350+ Best Unique Baby Names

The Kiowa People are an Indigenous American tribe of the Great Plains. The exact derivation of their name has been lost, but most scholars agree it means "principal people." The Kiowa People have used different names for themselves over the years, including Kútjàu or Kwu-da, meaning "emerging" or "coming out rapidly," and Kom-pa-bianta, meaning "people with the large tipi flaps."

An English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses, but hardly heard since th 1950s.

Veronica seems poised to rise again, along with many other V names, and with it may follow this more romantic French version.

Is Merrin a real name or a melodic invention? Singer Bo Bice brought this merry name to the public's attention when he chose it for his daughter, but most reliable baby name sources don't list it. But there is a Cornish saint's name Merryn, thought to be a variation of the Irish names for girls Mirin and Mirren, and so we're going to call Merrin another twist on that ancient group of names.

Shortening Francisco somehow makes it sound even cooler. Cisco is also the name of a digital security company.

A generic possibility if you don't want to specify Spring or Summer.

Adds some thorns to the smooth texture of Lily.

Scandinavian names are fashionable these days, and Torsten is one that is used only occasionally: About 20 baby boys were named Torsten in the US last year.

Viridiana is a frillier version of the medieval name Viridis, meaning green. Viridiana briefly made it into the top 1000 in the US in the 1990s.

More intriguing than the more familiar form Nerida, this name is perfect for a beach baby, or a baby born under a water sign.

Marcellina is one feminine form of the names derived from the ancient Roman Marcellus. There was a Saint Marcellina who was a 4th century virgin and the only sister of Saint Ambrose.

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.

A cute, upbeat name with a covetable meaning.

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."

The cosmos is another name for the universe in English, giving this name a spacier, more scientific feel than the near-identical Cosmo.

Jasiri is the Swahili word for "brave," and a unisex name primarily used in eastern Africa. Despite all it has going for it — a resonant meaning, on-trend I ending, and gender-neutral style — Jasiri has never been given to more than 30 American babies in a single year.

Gender-neutral nickname typically used for Yuval, the modern Hebrew form of Jubal.

Sean and Robin Wright Penn chose this name for their son to honor their friend Dennis Hopper; others might associate it with the painter Edward. Couldn't be more spirited.