The unusual and the odd

Ivo is an unusual, catchy name with the energetic impact of all names ending in 'o'. Hardly heard in the U.S., it is used a bit more frequently in England, as is the related Ivor, a favorite of such novelists as Evelyn Waugh and P.G. Wodehouse. Ivo is currently most popular in the Netherlands.

Unusual and unfashionable name found in Toni Morrison's novel Tar Baby.

Intriguing and unusual.

Lush and unusual.

Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and writer. Cute nickname: Ludo.

Unusual name chosen for her son by actress Nia Long, who combined it with the even more unusual literary middle name, Zhivago.

Unusual and lush Roman name adopted, improbably, by the Puritans.

Traditional Arabic choice, used for both boys and girls.

Highly unusual name of a small, tranquil island in the Caribbean; chosen for her daughter by singer Nelly Furtado.

Also an Israeli place-name, this is an unusual, feminine choice.

Shakespeare's moor has exclusive ownership of this name.

A cool Biblical option that currently sits just outside the US Top 1000, Ozias gets extra points for its user-friendly nicknames Oz and Ozzie. Given to around 200 boys in 2023, it has quadrupled in use since 2013.

Deriving from the Hebrew Uzziah, Ozias is the name of several minor figures in the Greek and Latin Bible, most notably the king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. It also has a literary connection in the form of the wonderfully named Ozias Midwinter from Wilkie Collins' 19th century sensationalist novel Armadale. Several characters in the novel describe the name as 'horrible', claiming that 'no sane human being would assume such a name as Ozias', but we - and a growing number of parents - would disagree.

Patrin is a truly unusual yet easily comprehended choice.

This name of a saint martyred in Cornwall makes an unusual choice with traditional roots.

Familiar-sounding hybrid name, made more unusual by virtue of the Q.

Extremely unusual ella-ending choice.

Pretty and unusual, worth consideration.

Raphael is a romantic archangel name that sounds both artistic and powerful. Raphael is also a great cross-cultural choice, with significance for people with both Latinate and Jewish roots, plus plenty of grounding in the English-speaking world.

Straightforward but very unusual choice, deriving from a place name in Italy.

With its appealing double-a configuration, this is the name of an Israeli kibbutz on the Galilee beach. For girls, Saar is a popular modern name in the Netherlands, a shortened form of Sarah.