Really Unusual Names That I Love!

Pretty and distinctive choice for poetry lovers.

The 6th century Irish saint Mirin emigrated to Scotland and now is the patron saint of both the Glasgow suburb of Paisley and the game of football. Mirren is one modern spelling; the Cornish Merryn, best known as the name of the seacoast town St. Merryn, is also related. In all its forms, one of the most classic Scottish names for girls.

New Yorkers will recognize this as a Bronx place name, others will see it as a gussied-up female version of Morris.

More unusual than Natalia or Natalie.

Rhythmic and alluring.

Pretty and feminine Arabic name.

Technically a boy's name, but certainly one that would work in the Western culture for a girl, especially after the release of Black Panther, in which it was the name of Lupita Nyong'o's fiery character. Nakia lies outside the Top 1000 but is among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys.

Rarely used biblical choice -- he's a son of Jacob -- with a bit of a white-bearded image.

As Nerea, in the Spanish Top 100, but this streamlined version is one of those golden choices that's both supremely simple and intriguingly rare.

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

New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New Zealand, also called the Mousehole Tree.

A much more dynamic nickname than Nicky for any of the Nic-names. Nico was chosen by Thandiwe Newton for her daughter.

Symbolic name given to girls born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.

Has a pleasantly fizzy, effervescent feeling.

A saucy Latin name that also defines a trendy New York area north of Little Italy.

Very rarely used, could provide a distinctive alternative to Lydia.

Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly soigne, sophisticated yet upbeat choice, unlike some of the more dated other 'ette'-ending names.

Mellow and musical.