Less Common Girls Names I Love

Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade.

The sassy, steel magnolia appeal of Oscar-winning Reese (born Laura Jeanne—Reese is her mother's maiden name) Witherspoon has single-handedly propelled this formerly boys’ name into girls' popularity.

Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel.

Among the first wave of word names used in the hippie era, it actually is a legitimate girl's name with a lot of luster.

Less popular than the Bueller-inspired Sloane but following on its coattails, this name ranks toward the middle of the Top 1000, but we see both spellings sticking around for years to come.

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina.

Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.

X marks the spot in names these days, usually at the middles or ends of names, but here is one that puts it squarely up front.

This is an African name that would fit into any culture.