That Name Means What????
There are a lot of names with meanings related to God, a lot of names with meanings related to love and battles and hope, and then there are those names with really unique meanings.
Like "footprint". Or "pirate". Or "pain".
Whether it’s for a baby or a character, a name’s roots can be a factor in making the final choice. For some people, it’s so important that they use an everyday word, then each time they use the name they’ll be reminded of Hope, or a River, or the color Gray. And some are keen to choose a name from a different language with a positive meaning, like strong, happy, or light.
But for others, etymology isn’t important at all. It’s no dealbreaker if a name’s meaning sounds a little odd out of context (like Cameron or Claudia), or it has an uncertain origin, or is a cool-sounding coinage without any translatable meaning (like Nevaya or Brylan).
Whichever camp you fall into, we hope you’ll enjoy this collection of names with one-of-a-kind name meanings.
Where did we find them? In addition to our hand-curated baby name lists (including the fabulous user lists), our database auto-generates hundreds of name lists based on meanings. Scrolling through them can fling up a few surprises.
Read on for the names with quirky and unique meanings that made us go, “ooh, interesting” or “wait, what?” We bet you’ll find a few you don’t know (but bonus name lover points for any that you do)!
Name meanings: Household items
Bechette: spade
Binnie: basket
Bogart: bowl
Booth: shed
Cody: pillow
Hestia: fireside
Jara: jug
Jumelle: binoculars
Keller: cellar
Kyoko: mirror
Matita: pencil
Mesa: table
Minahil: door
Obelia: needle
Taci: washtub
Tasso: cup
Zaniah: corner
Unique name meanings: Body parts
Ascella: armpit
Bronwen: breast
Dandelion: tooth
Delphia: womb
Olwen: footprint
Osiris: eyesight
Perna: leg
Sharpay: skin
Taliesin: brow
Unique meanings: Appearance
Algernon: moustached
Belcher: pretty face
Blaine: angular
Brady: broad-chested
Brecken: speckled
Cameron: crooked nose
Gifford: puffy cheeks
Esau: hairy
Hamill: scarred
Jaeda: long-necked
Kennedy: misshapen head
Loman: small bare one
Rajiv: striped
Roc: frizzy
Unique meanings: Food and drink
Auster: oyster
Bezai: eggs
Cassia: cinnamon
Cicero: chickpea
Craven: garlic
Dunja: quince
Fideo: noodle
Galador: milk
Galette: pancake
Idra: fig
Jarah: honeycomb
Layton: leek
Malina: raspberry
Miette: crumb
Mora: blackberry
Noyce: walnut
Palin: wine
Rapunzel: lettuce
Rimona: pomegranate
Vieira: scallop
Unique meanings: Nature
Alioth: sheep
Arantxa: thornbush
Arley: rabbit
Azami: thistle
Berquist: twig
Boyne: cow
Castor: beaver
Fana: jungle
Gilead: camel
Halcyon: kingfisher
Kobe: tortoise
Koko: stork
Nahma: sturgeon
Numair: panther
Osman: snake
Poe: peacock
Rohan: sandalwood
Shada: pelican
Takeo: bamboo
Tupelo: swamp
Unique meanings: Occupations
Bader: surgeon
Carbry: charioteer
Collier: miner
Halloran: pirate
Idrissa: interpreter
Jenner: engineer
Kellogg: pork butcher
Lochlainn: Viking
Mailer: enameler
Millard: caretaker of the mill
Neviah: forecaster
Odalis: chambermaid
Porter: doorkeeper
Sloane: raider
Tupac: accountant
Vedette: actor
Wainright: wagonmaker
Name meanings: Descriptive words
Bilhah: bashful
Bina: understanding
Caprice: impulsive
Dempsey: haughty
Howell: eminent
Kessie: chubby
Kymani: adventurous
Maverick: nonconformist
Molloy: venerable
Montague: pointy
Motoko: resourceful
Panya: tiny
Pendleton: overhanging
Shea: dauntless
Sophrona: sensible
Vogue: fashionable
Unique meanings: Actions
Devere: fishing
Fatima: abstains
Faunia: befriend
Ido: evaporate
Leib: roaring
Ligeia: whistling
Malala: grieved
Nira: plowed
Nixi: childbirth
Ozlem: yearning
Pakuna: jumping
Philemon: kiss
Susmita: smile
Tallulah: leaping
Terpsichore: dancing
Tycho: hitting
Waverly: quivering
Unique meanings: The dark side
Akuma: demon
Ares: bane
Duald: darkness
Elegy: lament
Ephai: gloomy
Fogarty: exiled
Gorgophone: slayer
Jabez: pain
Masozi: tears
Meribah: quarreling
Odysseus: wrathful
Penthesilea: mournful
Rue: regret
Snorri: onslaught
Torquil: cauldron
Unique name meanings: the best of the rest
Azha: the breeding place
Balbo: mutterer
Burr: bristle
Calah: opportunity
Chadwick: dairy
Chan: sweet smelling tree
Corentin: hurricane
Devrim: revolution
Evrim: evolution
Faro: lighthouse
Heber: togetherness
Keats: kite
Koren: gleaming
Maeve: intoxicates
Mika: fragrance
Missouri: canoe
Nemo: nobody
Nicomedes: pondering
Petronilla: yokel
Tafari: awe