Acantha is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/317/unique-baby-names">unique baby names</a> in the stylish mythological category that also might count as a flower name. In Greek mythology, Acantha was a nymph beloved by Apollo. An unusual and attractive choice that could make a creative way to honor a grandma Rose.

Acantha

Adira is one of those names that feels familiar without being overused. Simple but with subtle flair, Adira crosses different languages easily and could provide an alternative option tor the likes of Ava, Ariana, Adeline, and Anna.
 
A feminine form of the Hebrew name Adir, Adira means "strong" and "mighty" and is used as a name for God. Occasionally, Adira might also be used as a spelling variation of the Sanskrit Adhira, meaning "lightning" or "restless".
 
 Until 2016, the name was given to just a handful of girls each year, however, by 2017, the number of baby Adiras had doubled and while it is in no way a popular name as yet, it has been trending upwards. Currently given to around 165 girls each year, it is used 5 times more often than a decade ago.
 
The sudden surge in Adira's popularity might be explained by the movie Adira which was released in the US in 2016. The spin-off series of Disney's Tangled kept the name in the spotlight, when it featured a mysterious warrior called Adira in its second season. Then, in 2020, Blu del Barrio starred as the first non-binary character in the Star Trek franchise, Adira Tal.
 
In August 2023, Serena Williams named her daughter Adira River, which may help boost Adira further up the charts in coming years.

Adira

Alethea, the name of the Greek goddess of truth, came into fashion in England in the 16th century, in tandem with the virtue names. Alethea may find new favor now as one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/433/goddess-baby-names">goddess names</a> stylish for baby girls.

Alethea

Altalune is an invention used by Uma Thurman and Arpad Busson as one of several <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a> for their daughter. It's evocative Latin meaning roughly translates to "over the moon." Celebrity baby Altalune will be called the more familiar Luna for short.

Altalune

Althea is a poetic, almost ethereal name found in Greek myth and pastoral poetry, associated in modern times with the great tennis player Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win at Wimbledon. 
 
Althea appears in Greek mythology as the mother of the hero Meleager and was revived by the seventeenth-century poet Richard Lovelace as a poetic pseudonym for his beloved.
 
These days, parents would also appreciate the short form Thea.
 
Althea is the most common girl name in the Philippines.

Althea

Alvira

Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for medieval names.
 In a short story by H.H. Munro, about Amabel, the vicar's daughter, it is said "Her name was the vicar's one extravagance."
 Amabel's shortened form Mabel overtook the mama name early on.

Amabel

Strong, attractive, and stylish, Amara is a true multicultural choice enjoying some popularity in both the US and the UK. In the US Top 1000 since the turn of this century, Amara has been holding steady in the rankings between overly popular and obscure.
 
Amara is the Italian word for bitter, from the same root as Mary and Miriam. It has separate roots in West Africa as a name that means "grace" in the Igbo language. These two meanings are the best-known, but Amara is also a Sanskrit name meaning "immortal", an Arabic word meaning "tribe" and a Mongolian name meaning "peaceful".

Amara

Amarantha is a rare botanical name whose mythical equivalent was believed to be immortal.  The Italian and Spanish form is the somewhat-more-acccessible Amaranta.

Amarantha

This shimmery name, often given to girls born on the harvest feast of Shavuot, and also used in the Muslim community, is increasing in popularity. Amira is of Hebrew and Arabic origin, meaning "princess", and fits in well with a variety of trending names like Amara, Amaya, and Mira.

Amira is in the Top 100 in several countries, including Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, and Hungary. In the US, Amira entered the Top 1000 in 1998 and has been rising since, now in the Top 250. Overall Amira is a gorgeous multicultural choice. 

Amira

This unjustly neglected floral name has a BBC accent and a Greek mythological heritage: Anthea is an epithet of Hera, the Greek queen of the gods, and her name has been used as poetic symbol of spring. 
 Anthea Disney is a high-powered business executive and distant relative of Walt.
 So if you want to go even beyond Azalea and Anemone, you might consider Anthea.

Anthea

Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel. 

Anwen

Arella

In Greek mythology, Arethusa is a nymph who is transformed into a fresh water fountain. The name is also used for a type of orchid and featured in Bleak House by Charles Dickens.

Arethusa

This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest in the name falls in line with the revival of other mythological names like Apollo and Athena. The trendy nickname Ari doesn't hurt either.
 In Greek mythology, she was the daughter of Minus who gave Theseus the thread by which he escaped from the labyrinth. After being deserted by him, she married Dionysus, the god of fertility, wine and drama

Ariadne

Part of a group of lovely A-starting names popular in Spain, along with Ainhoa and Aitana. Spanish actress Aroa Gimeno introduced this one.

Aroa

Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of the fastest rising names, more than doubling in use from the previous year.
 
For many of his character names, Tolkien took inspiration for Welsh, and Arwen and its masculine counterpart Arwyn do have some history of use as legitimate Welsh names, possibly influenced by the ancient Welsh Arianwen. In this case, the name would mean "fair, blessed", while in Tolkien's world, it has a more regal air. 
 
Similar in sound to Elowen, Gwen, Aria, and Ariana, Arwen has seen steadily increasing use in the US since the early 2000s. Currently given to around 180 babies each year, actress Caterina Scorsone and musician Rob Giles chose the name for their daughter in 2019. 
 
Like with any pop culture inspired name, you would have to decide if you'd mind people asking or assuming you were big Lord of the Rings fans, but with its grounded and familiar sounds, Arwen may continue to rise in coming years.
 A trivia tidbit to finish: The International Astronomical Union names all colles (small hills) on Saturn's moon Titan after characters in Tolkien's work; in 2012, they named a hilly area "Arwen Colles" after Arwen.

Arwen

Aura is a New Age-y word turned name turned contemporary slang for karm. In Greek and Roman mythology, Aura was the Titan of the breeze and the fresh, cool air of early morning. But at odds with her peaceful, well, aura, the mythological Aura is a tragic figure, ultimately transformed into a fountain by Zeus.
 At the end of the nineteenth century, Aura was not that unusual: she reached Number 511 on the Social Security list in 1882. Princess Aura was a character in the old comic strip Flash Gordon.
 Aura is currently popular in some areas of Central America. And for the first time since 1901, Aura has joined the US Top 1000 for girls in 2023. Time will tell if the slang meaning of Aura will help or hurt its popularity as a name.

Aura

Aurore

Bright, fresh, and sunny, Ayla is a fashionable choice for girls. Reminiscent of other trending names such as Layla, Isla, and Ava, Ayla has recently found its place in the Top 100. 
At first glance, Ayla appears to be short, sweet, and simple – a modern invention, perhaps – but don’t be deceived. Like many names, it has different pronunciations and various origins, making it an exciting and international choice. 
In Turkish, Ayla is pronounced “Eye-luh”, meaning “halo” or “moonlight,” whereas in Hebrew, it could be a modern take on the Biblical “Elah” meaning “terebinth tree,” from “Alon” meaning “oak tree”, or, from “Ayelet” or “Ayala” meaning “doe, deer, gazelle.” 
Alternatively, Ayla is a literary name, created by Jean. M. Auel, for her novel Clan of the Cave Bear.” Pronounced “Ay-luh,” the independent heroine inspired American parents to use the name, and following the release of the film adaptation in 1986, it leapt straight into the Top 600. 
Internationally popular, Ayla ranks highly in the UK, Sweden and Azerbaijan, and is on the rise in France and Belgium. 
 In the US, over 2500 girls are given the name each year, meaning it has more than doubled in usage over the last decade. 
Notable namesakes include the American singer, Ayla Brown and the Turkish politician and activist, Ayla Akat Ata. A popular choice among influencers too, “The Flo Fam”, “Sunkissed Mama,”, and “The Prince Family” all have daughters called Ayla. 
As lovely as the name is, in its own right and as an alternative to a Top 10 choice, it may be worth keeping in mind how similar Ayla’s sounds are to those high-ranking names. This couldlead to confusion between Ava/Isla/Ayla, or to Ayla feeling more popular than it actually is. 
If you do love Ayla but want to stand out from the crowd a little more, you could consider Mira, Eira, Liora, Alara, Miray, or Aviya for their similarity in sound or feel.

Ayla

This Turkish name has some of today's most popular sounds - partly like Isla and Ayla with the well-loved -lin ending of Evelyn, Oaklynn, and Brooklynn. Used internationally, it's currently on trend in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and Mexico too. It also ranks in the US and The Netherlands Top 500s, and in the the UK Top 1000. With its glowing meaning and contemporary sounds but established feel, Aylin could make a lovely choice.

Aylin

Aella

Alara

Amalthea

Arianthe

Athaliah

Aylen

An offbeat approach to Bella. Also a Yiddish form of Bilhah, one of the four women who gave birth to the tribes of Israel.

Baila

Bellamy is emerging as an up-and-coming <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a>, an Irish surname-y riff on the super-popular Bella series of names. While the Bella connection makes Bellamy sound a little trendier and more popular than it really is, we see the name possibly rising through the ranks for both genders in the coming years.

Bellamy

Unusual floral name which would be perfect for a spring baby girl, if you can pronounce the Welsh double L correctly. It's a tricky sound for non-native Welsh speakers, kind of halfway between an H and an L.

Briallen

Fairy-tale memories of Sleeping Beauty inspire some parents—such as Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen—to call their daughters Briar Rose. But Briar plus a different middle name might work even better. It's one of the newly popular nature-word names, charting in the US for the first time in 2015 for both genders.
 While there are about four girls named Briar to every three boys, the name is on the rise for both genders. It could make for an interesting choice to honor a Brian.

Briar

Briony may be the variation and Bryony the original, but many parents will see this as the more authentic-feeling version of this attractive botanical name. Still unusual in the U.S., Briony is in the British Top 100 and may appeal to parents as a fresh spin on Briana or Brittany or an honorific for a Brian, though it bears no relationship to the male name.
 Briony Tallis is the young girl who sets the plot in motion in Ian McEwan's novel Atonement--played on screen by Saoirse Ronan, for which she received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
 Briony is a variant spelling of Bryony, coming from the Greek meaning 'to grow luxuriantly'. Bryony/Briony is an unusually strong plant name --the bryony being a wild climbing vine with green flowers
 Pronunciation is like Brian with an ee at the end.

Briony

Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending is masculine in Welsh).

 Bronwen Morgan is the lovely heroine of the classic novel and movie How Green Was My Valley. In Welsh mythology, Bronwen was the daughter of Llyr, the god of the sea.

 Close cousin Branwen appears in Welsh medieval literature as a tragic figure who was turned into a bird. The ancient Welsh worshipped her as the goddess of the moon and love.

Bronwen

One of the loveliest of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/172/welsh-names">Welsh names</a>, striking the perfect balance between being familiar and unusual. In Wales, the female spelling is always Bronwen, but Americans usually see a "y" as adding femininity.

Bronwyn

Bryony is an unusually strong plant name --the bryony is a wild climbing vine with green flowers --that caught on in the U.K. before sprouting here. The name of the young character in the Ian McEwan novel Atonement is spelled Briony, which is the variation and Bryony the original.
 Bryony sounds a lot fresher than the now dated Brittany. Pronunciation is like Brian with an ee at the end, though the name bears no relationship to the male Brian or Bryan.

Bryony

Another of the new Greek-accented Cal- names. 

Calantha

If you love Calliope and Callista, you'll love Calanthe, which combines the trendiness of the Greek 'cal' names with the equally fashionable "the" ending (like Xanthe and Evanthe) and a connection to the beautiful Christmas Orchid. Color Calantha one of the more unusual and captivating <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">names for Christmas babies</a>.

Calanthe

Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she introduced a whole sensibility. Pretty and delicate, Calista is definitely worthy of consideration, especially for parents with Greek roots. 
 In ancient myth, Calista (or Calisto)was a nymph loved by Zeus, whose jealous wife Hera turned her into a bear.

Calista

Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate Chopin's The Storm.

Calixta

Callia

Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry -- and also the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it would not be the easiest name for a girl lacking such qualities. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. While Americans usually pronounce this name with a long I sound and the emphasis on the second syllables, Greeks pronounce it with the emphasis on the third syllable -- ka-lee-OH-pee.


Calliope

Best known as one of the moons of Jupiter, Callisto was a nymph coveted by Zeus who was turned into a bear by Hera, becoming the Great Bear (Ursa Major) constellation.

Callisto

Familiar in Wales and England, this name was introduced to America when Welsh-born Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas chose it for their daughter in 2003. Light, pretty, and distinctive in appearance, it didn't catch on in the US, where it was only given to 22 girls in 2023.
 
A relatively modern name, it didn't come into use in Wales until the late nineteenth century. It reached the Top 200 in the early 2000s but has since fallen back to the latter end of the UK Top 1000. 
 Carys is one of that sweet group of girls' names with a loving meaning, and this has a subliminal link to the word 'caress.' 
 Cerys is also heard in Wales.

Carys

Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related trending, Cassiopeia may be an unusual route to a stylish name.

With the rise of other otherworldly and mythical choices, from Apollo to Jupiter to Juno, Cassiopeia may just feel more possible for mortals now than ever before in its long history.

Some sources say the meaning relates to the cassia berry or tree, and may be "cassia juice," making this a botanical as well as a mythological name.

Cassiopeia

In Welsh, Ceri is traditionally a male name but can also be used for girls. It's a short form of Ceridwen too, the name of the Welsh goddess of poetry.

Ceri

Chara is the name of a star in a constellation that represents hunting dogs, recently named as one of the most likely to host extraterrestrial life.  Also, Chara is a variation of both Sarah and Charlotte.

Chara

Cleora is a now-extinct name (there were no babies named Cleora recorded in the U.S. in 2012) that achieved some standing in the early 20th century thanks to the craze for all things Egypt-related.  A range of Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleo, Cleora, Cleona, and Cleola, made the Top 1000 then as the ancient tombs were opened in Egypt.

Cleora

A highly unusual flower name that could give you Clio for short.

Cliantha

Corinne is one of the names that, it might surprise you to learn, has never been off the US popularity charts. Its most popular year was 1926, when it ranked Number 249. Corinna is another pretty ancient form of the name, technically a diminutive.

Corinne

Corisande is a very unusual, haunting choice, with the aura of medieval romance--it is found in early Spanish romantic tales, arriving in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century.
 'La belle Corisande' was the poetic name applied to Diane de Poitiers, the beautiful and powerful mistress of King Henry II&mdash;-Henri of Navarre-- of France.
 
 Lady Corisande is the leading character in
Benjamin Disraeli's 1870 novel Lothair, and, more recently, was heard in Annabel Davis-Goff's novel This Cold Country.

Corisande

Calanthia

Casarra

Cassiope

Ceinwen

Celosia

Chrysalis

Chrysanthe

Clytia

Coriander

Csilla

Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands. 
 Some similar choices: Diandra and Dianthe.

Diantha

Dianthe

Feminine of Aidan, but now girls would prefer to use the original. 

Edana

This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow. 

Eira

In Greek mythology, Elara was a lover of Zeus who gave birth to a giant son (ouch); it's also the name of one of the moons of Jupiter, giving it a celestial feel. Possibly derived from the Greek alara meaning "hazelnut" or "spear", it combines that favorite El- beginning with the popular -ara ending of Clara, Lara, and Amara, making it an all round appealing choice. Currently in the UK Top 1000, and on the rise in the US, it could be a fresher or less popular alternative to Ella, Lyra, or Laura.

Elara

Striking name of a legendary princess and a Welsh river that feels both moody and modern. 

Eleri

The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. It's a uncommon member of the trending El- family of names, which includes Ella, Eloise, and Eleanor. 
 
Elodie derives from Elodia, the Spanish variation of Alodia, a gothic German name associated with Saint Alodia. Saint Alodia was a child martyr in 9th century Spain, along with her sister Nunilo. In France, Elodie is spelled Élodie, with an accent over the E.
 
Élodie is a mono-named Italian singer and model as well as a major character in the Emile Zola novel The Earth. Princess Elodie is the protagonist of the video game Long Live The Queen and there was a character on The Hills named Elodie.
 Popular in the UK and French-speaking countries, Elodie could make an original honor name for Aunt Melody.

Elodie

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A (currently) unique member of the fashionble El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

The traditional Cornish pronunciation is with stress on the middle syllable: eh-LOW-en. But most English speakers seem to pronounce it with first-syllable stress, perhaps on the example of more familiar names like Eleanor and Elodie.

Elowen

Before there was the campy TV Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Elvira was the long-suffering wife of Don Juan, and remnants of those negative, gothic images still cling to it, though they are fading.
Other references include the romantic film Elvira Madigan, based on a real person, and the main ghostly character in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, as well as appearances in several operas.
 Elvira was in common use in the US in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, remaining in the Top 1000 until 1981; it's still popular in Scandinavia, ranking Number 39 in Sweden.

Elvira

Unlike Amber, which is in decline, this name still has a bit of a glow left -- though confusions between the two will inevitably arise.

Ember entered the Top 1000 in 2009 and has risen steadily in the years since. The Em beginning can make it an original route to the nickname Emmy.

Ember

Popular name in Ireland -- it's pronounced ee-mer -- from the legendary wife of Cuchulainn who was supposed to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, wisdom, chastity, and of course, needlework. Is found in the poetry of Yeats.

Emer

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. 
 
Eos is also a Welsh bird name that is occasionally given to girls in Wales — pleasingly the nightingale, so this name covers both morning and night.

Este -- think Esme with a t -- comes to us via one of the rocking sisters in the musical group Haim.  For long best known as the Esther diminutive used by cosmetics queen Estee Lauder, Este is a slimmed-down version that feels chicer for our star-struck times.

While mother name Esther has Persian origins and impressive Biblical roots, it's a name used in a wide range of cultures.

Este

Evanthe is a pretty Greek name not often heard outside its native culture.  With its stylish Ev-begining, Evanthe could make an interesting choice if you're looking for a generic flower name.

Evanthe

Though this feels like a new invention, people have used day names such as Morning and Afternoon for centuries -- and so why not Evening too?  It's a lovely word with an evocative meaning and makes a perfect addition to this newly stylish group.

Evening

Elestren

Euanthe

Eudoxia

Eumelia

Euthalia

Evanthia

Evodie

Ezara

Félicienne

Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
 Guinevere shares the attractive short form Gwyn with Gwyneth. Other cousin ideas: Gwendolen, Genevieve, Jenna, or Gwen.

Guinevere

Halona

Hélène

Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the daughter of Oceanus, supreme ruler of the sea, and also a Cretan woman so beautiful that when she died the Gods made purple flowers grow around her grave.
 Iantha is also used.
 Ianthe was a favorite of the pastoral poets of the seventeenth century and then again in the early nineteenth. She appears in the works of Shelley, Barbara Pym and Georgette Heyer. Writer Richard Brautigan named his daughter Ianthe.

Ianthe

Illia

A striking and feminine possibility associated with a modern hero — longtime Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi. 

Indira

Iolani feels quintessentially Hawaiian, a stylish origin for <a href="https://nameberry.com">baby names</a> these days thanks to Malia, the Hawaiian name of the Obamas' older daughter. The initial I is pronounced with a long e sound, as in Waikiki, and the name Iolani has four syllables.

Iolani

Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882  Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of multi-syllabic classical name once considered too weighty for a modern baby girl, but now within the realm of possibility--this one as a dramatic twist on Violet. The biggest drawback is its variety of legitimate pronunciations in English.

Iolanthe

This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names. 

Iona

This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan.
 Ione was one of the fifty sea nymphs — Nereids — in ancient Greek mythology.
 Parents attracted to newer I-names like Isla might want to consider the distinctive Ione. The English pronunciation usually starts with the long I, while in the Latin languages such as Italian it starts with the long E sound.

Ione

Ira for a girl can be either a Russian short form of Irina, meaning "peace", or a gender-switch of the Hebrew male name Ira. 

 Annette Bening and Warren Beatty broke the ice by using this Old Testament male standard as the middle name of their daughter Isabel, and food writer Molly Yeh named her second daughter Ira Dorothy in 2022, sister to Bernadette "Bernie".

With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist. 
 Isabeau of Bavaria was the wife of King Charles VI of France--and it was possibly a nickname for Elisabeth. It is also the name of an opera by Pietro Mascagni, a retelling of the medieval English legend of Lady Godiva, and in the 1985 film Ladyhawke, Michelle Pfeiffer plays the heroine, Lady Isabeau d'Arjou, who assumes the form of a hawk during the day.

Isabeau

The name of an ancient country located in South Asia Minor, perfect for someone looking for a rare and feminine name with history.

Isaura

Izora

Iora

Isra

HarderToBreathe's list "Names For Characters (Girls)" of 178 great name ideas: Acantha - Zira!

Names For Characters (Girls)

Names that I like, but don't think will ever be usable for my future kids, so I use them on characters instead (my brain children), because you can be a little more creative with their names.  I have a soft spot for mythological names, as a huge mythology nerd.  And I love names with Greek origins, because I'm Greek.