Really Unusual Names That I Love!

Most names that start with Cam- are on the upswing, so why not this obscure term for Wales as well as for a prehistoric time period.

With the growing popularity of Celia and Cecilia, this vintage canasta-playing nickname name could be due for a comeback.

The unusual (to English speakers) name Cendrillon is French for Cinderella, though most Americans wouldn't recognize it as such. This might make an excellent middle name for those who are looking for something rare, whimsical, fantastical, and literary. But you must insist on the lovely French pronunciation — if you're choosing a name this uncommon, why not go all the way.

The apostle Simon was called Cephas by Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be built. In most versions of the New Testament, Cephas is translated into Petros in Greek, Peter in English.

Little known name of the goddess of the harvest — her name literally means nourishment, and is the origin of the word cereal. A possibility for the parent seeking something original, but with the aura of Roman myth. Her Greek counterpart is Demeter.

The obscure yet not unappealing name of a legendary heroine of Rome. The ancient Clelia escaped an Etruscan invader by swimming across the Tiber River.

Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson Wagner, who used it to honor her mother, Natalie Wood, one of whose most iconic films was Inside Daisy Clover.

Coralia was the name of a dancing mermaid in a 19th century ballet. As Cora -- which has another root and means maiden -- rises, so may elaborations and related names such as Coralie, Coraline, and Coralia.

Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Cressie could make for a cute nickname, as used in the Worst Witch children's TV series, short for Crescentmoon.

Diarra has a nice meaning, but we could see it leading to possible teasing re association with a certain digestive problem.

Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the seventeenth century.

Eigra is a name with a great mythological and literary past - it is the Welsh version of Igraine/Ygraine, who was the mother of King Arthur.

Though she has long stood on her own, Elke has many longer cross-cultural connections, to the Dutch/German/Scandinavian Adelheid and Alice and the English Adelaide, as a feminine version of Elkanah and as a Yiddish form of Eleanor.

One of several Latin names starting with E that would work and play well with others in any family.

Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn.

Erendira was the name of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez heroine and also a mythological princess. The name is best known in Mexico.