Unique Baby Names That End in I

Ghanaian name meaning "God hears me", known to fans of "The Great British Bake Off" thanks to charismatic contestant Selasi Gbormittah.

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

A celestial choice that's used both in Mexico and by Latinx Americans.

Akari is a feminine name in Japan but gender-neutral in the US, with a slight edge as a masculine name.

Kenya is fairly commonly heard as a girl's name, but its capital city makes a much more exceptional choice. The name comes from the Maasai phrase "Enkare Nairobi," which translates to "cold water." Nairobi is popularly known as the Green City.

The Hindu princess and poetess Meera, was also known as Mira Bai. Mira Bai was a Rajput princess, the only child of Ratan Singh, younger brother of the ruler of Merta. Her royal education included music and religion as well as instruction in politics and government. In the West we usually think of such traditional names as Charlotte and George as royal baby names, but this adventurous choice breaks the mold. Mirabai combined the Sanskrit "Mira" (meaning ocean) with the suffix -bai (historically added to the names of women as a sign of respect).

The name of the second-biggest (and third-most populous) island in Hawaii was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017. A major factor was surely Dwayne Johnson's character in Moana, the Polynesian demigod named Maui, a mythological trickster who slowed the sun to create the days. (It fell back to normal levels in the following years.)

Swati is the Indian name for Arcturus, the third-brightest star in the sky. Actress, comedian and writer Mindy Kaling gave her daughter (born in 2017) the middle name Swati, after her mother.

A rare but rising unisex name more common among boys. Names ending in -ari are a hot subset of gender-neutral names that grows each year as parents create new combinations.

This lovely Umbrian hill town became a striking first name for the young daughter of Jade Jagger.

When pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable, Emari is considered a variation of Emery, a stylish unisex name common among baby girls. But in most cases, Emari is used as an alternate spelling of Amari, which emphasizes the second syllable. Both Amari and Emari are pretty evenly matched between the sexes, each with a slight edge for boys.

Makes Severin and Severus a little less, well, severe.

A name with the kind of pan-cultural feel that's in vogue now... and forever. A French variant, Marjane, belongs to the author of the iconic graphic memoir Persepolis.

Emani is more popular than the original Iman, for girls at least. About 200 baby girls were named Emani in the US last year, while 80 girls were named Iman. Iman is quite gender-neutral, with 60 baby boys given the name, while only a handful of baby boys were named Emani.

Magni is a powerful name from Norse mythology: he’s the son of Thor and the giant Járnsaxa. A more modern variant is Magne, which is currently climbing fast in Denmark.

A lovely name with a lovely meaning ("amusing, charming, graceful" in Sanskrit), Lilavati is a rare Indian name with a handful of historical namesakes. Notable bearers include the daughter of great 12th century mathematician Bhaskara, who named one of his mathematical treatises after her, and a 13th century Sri Lankan queen who was only the second woman to rule the country as sovereign in her own right.

Nefertari Meritmut was the first and favorite wife of pharoah Ramesses II "the Great". She was highly educated and undertook important diplomatic work on behalf of her husband, corresponding with other prominent figures and even making speeches.