umbria could be a follow-up to the popular Siena-Sienna.
- Eaven
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"beautiful sheen"Description:
Anglicized form of the Irish name Aoibheann, which is also in use in Ireland itself. Eavie/Evie would make an adorable short form.
- Faithful
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"faithful"Description:
Faith is a classic virtue name, but Faithful is more modern, having only been in the charts since 2003, and somehow more word-like.
- Vrai
Origin:
French word nameMeaning:
"true"Description:
A happy combination of several desirable genres: it's a word name, it has a foreign accent, and it has a highly virtuous meaning. And few other parents will be bold enough to choose it.
- Lozen
Origin:
Apache, Native AmericanMeaning:
"one who steals horses"Description:
Lozen is the name of a female Apache warrior and medicine woman who fought with Geronimo in the 19th century. The sister of the warrior called Victorio, Lozen was the name chosen by soccer star Hope Solo and football player Jerramy Stevens for their daughter, Lozen Orianna Judith, twin of Vittorio Genghis.
- Nuray
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"bright moon"Description:
Nuray is one of the most popular girls' names in the Middle East though it's largely unknown and unused in the Western World. The meaning, related to the more familiar Noor, adds appeal.
- Dancer
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"someone who dances"Description:
A word name that's appealing when applied to a person boogying or doing ballet; a different story in the context of Santa's reindeer.
- Carmody
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"descendant of Cearmaid"Description:
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Cearmada, which is reminiscent of other jaunty Irish surnames like Cassidy and Connolly.
- Jericha
Origin:
Feminine variation of Jericho, Biblical place nameDescription:
Jericho, a Biblical city, has popped in and out of the Top 1000 since 2013, never making it above the 900s. That means it's unlikely that Jericha, a feminization, will break into the mainstream anytime soon — perfect for parents on the hunt for a unique name with religious significance.
- Effia
Origin:
AkanMeaning:
"born on Friday"Description:
One of the many gorgeous names originally used for children born on a specific day of the week, popular in West African culture. Effia is Akan in origin — the Akan people originate in southern Ghana and the Ivory Coast.
- Jumelle
Origin:
French word nameMeaning:
"twin or binoculars"Description:
The French word for "twin," often used to refer to items found in pairs. Its plural form, jumelles, is the word for binoculars.
- Romary
Origin:
French variation of Romaric, German, and Scottish surnameMeaning:
"famously strong"Description:
Romy lovers, here's a new one for you! Romary is a surname with French and Scottish roots and has historically been a masculine given name in France. It would be a great choice on either sex, but feels slightly more feminine with the -mary ending and Romy nickname.
- Shaili
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"my gift"Description:
Derived from the Hebrew words shai, meaning "gift," and li, "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.
- Sheherazade
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"noble lineage"Description:
The tale-spinning heroine of The Thousand and One Nights, Sheherazade is an extravagantly elaborate name for a little girl. Too extravagantly elaborate? It's lovely and beguiling, and with the rise of such evocative monikers as Persephone and Ophelia, Sheherazade may have a chance in the modern baby name world. Another accepted spelling is Scheherazade. While the origin of this name is Persian, there are also modern Arabic forms of the name.
- Leatrice
Origin:
Combination of Leah and BeatriceDescription:
Not quite Beatrice or Letitia, but Leatrice still has a gently old-fashioned charm of its own, a kind of silent movie star aura, as in one of the top actresses of that era, Leatrice Joy. Largely due to her popularity, Leatrice was in the Top 1000 from 1922 to 1943, reaching a high of 350 in 1927.
- Adabella
Origin:
Combination of Ada and Bella, German, Turkish, and FrenchMeaning:
"noble and beautiful, or beautiful island"Description:
Ada is one of those names found in two different languages with two different meanings. As a German name, it means noble or nobility, and as a Turkish name, it means island.
- Millaray
Origin:
Mapuche (Chilean)Meaning:
"golden flower"Description:
This name has been in the Chilean popularity charts for a while. Millaray makes a good choice for those looking for a feminine floral name that manages to look and sound fresh and modern.
- Mignonette
Origin:
Form of Mignon, FrenchMeaning:
"delicate, dainty"Description:
Mignonette is kind of a diminutive of a diminutive. Mignon is the French word for cute, so Mignonette is more or less cutie.