Girl Names Uncommon in the US

Lovis is Lovisa's quirkier counterpart — if you're searching for a name that combines Scandinavian style with retro darlings Avis and Mavis, Lovis could be your girl.

The exact origins of Tiril remain a mystery, but it is generally considered to be a name from Norwegian poetry. The heroine of Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer’s fantastical poem "Lokkende Toner" is Tirilil Tove.

A Top 10 name in Iceland, where it is also the name of an active volcano.

See LOUISE.

Although Malak can be used for both sexes, it's much more widely-used for girls in the US and throughout Europe, where it ranks on several popularity lists.

A slimmed down spelling of the more traditional Aiobheann. It's a beautiful name, but the spelling might throw some non-Irish natives off.

This Dutch name derives from the old Germanic name, Farahild. It is quite common in the Netherlands.

Leyre is an important name in Navarre, Spain, as it is both the name of a mountain and an ancient monastery. It is derived from the Basque Leire, of uncertain origins. Both spellings currently rank among the Top 100 baby names in Spain.

A pan-European variant of Bertha and nickname for -berta ending names, such as Alberta and Roberta. It's certainly much more appealing than its predecessor, but unlikely to become a hit in the US anytime soon.

Hilma is heard in Germany and the Scandinavian countries, and sometimes used as a shortening of Wilhelmina--though there are more appealing German names for girls. to be found. Hilma Wolitzer is an American novelist and the mother of author Meg Wolitzer.

Alternative (rarer) spelling of Roxanne.

Not much to recommend this relative of Wilma; consider Willa or Willow instead.

This unisex name ranks among the most popular girl names in Norway, though it has a number of different roots.

The names from which Meja derived, including Meinhild and Magnhild, are long gone, but a Swedish singer called Meja (born Anna Pernilla Torndahl) has piqued interest in this modern derivative. Meja is now a Top 100 name in Sweden.

A very popular girls' name in the Basque country and Puerto Rico. It is among the Top 100 Spanish baby names, so it's a girls' name that's widely used in Spain.