Adelie

A name that would lavish your child with adoration, a princess name--as in Princess Adora of She-Ra: Princess of Power.

Adora

Apolline is a luscious French name chic in Paris and ripe for the plucking in the English-speaking world.  Derived from the mythological name Apollo, the name may mean strength; Apollo was the god of sun and light.  Apolline is a perfect choice for those attracted to the name Apple who don't want to go quite that far.

Apolline

Arcadia, a name for an unspoiled paradise, makes an attractive secular alternative to Nevaeh or Eden.  For parents who want an unusual name with a friendlier nickname, Arcadia has the advantage of cute Cady.

Arcadia

Nice Scottish sound, but too tied to sweaters and socks. 

Argyle

Words are not always easy to translate into <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a>, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.

Arrow

Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur., coming from an ancient word for ""a bear,"" and used in the sense of ""outstanding warrior"" or ""champion."" A pagan High King of Ireland, Art’s rule was so honest that two angels hovered over him in battle.

Augusta is a dignified name reminiscent of wealthy great-aunts, but with the fashion for both August and Gus for boys, Augusta could get some fresh energy. 
 Augusta was the title of honor given to the wives and daughters of Roman emperors, which then morphed into a given name, brought to England by the German princess who became the mother of George III.
 Augusta is also a saint's name and a place name. Her literary Great-Aunt image was formed via the characters Lady Augusta Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, an elderly relative in the Harry Potter books, and Aunts Augusta in both Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt and P.G Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster novels. 
 Augusta has a choice of two friendlier nicknames--Aggie and Gussie.

Augusta

Aero

Alpha

Buckingham

Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Cassia also has ties to the Ancient Roman name Cassius, an Ancient Roman family name meaning "hollow." 
 
Cassia is one of the rare names that's truly unusual yet has a stylish feel. Cassia has the added attraction of the sweet smell of cinnamon, thanks to its botanical associations. We predict Cassia will become much more popular along with her brother names Cassian and Cassius. 
 
Keziah, the Biblical equivalent, is also due for rediscovery, while Kassia is the Greek spelling that ties the name to Saint Kassiani, a feminist heroine.

Cassia

This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane.
 Crane is a surname that originated for a tall man with long, thin legs. It can now be seen as one of the newly stylish bird names, like Wren and Lark, and could fit in well with future classmates Zane, Kane, Dane, Lane, Rain--and Jane.

Crane

Cygnet

A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/d">boy names starting with D</a>.

Drake

An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.


Eames

The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000 throughout the '60s and '70s — around the same time that Bambi came into play. But unlike Bambi, Fawn maintains relevance in the 21st century, thanks to its warmth and ties to the natural world. We would love to meet more baby girls named Fawn.
 
Fawn would work as update to the now-dated Dawn, and is one of our favorite <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/479/middle-names-for-girls">middle names for girls</a>.

Fawn

Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. 
Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname, represented by uber-skateboarder Tony Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding. Variations include Hawke, as in actor Ethan, Hawks, as in Golden Age movie director Howard, Hawking, as in scientist Stephen, and Hawkins, as in musicians Coleman, Screamin' Jay and Sophie B, and was recently given to his baby boy by quarterback Tony Romo. There have been characters named or nicknamed Hawk in The Revenant, The Path and Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. Hawk ranks at Number 699 on Nameberry.

Hawk

The great American novelist sets this above many other surnames (and <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a>, for that matter), but it's still an imposing and adventurous choice. Do nicknames Hawk or Thorne make it more approachable? The timid should stick with Nathaniel.

Hawthorne

Heathcliff is the name of the original passionate macho hero of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, and also of the cartoon cat. It was chosen by fashionista Lucy Sykes for her son, and inspired the late Heath Ledger's name. But otherwise it's barely used, and perhaps a bit much of a namesake. For a modern boy we'd recommend Heath....or Cliff.

Heathcliff

Helvetica

Ixia

Magenta is a vivid Crayola color name, that could make a vivid, colorful choice. It was named in 1859 after the Napoleonic Battle of Magenta, a town in Northern Italy.
 One of J.K. Rowling's imaginative Harry Potter name creations, it was attached to Magenta Comstock, an experimental artist whose portrait eyes would follow the viewer around and out of the room. There are also characters named Magenta in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and on the Nickelodeon show Blue's Clues, for an artistic puppy who loves to draw.
 Magenta is a deep purplish-red color, somewhat similar to Fuchsia--an equally original option.

Magenta

Meadow's upward popularity trajectory certainly suggests that the name has transcended its connection to The Sopranos.. In the US, more than 750 baby girls were named Meadow last year, a number we expect to keep rising.

If it can happen to Scarlett (O'Hara) and Atticus (Finch), it can certainly happen to lovely pastoral Meadow.

Before we let go of the Sopranos connection, how perfect was it that Tony Soprano's daughter's name was Meadow, suggesting that the TV mobster was once a kinder, gentler young dad?

Meadow

A sleek, smooth, understated name off the grid in the US but among the Top 100 girl names in Germany.

Merle

Magpie

Mink

Nectarine

Nightingale

With its relation to Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods, and to the Olympic games, this name has an athletic, goddess-like aura, making it the perfect Olivia substitute.
 A well-known art reference is the famous 1865 painting of a reclining nude by Edouard Manet titled Olympia. Contemporary bearers include former Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe and actress Olympia Dukakis.

Olympia

This old-fashioned word for poetry has some antiquated charm but doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. 

Poesy

Quill is a unique possibility for the child of writers -- even if they do use computers rather than pens; could also serve as a rhyming tribute to an ancestor named Gil, Phil, or Bill (or Jill). 

Quill

Strong and solid, with a touch of foreign intrigue, it's the most popular of the rain-related names, with a variety of pronunciations—RAY-na, rah-EE-na, or RY-na. Alternate spellings Reyna and Rayna currently rank higher in the US.

Raina

It may seem like an indecisive cross between Roy and Reece, but Royce was fairly popular in the 1930s and '40s. It has seen a resurgence in recent years, helped by some well-known athlete bearers. The Latin pop singer Prince Royce also has brought renown to the name. And some aspirational parents may see the name as a way to associate with the Rolls-Royce brand.

Royce

Revell

A handsome, spruced-up post-Bruce tree name. 

Spruce

Sable

Swan

Y-ending color adjectives like Tawny and Rusty are nowhere near as stylish as the more sophisticated Lilacs and Violets. 

Tawny

This name of both a grayish-greenish-blue color and a kind of wild duck can be used for both boys and girls. 

Teal

Tern

This lovely orange-scented Spanish place-name would make an inventive namesake for an Aunt Valerie.
 Last on the popularity list in 1994, Valencia reached a high of Number 633 in 1969-70.
 The Mediterranean city of Valencia is the third largest in Spain; it was founded as a Roman colony in 138 BC, originally called Valentia--and so has a long and storied history.

Valencia

Vespertine

possummy's list "Quirky Names I Probably Won't End Up Using" of 43 great name ideas: Adelie - Vespertine!

Quirky Names I Probably Won't End Up Using

...but someone else should :) My style is a hint of nature and design.