200+ Unique Baby Names No One Is Using (Yet)

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You’ve scrolled through the same forty names a hundred times. Somewhere between the third Olivia and the seventh Liam at the playground, you started quietly wondering if there was something else out there — something that felt found rather than assigned. A name with a story behind it. A name your kid won’t have to share with two classmates on the first day of kindergarten.

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Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.

Here’s what’s in store –

Ancient World Names with a Modern Edge

Nature Names That Aren’t Flower Names

Forgotten English Names Worth Reviving

Literary and Mythological Gems

Scandinavian and Nordic Hidden Gems

Celtic and Gaelic Rarities

Global Names with Beautiful Sounds

Virtue and Concept Names

How to Choose a Name From This List

FAQs

This list isn’t about made-up names or phonetic mashups. Every name here is real, rooted in actual language and history, with a meaning that holds up. What makes them rare isn’t that they’re obscure for obscure’s sake — it’s that English-speaking parents have mostly forgotten them, overlooked them, or haven’t encountered them yet. Some are Ancient Greek or Roman names that fell out of fashion after the Renaissance. Some are Irish names that got swallowed by anglicization. Some are Scandinavian names that never made the Atlantic crossing. And some are English names that simply got left behind in the Victorian era when no one was paying attention.

Think of this list as a recovery mission. 200+ names that were used, loved, and meaningful — and that deserve a second look. You’ll recognize the roots of some of them. Others will feel genuinely new, even though they’re anything but. A few will make you say oh, that’s actually beautiful when you’ve sat with them for a minute.

The names are organized by theme and feel, not alphabetically. Read through slowly. Say them aloud. The right one tends to announce itself.

Before we get into the names — if you’re deep in a naming spiral, you’re probably also wondering how a name looks written out. Our Baby Name Art prints let you visualize any name in five different styles before you commit. Worth a look while you’re browsing.

Ancient World Names with a Modern Edge

These are names that Roman senators gave their daughters and sons, names worn by Greek philosophers and Alexandrian scholars. They fell out of use not because they stopped being beautiful, but because fashion moved on. Fashion has a way of circling back — and these are ready.

Aurelia

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: aw-REEL-yuh · ɔːˈriːljə
Meaning: golden one
Popularity: #334 and rising (#370 → #334, 2024)

Marcus Aurelius’s family name; worn by a Roman empress and still luminous.

Caius

Origin: Latin (variant of Gaius)
Pronunciation: KY-us · ˈkaɪəs
Meaning: traditionally glossed ‘to rejoice,’ though the Roman name’s real root is unknown
Popularity: #1,061 and rising (#1,347 → #1,061, 2024)

One of the most common Roman praenomens, yet almost unheard of on modern playgrounds.

Callista

Origin: Greek (via Italian)
Pronunciation: kuh-LIS-tuh · kəˈlɪstə
Meaning: most beautiful
Popularity: #3,889 and rising (#4,667 → #3,889, 2024)

Rarer than Callie or Calliope, with a crystalline sound.

Cato

Origin: Latin (Roman cognomen); also a Scandinavian matronymic form of Catherine
Pronunciation: KAY-toh · ˈkeɪtoʊ
Meaning: wise, shrewd, clever (Latin ‘catus’)
Popularity: #3,048 and rising (#4,476 → #3,048, 2024)

Cornelia

Origin: Latin (feminine form of Cornelius)
Pronunciation: kor-NEEL-yuh · kɔːrˈniːljə
Meaning: horn
Popularity: #3,824 and falling (#3,103 → #3,824, 2024)

A patrician Roman name borne by the mother of the Gracchi — dignified, underused.

Demetria

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: dih-MEE-tree-uh · dɪˈmiːtriə
Meaning: belonging to Demeter, the earth goddess
Popularity: #5,324 and rising (#8,599 → #5,324, 2024)

The full, formal version of Demi; mythological at its core.

Eudora

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: yoo-DOR-ah · juːˈdɔːrə
Meaning: good gift
Popularity: #8,073 and falling (#5,607 → #8,073, 2024)

One of the Nereids; quiet, classical, almost never used.

Evander

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ih-VAN-der · ɪˈvændər
Meaning: good man
Popularity: #771 and rising (#779 → #771, 2024)

Pre-dates Evangeline by centuries and shares its musical quality.

Flavian

Origin: Latin (Roman)
Pronunciation: FLAY-vee-uhn · ˈfleɪviən
Meaning: golden-haired (masculine form of Flavius, from flavus ‘yellow’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name of Roman emperors; the male equivalent of Flavia.

Isadora

Origin: Greek (variant of Isidora)
Pronunciation: iz-uh-DOR-uh · ɪzəˈdɔːrə
Meaning: gift of the goddess Isis
Popularity: #1,223 and rising (#1,438 → #1,223, 2024)

Isadora Duncan gave it dance and flame; it still carries both.

Lavinia

Origin: Latin (place name Lavinium, Latium)
Pronunciation: luh-VIN-ee-ah · ləˈvɪniə
Meaning: from Latium
Popularity: #2,139 and rising (#2,346 → #2,139, 2024)

Aeneas’s Italian bride; a foundational Roman name that sounds remarkably fresh.

Leander

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: lee-AN-der · liˈændər
Meaning: man of the people (Greek ‘people’ + ‘man’)
Popularity: #1,752 and falling (#1,512 → #1,752, 2024)

The mythological hero who swam the Hellespont each night for love.

Leontine

Origin: Greek (via Latin Leontina)
Pronunciation: LEE-on-teen · ˈliːɑːntiːn
Meaning: lion-like / of the lion
Popularity: #15,609 as of 2015 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Used in ancient Rome and Victorian France; it sounds surprisingly current.

Lysander

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ly-SAN-der · laɪˈsændər
Meaning: liberator of men
Popularity: #2,198 and rising (#3,760 → #2,198, 2024)

Shakespearean and ancient at once, with a natural nickname in Ly.

Marcellus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: mar-SEL-us · mɑːrˈsɛləs
Meaning: diminutive of Marcus; ‘little warrior’
Popularity: #948 and falling (#870 → #948, 2024)

More distinguished than Marcus, with the same warm sound.

Quintus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KWIN-tus · ˈkwɪntəs
Meaning: fifth (a Roman praenomen traditionally given to a fifth-born son)
Popularity: #10,627 and falling (#5,861 → #10,627, 2024)

Clean, brief, Roman — perfect for a fifth child or just a parent who loves Rome.

Thalia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: THAY-lee-ah · ˈθeɪliə
Meaning: to bloom, flourish
Popularity: #658 and falling (#573 → #658, 2024)

One of the three Graces; more distinctive than Talia.

Theron

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: THAIR-on · ˈθɛrɑːn
Meaning: hunter
Popularity: #2,857 and rising (#2,996 → #2,857, 2024)

Simple, strong, one note — carries power without trying hard.

Tiberius

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: ty-BEER-ee-us · taɪˈbɪər.i.əs
Meaning: of the Tiber (river)
Popularity: #2,585 and falling (#2,360 → #2,585, 2024)

A river god’s name; known from Star Trek but barely used in real life.

Caelia

Origin: Latin (ancient Roman clan name, exact root uncertain)
Pronunciation: SEE-lee-uh · ˈsiː.li.ə
Meaning: sky, heaven
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Cressida

Origin: Greek (via medieval literary tradition)
Pronunciation: KRESS-ih-dah · ˈkrɛsɪdə
Meaning: golden
Popularity: #12,408 and falling (#10,569 → #12,408, 2024)

Chaucer and Shakespeare both used it; it belongs on a real person.

Hypatia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: hy-PAY-shuh · haɪˈpeɪʃə
Meaning: highest, supreme
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Alexandrian mathematician executed for her scholarship — a name with serious meaning.

Meliora

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: mel-ee-OR-uh · ˌmɛliˈɔːrə
Meaning: better things
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Roman literary word occasionally used as a name; perfect for parents who aspire.

Thessaly

Origin: Greek (place name)
Pronunciation: THESS-uh-lee · ˈθɛsəli
Meaning: from the Greek region
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Geographical names work; this one carries ancient weight.

Vespera

Origin: Latin (from vespera, ‘evening’)
Pronunciation: VES-per-ah · ˈvɛspərə
Meaning: evening; associated with the evening star
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Latin root of Vesper; feminine and celestial.

Cassius

Origin: Latin (Roman family name)
Pronunciation: KASH-us · ˈkæʃəs
Meaning: hollow
Popularity: #567 and rising (#576 → #567, 2024)

Shakespearean villain, but the name itself is noble and underused.

Seneca

Origin: Latin (Roman cognomen); also name of an Iroquoian nation
Pronunciation: SEN-uh-kuh · ˈsɛnɪkə
Meaning: from the Seneca tribe/clan
Popularity: #4,838 and rising (#5,875 → #4,838, 2024)

The Stoic philosopher’s name; unusual and intellectually charged.

Livia

Origin: Latin (Roman)
Pronunciation: LIV-ee-ah · ˈlɪviə
Meaning: uncertain (feminine of Roman name Livius)
Popularity: #836 and falling (#826 → #836, 2024)

Roman empress name; spare and modern-sounding despite its antiquity.

Nature Names That Aren’t Flower Names

The botanical names — Violet, Ivy, Lily, Sage — are genuinely lovely, which is also why half the kindergartens in Brooklyn have one of each. These nature names come from different corners: weather, geology, birds, waterways, trees that aren’t rose. They’re quieter but no less grounded.

Alder

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: AWL-der · ˈɔːldər
Meaning: originally a surname for someone who lived near alder trees
Popularity: #1,421 and rising (#1,464 → #1,421, 2024)

Softer than Ash, stronger than Elm, used almost nowhere.

Beck

Origin: Old English/Old Norse (also German/Jewish surname)
Pronunciation: BEK · ˈbɛk
Meaning: stream or brook
Popularity: #1,005 and rising (#1,035 → #1,005, 2024)

A place name from the moors; short and grounded.

Blythe

Origin: Old English (surname)
Pronunciation: BLYTHE · ˈblaɪð
Meaning: cheerful, merry, carefree — from Old English blīþe, ultimately Proto-Germanic *blīþiz (‘gentle, kind’)
Popularity: #1,862 and falling (#1,855 → #1,862, 2024)

A river name from Northeast England; also a word meaning breezy happiness.

Briar

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: BRY-er · ˈbraɪər
Meaning: thorny shrub or bramble
Popularity: #522 and rising (#549 → #522, 2024)

Wild and modern at once; has been rising but remains genuinely uncommon.

Cirrus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SEER-us · ˈsɪrəs
Meaning: curl, tuft of hair
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A meteorological name with a delicate, almost translucent sound.

Cove

Origin: English
Pronunciation: KOHV · ˈkoʊv
Meaning: small sheltered bay/inlet
Popularity: #1,207 and rising (#1,319 → #1,207, 2024)

Maritime feel; works beautifully for a child born near water.

Fen

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: FEN · ˈfɛn
Meaning: boggy wetland
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Stark, earthy, one syllable; for parents who like their nature names unvarnished.

Frost

Origin: English (surname/word name, cognate surnames also German, Swedish, Danish)
Pronunciation: FRAWST · ˈfrɔːst
Meaning: frost (icy weather phenomenon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Junco

Origin: Spanish (from Latin juncus)
Pronunciation: HOON-koh
Meaning: Literally ‘rush’ (the marsh plant) in Spanish/Latin; applied as the name for a genus of small sparrows rather than an original bird-word
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A birder’s name; unusual without being unintelligible.

Lark

Origin: English
Pronunciation: LARK · ˈlɑːrk
Meaning: the songbird
Popularity: #3,534 and falling (#3,501 → #3,534, 2024)

Lyrical, light, almost never used as an actual name.

Rill

Origin: English (Germanic root)
Pronunciation: RIL · rɪl
Meaning: a small stream or brook
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Barely known outside poetry; quiet, crystalline sound.

Sedge

Origin: Old English (secg)
Pronunciation: SEDJ · sɛdʒ
Meaning: a grass-like wetland plant with sharp, sword-like leaves
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Very botanical, very rare; for parents who know their flora.

Solstice

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SOL-stiss · ˈsɒlstɪs
Meaning: the sun standing still (astronomical solstice)
Popularity: #6,870 and rising (#7,199 → #6,870, 2024)

Bold and celestial; a name that marks the longest or shortest day.

Sylvan

Origin: Latin (via French Sylvain/Swedish Sylvan)
Pronunciation: SIL-van · ˈsɪlvən
Meaning: of the forest
Popularity: #1,911 and rising (#2,026 → #1,911, 2024)

More unusual than Sylvia; carries a peaceful, dappled-light feeling.

Thorn

Origin: Old English (surname/place name)
Pronunciation: THORN · θɔːrn
Meaning: thorn bush
Popularity: #13,992 and falling (#9,642 → #13,992, 2024)

Angular and a little edgy; pairs with soft middle names.

Vale

Origin: English (from Latin vallis via Old French)
Pronunciation: VAYL · ˈveɪl
Meaning: valley
Popularity: #6,886 and rising (#8,942 → #6,886, 2024)

Short, landscape-rooted; the quiet sibling of Vail.

Wren

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: REN · ˈrɛn
Meaning: the small songbird
Popularity: #213 and falling (#195 → #213, 2024)

Already climbing charts in the UK; still rare in the US.

Zephyr

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ZEF-er · ˈzɛfər
Meaning: the west wind
Popularity: #1,133 and falling (#1,121 → #1,133, 2024)

Known enough to be familiar, rare enough to feel fresh.

Sable

Origin: Old French (ultimately from Slavic/Old Russian ‘sobol’)
Pronunciation: SAY-buhl · ˈseɪbəl
Meaning: black, especially as a heraldic color; from the dark fur of the sable marten
Popularity: #4,986 and rising (#5,228 → #4,986, 2024)

Color name with fur-trade history; distinctive.

Crag

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (Celtic)
Pronunciation: KRAG · kræɡ
Meaning: a steep, rugged rocky cliff or outcrop
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Very rare; for parents who love wild landscapes.

Moss

Origin: English (nature word)
Pronunciation: MAWSS · ˈmɔːs
Meaning: the moss plant
Popularity: #6,065 and falling (#5,000 → #6,065, 2024)

Simple and quiet; the most minimal nature name on this list.

Quill

Origin: English (word name)
Pronunciation: KWIL · kwɪl
Meaning: a feather, especially one used as a writing pen
Popularity: #3,136 and rising (#3,532 → #3,136, 2024)

Both natural and literary; works for any gender.

Cinder

Origin: Old English (via ‘sinder’, spelling later influenced by Old French ‘cendre’)
Pronunciation: SIN-der · ˈsɪndər
Meaning: burnt residue or slag left after something has burned, originally referring to slag from smelting metal
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Edgy and warm; unusual without being invented.

Elm

Origin: English (vocabulary/nature name)
Pronunciation: ELM · ɛlm
Meaning: the elm tree (nature name)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The softer sibling to Oak; elegant, barely used.

Mistral

Origin: Occitan/Provençal (via French)
Pronunciation: miss-TRAHL · mɪˈstrɑːl
Meaning: the powerful, cold north/northwest wind of southern France (literally ‘masterful’ wind)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A weather name with Mediterranean sweep.

Forgotten English Names Worth Reviving

These names were real people’s names — on ship manifests, in parish records, on Victorian gravestones. They stopped being used not because they were ugly, but because naming fashion moved in tighter circles and these got left behind. Now that those circles have become suffocating, these feel like oxygen.

Aldous

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: AWL-dus · ˈɔːldəs
Meaning: old (short form of Old English compound names beginning with eald, ‘old’)
Popularity: #9,905 and falling (#7,303 → #9,905, 2024)

Anselm

Origin: Germanic (Proto-Germanic ansuz + Old High German helm)
Pronunciation: AN-selm · ˈænsɛlm
Meaning: divine protection, literally ‘god-helmet’
Popularity: #9,939 and falling (#8,972 → #9,939, 2024)

A medieval archbishop of Canterbury; theological history with a soft, European sound.

Araminta

Origin: English
Pronunciation: air-ah-MIN-tah · ˌɛrəˈmɪntə
Meaning: possibly a blend of Arabella and Aminta
Popularity: #8,975 and rising (#9,678 → #8,975, 2024)

Avice

Origin: Old French/Germanic (medieval English form, likely related to Hawise)
Pronunciation: AY-vis · ˈeɪvɪs
Meaning: uncertain origin, possibly “bird”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A popular medieval English name that virtually disappeared; sounds fresh precisely because it’s so forgotten.

Barnabas

Origin: Aramaic
Pronunciation: BAR-nuh-bus · ˈbɑːrnəbəs
Meaning: son of the prophet
Popularity: #4,571 and rising (#5,090 → #4,571, 2024)

The full form of Barney; far more interesting, and the nickname still works.

Elspeth

Origin: Scottish (variant of Elizabeth, ultimately Hebrew)
Pronunciation: EL-speth · ˈɛlspəθ
Meaning: God is my oath (via Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva)
Popularity: #6,215 and rising (#8,614 → #6,215, 2024)

The Scottish form of Elizabeth; almost unheard of outside Scotland.

Gawain

Origin: Welsh/Brythonic (via Old French/Middle English)
Pronunciation: gah-WAYN · ɡəˈweɪn
Meaning: white hawk
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

King Arthur’s nephew; the name is pure and underused.

Hephzibah

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: HEF-zi-buh · ˈhɛfzɪbə
Meaning: my delight is in her
Popularity: #11,445 and falling (#9,855 → #11,445, 2024)

Long, unusual, and deeply biblical; shortened to Hepzi or Zippy.

Isolde

Origin: Germanic or Celtic/Brythonic (disputed)
Pronunciation: ih-ZOHL-dah · ɪˈzoʊldə
Meaning: uncertain — literally ‘ice’ + ‘battle’ in the Germanic reading, or ‘she who is gazed upon’ in the Celtic/Brythonic reading
Popularity: #7,721 and falling (#5,458 → #7,721, 2024)

The tragic Irish princess of Arthurian legend; more musical than its fame suggests.

Keziah

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: kuh-ZY-uh · kəˈzaɪə
Meaning: cassia (a fragrant spice tree)
Popularity: #865 and rising (#1,052 → #865, 2024)

A biblical name widely used by Puritans, nearly gone now and completely due for return.

Lettice

Origin: Latin (medieval English vernacular form)
Pronunciation: LET-is · ˈlɛtɪs
Meaning: gladness, joy
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Medieval English spelling now so forgotten it feels genuinely new.

Lovell

Origin: Anglo-Norman (English surname)
Pronunciation: LUV-uhl · ˈlʌvəl
Meaning: little wolf, wolf cub
Popularity: #4,634 and rising (#6,749 → #4,634, 2024)

A noble English surname used as a given name; rare, elegant.

Oriel

Origin: Old French (origin uncertain)
Pronunciation: OR-ee-ul · ˈɔːriəl
Meaning: golden
Popularity: #3,745 and falling (#3,529 → #3,745, 2024)

Also an architectural term for a projecting bay window — literary and structural at once.

Peregrine

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: PAIR-uh-grin · ˈpɛrəɡrɪn
Meaning: traveler or pilgrim (from a Latin word originally meaning ‘foreigner’)
Popularity: #3,365 and rising (#3,855 → #3,365, 2024)

Literary, never trendy, with a built-in nick (Perry) that sounds completely current.

Perdita

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: PER-dih-tuh · ˈpɜːrdɪtə
Meaning: lost
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Shakespeare coined it in *The Winter’s Tale*; it has a melancholy beauty.

Rosamund

Origin: Germanic (Frankish/Lombardic)
Pronunciation: ROZ-ah-mund · ˈrɑːzəmənd
Meaning: horse protection (folk-reinterpreted as ‘rose of the world’)
Popularity: #7,858 and falling (#6,353 → #7,858, 2024)

Older and rarer than Rosalind or Rosemary; genuine medieval roots.

Silvanus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: sil-VAY-nus · sɪlˈveɪnəs
Meaning: from Latin silva, ‘forest’; also the Latinized form Paul used for his companion Silas in the New Testament
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Roman forest god and Christian martyr; unusual as a given name anywhere.

Sophronia

Origin: Greek (via Latin Sophronius)
Pronunciation: soh-FROH-nee-uh · səˈfroʊniə
Meaning: self-controlled, level-headed
Popularity: #17,289 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Dickens used it; the world forgot it; time to remember.

Temperance

Origin: English (Puritan virtue name, from Latin temperantia)
Pronunciation: TEM-pruhns · ˈtɛmpərəns
Meaning: moderation, self-restraint
Popularity: #2,127 and falling (#1,979 → #2,127, 2024)

A Puritan virtue name that has aged better than most of its siblings.

Thomasin

Origin: Aramaic (via Thomas)
Pronunciation: TOM-uh-sin · ˈtɒməsɪn
Meaning: twin
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Blanche

Origin: French
Pronunciation: BLANCH · ˈblæntʃ
Meaning: white or pale — likely originally a descriptive nickname for someone fair-skinned or fair-haired
Popularity: #11,242 and falling (#10,439 → #11,242, 2024)

Dignified, clear; regal without being fussy.

Merrion

Origin: Welsh/Irish place name (uncertain origin)
Pronunciation: MEHR-ee-un · ˈmɛriən
Meaning: uncertain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Welsh place name used occasionally as a given name in Victorian times.

Crispin

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KRIS-pin · ˈkrɪspɪn
Meaning: curly-haired
Popularity: #6,893 and rising (#7,371 → #6,893, 2024)

The patron saint of shoemakers; Henry V’s St. Crispin’s Day speech; a name with unexpected warmth.

Wulfric

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: WOOLF-rik · ˈwʊlfrɪk
Meaning: wolf ruler / wolf-king
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

An Anglo-Saxon saint’s name; ancient but sounds unexpectedly cool.

Literary and Mythological Gems

Names from poetry, myth, and fiction carry a particular kind of resonance — they’ve been used to tell important stories, which means they already have emotional weight built in. These are names that appeared in ancient texts, medieval epics, and canonical literature. They are not invented; they just haven’t made it to the mainstream yet.

Alcyone

Origin: Ancient Greek (the underlying word is itself of pre-Greek/uncertain origin)
Pronunciation: al-SY-uh-nee · ælˈsaɪəni
Meaning: kingfisher; name of a Pleiad and of a mythological queen turned into a kingfisher
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Amaryllis

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: am-ah-RIL-iss · ˌæməˈrɪlɪs
Meaning: to sparkle or shine
Popularity: #2,689 and falling (#2,442 → #2,689, 2024)

Appeared in Theocritus and Virgil’s pastoral poetry; a real flower, too.

Ariadne

Origin: Greek (Cretan Greek)
Pronunciation: air-ee-AD-nee · ˌæriˈædni
Meaning: most holy
Popularity: #1,258 and falling (#1,136 → #1,258, 2024)

The Cretan princess who gave Theseus his thread — brave, resourceful, beautiful name.

Branwen

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: BRAN-wen · ˈbrænwɛn
Meaning: blessed or white raven
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A central figure in the *Mabinogion*; Welsh myth at its most poetic.

Calliope

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LY-uh-pee · kəˈlaɪəpi
Meaning: beautiful voice
Popularity: #499 and falling (#491 → #499, 2024)

The muse of epic poetry; longer and more musical than Clio.

Clio

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: KLEE-oh · ˈkliːoʊ
Meaning: glory, fame
Popularity: #5,973 and falling (#5,025 → #5,973, 2024)

Elowen

Origin: Cornish
Pronunciation: EL-oh-wen · ˈɛloʊwɛn
Meaning: elm tree
Popularity: #898 and rising (#1,060 → #898, 2024)

Endymion

Origin: Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: en-DIM-ee-un · ɛnˈdɪmiən
Meaning: to dive into
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The beautiful shepherd loved by the moon goddess; Keats wrote an entire poem about him.

Morpheus

Origin: Greek (via Latin, possibly coined by Ovid)
Pronunciation: MOR-fee-us · ˈmɔːrfiəs
Meaning: form, shape
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Niamh

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: NEEV · ˈniːv
Meaning: bright, radiant
Popularity: #3,148 and rising (#4,339 → #3,148, 2024)

The golden-haired queen of Tír na nÓg; pronounced NEEV; otherworldly and beautiful.

Nimue

Origin: Arthurian legend (disputed, possibly Celtic)
Pronunciation: NIM-way · ˈnɪmweɪ
Meaning: uncertain origin
Popularity: #16,954 and falling (#13,082 → #16,954, 2024)

The Lady of the Lake; mysterious and lyrical.

Oisín

Origin: Irish
Meaning: little deer, fawn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ireland’s greatest mythological poet; pronounced OH-sheen.

Phaedra

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-drah · ˈfiːdrə
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: #6,086 and falling (#5,090 → #6,086, 2024)

Tragic, beautiful, and rarely given — despite being the name of a queen.

Seren

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: SEH-ren · ˈsɛrɛn
Meaning: star
Popularity: #4,631 and rising (#4,638 → #4,631, 2024)

Simple and lyrical; extremely rare outside Wales but completely accessible anywhere.

Taliesin

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: TAL-ee-ES-in · ˌtæliˈɛsɪn
Meaning: shining/radiant brow (tal ‘brow’ + iesin ‘radiant, shining’)
Popularity: #10,750 and falling (#9,629 → #10,750, 2024)

The legendary bard of early Britain; pronounced tal-ee-EH-sin.

Tethys

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: TEE-this · ˈtiːθɪs
Meaning: grandmother of the sea
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Titan, later a moon of Saturn; ancient and cosmic.

Alastor

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (form of Alasdair/Alastair, i.e. Alexander)
Pronunciation: AL-uh-stor · ˈæləstɔːr
Meaning: protector of the people, via Alexander
Popularity: #1,900 and rising (#3,415 → #1,900, 2024)

A name from Greek myth that also appears in Harry Potter as the basis for “Mad-Eye.”

Melusine

Origin: Old French / medieval legend (root uncertain)
Pronunciation: meh-loo-ZEEN · ˌmɛluːˈziːn
Meaning: uncertain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A water fairy from French medieval romance; hauntingly beautiful.

Calanthe

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LAN-thee · kəˈlænθi
Meaning: beautiful flower (tentative)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Scandinavian and Nordic Hidden Gems

Scandinavian names travel well — they’re usually pronounceable in English, they’re rooted in nature and mythology, and they carry a certain Nordic clarity. Many of these are common in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, or Denmark but have barely made the Atlantic crossing. That gap is the opportunity.

Astrid

Origin: Old Norse / Scandinavian
Pronunciation: AS-trid · ˈæstrɪd
Meaning: divinely beautiful (popularly also glossed ‘divine strength’)
Popularity: #383 and rising (#399 → #383, 2024)

Common across Scandinavia; rare in the US despite being completely accessible.

Baldur

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: BAHL-dur · ˈbɑːl.dʊr
Meaning: bold (poetic sense: ‘lord, prince’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The beloved Norse god whose death triggers Ragnarök; radiant name.

Borghild

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: BORG-hild · ˈbɔːrɡhɪld
Meaning: fortified in battle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Volsung saga name; strong, ancient, rarely given outside Scandinavia.

Dagny

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: DAHG-nee · ˈdɑːɡni
Meaning: new day
Popularity: #6,426 and falling (#4,291 → #6,426, 2024)

Ibsen used it; it means what it sounds like.

Eivor

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: AY-vor · ˈeɪvɔːr
Meaning: luck, wary/aware
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Popularized by *Assassin’s Creed Valhalla*; still almost entirely absent from birth records.

Frida

Origin: Old Norse / Germanic (two distinct origins)
Pronunciation: FREE-dah · ˈfriːdə
Meaning: beautiful/beloved (Scandinavian) or short form of “peace” names (Germanic)
Popularity: #1,252 and falling (#1,153 → #1,252, 2024)

Cleaner and rarer than Frieda; Frida Kahlo made it fierce.

Gudrun

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: GOOD-roon · ˈɡʊdruːn
Meaning: Divine/god’s secret knowledge
Popularity: #8,720 as of 1972 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Norse saga heroine; full of layered meaning.

Hallvard

Origin: Old Norse/Norwegian
Pronunciation: HAHL-vard · ˈhɑːlvɑːrd
Meaning: guardian of the rock
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The patron saint of Oslo; ancient, solid, barely known in English.

Hilde

Origin: Old Norse/Germanic (variant of Hild/Hilda)
Pronunciation: HIL-duh · ˈhɪldə
Meaning: battle
Popularity: #7,712 and rising (#8,650 → #7,712, 2024)

The compressed form of Hildegard; warlike, compact, surprisingly soft to say.

Ingrid

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: ING-grid · ˈɪŋɡrɪd
Meaning: compound of the Norse god-element ‘Ing’ and a word for ‘beautiful, beloved’
Popularity: #1,092 and rising (#1,148 → #1,092, 2024)

More common in older generations; ready for revival — timeless rather than dated.

Leiv

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: LAYV · leɪv
Meaning: heir, descendant
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Norse spelling of Leif; slightly more distinctive.

Magnhild

Origin: Old Norse / Germanic
Pronunciation: MAHNG-hild · ˈmɑːŋhɪld
Meaning: might/power in battle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rarely given outside Scandinavia; strong and unusual.

Eira

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: EYE-ruh · ˈaɪrə
Meaning: snow
Popularity: #2,385 and rising (#2,593 → #2,385, 2024)

Used in Wales and barely known in the US; gentle sound, weighty meaning.

Ragnhild

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: RAHN-hild · ˈrɑŋnhɪld
Meaning: counsel in battle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Historical Norse queen; strong, full of movement.

Runa

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: ROO-nah · ˈruːnə
Meaning: secret, rune-lore
Popularity: #2,871 and rising (#2,877 → #2,871, 2024)

Compact and resonant; one of the more accessible Norse names for English speakers.

Sigrid

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: SIG-rid · ˈsɪgrɪd
Meaning: Old Norse compound of ‘victory’ and ‘fair/beautiful’ – ‘beautiful victory’
Popularity: #3,866 and falling (#3,575 → #3,866, 2024)

A legendary Norse queen’s name; dignified and underused.

Sindri

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: SIN-dree · ˈsɪndri
Meaning: to sparkle, gleam
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A master craftsman dwarf in Norse myth who forged Thor’s hammer.

Sif

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: SEEF · ˈsiːf
Meaning: Old Norse word for ‘kinswoman’ or ‘relative’ (shares a root with English ‘sibling’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Thor’s golden-haired wife; short and mythologically rich.

Solvieg

Origin: Old Norse/Norwegian (variant of Solveig)
Pronunciation: SOOL-vay · ˈsuːlveɪ
Meaning: sun strength (from sól/salr + veig, ‘strength’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ibsen’s patient, faithful heroine in *Peer Gynt*.

Svanhild

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: swan + battle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Volsung saga heroine; the name has an unexpected elegance.

Thyra

Origin: Old Norse/Scandinavian (variant of Tyra)
Pronunciation: TY-ruh · ˈtaɪ.rə
Meaning: thunder warrior
Popularity: #8,358 and falling (#7,598 → #8,358, 2024)

A name borne by Danish queens; sharp and strong.

Torsten

Origin: Old Norse (Swedish/Danish)
Pronunciation: TOR-sten · ˈtɔːrstən
Meaning: Thor’s stone
Popularity: #5,408 and falling (#4,870 → #5,408, 2024)

Solidly Norse and solidly strong.

Vigdis

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: war goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ylva

Origin: Old Norse / Old Swedish
Pronunciation: IL-vah · ˈɪlvə
Meaning: she-wolf
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Feminine, fierce, and almost never used outside Scandinavia.

Oddrun

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: sharp point paired with secret or hidden knowledge
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

An eddic figure; unusual even by Norse standards.

Celtic and Gaelic Rarities

Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, and Cornish names have a quality that’s hard to describe — they sound like something older and wilder than most languages, because they are. Some of these have phonetic notes because the spelling-to-sound relationship is deeply non-obvious in Gaelic languages. That’s actually part of the appeal for many parents: the name looks like a code only people who know know.

Ailbhe

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: AL-vuh · ˈælvə
Meaning: white
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced AL-veh; the name of an early Irish saint and mythological figure.

Aoibheann

Origin: Irish
Meaning: radiant beauty, fair loveliness
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced AY-veen; one of the most musical Irish names rarely seen in print.

Aroha

Origin: Māori
Pronunciation: ah-ROH-hah · ɑːˈroʊhɑː
Meaning: love, compassion
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bran

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: BRAN · bræn
Meaning: raven
Popularity: #11,099 and falling (#9,880 → #11,099, 2024)

A figure in Welsh mythology and Arthurian legend; simple, ancient.

Brigid

Origin: Irish (Gaelic, from Proto-Celtic)
Pronunciation: BRIJ-id · ˈbrɪdʒɪd
Meaning: high, exalted one
Popularity: #2,662 and falling (#2,620 → #2,662, 2024)

The goddess and saint; more historically interesting than the anglicized Bridget.

Caoimhe

Origin: Old Irish
Meaning: gentle, beautiful, precious
Popularity: #8,519 and rising (#12,384 → #8,519, 2024)

Pronounced KEE-vah; common in Ireland, almost unknown in the US.

Carys

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: KAR-iss · ˈkærɪs
Meaning: love
Popularity: #4,669 and rising (#5,587 → #4,669, 2024)

Pronounced KA-riss; rare outside Wales but completely accessible everywhere.

Catrìona

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (form of Catherine)
Meaning: pure
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced KAT-ree-uh-nah; the Gaelic form of Catherine; Robert Louis Stevenson’s sequel to *Kidnapped*.

Conall

Origin: Irish (Old Irish/Celtic)
Pronunciation: KUN-ul · ˈkʌnəl
Meaning: strong hound (“hound/dog” + “prince, chief”)
Popularity: #3,610 and rising (#3,804 → #3,610, 2024)

An ancient Irish kingly name; pronounced KUN-ul.

Diarmuid

Origin: Irish Gaelic
Pronunciation: DEER-mid · ˈdɪərmɪd
Meaning: free from envy
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Eithne

Origin: Irish (Old Irish)
Pronunciation: EN-ya · ˈɛnjə
Meaning: kernel, grain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Fearghus

Origin: Irish/Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: vigorous man, or man of strength
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced FAR-gus; the older, more original spelling of Fergus.

Ffion

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: FEE-on · ˈfiːɑːn
Meaning: foxglove flower
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced FEE-on; a floral name that doesn’t look like one.

Fionnuala

Origin: Irish (Old Irish compound)
Meaning: white shoulder (fionn ‘white/fair’ + guala ‘shoulder’)
Popularity: #16,027 and falling (#12,563 → #16,027, 2024)

Pronounced fi-NOO-lah; one of the Children of Lir, turned into a swan.

Gormlaith

Origin: Irish (Old Irish)
Meaning: a compound of Old Irish ‘gorm’ (blue, also used figuratively for ‘illustrious’) and ‘flaith’ (sovereignty, lordship, princess)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced GOR-lah; borne by several Irish queens.

Gwenllian

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: white/fair linen (or cloth)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced gwen-THLEE-an; a medieval Welsh princess and heroine.

Hywel

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: HOW-el · ˈhaʊəl
Meaning: prominent, eminent
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Idris

Origin: Welsh / Arabic (dual origin)
Pronunciation: ID-ris · ˈɪdrɪs
Meaning: Welsh: traditionally glossed ‘ardent/fiery lord’; Arabic: tied to a root meaning ‘to study’, associated with the prophet Idris (identified with Enoch)
Popularity: #739 and rising (#790 → #739, 2024)

The giant of Cadair Idris; also an Arabic name with separate etymology.

Lowri

Origin: Welsh (form of Laura)
Pronunciation: LOW-ree · ˈlaʊri
Meaning: laurel
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Welsh form of Laura; common in Wales, virtually unseen elsewhere.

Màiri

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (form of Mary, ultimately Hebrew)
Meaning: sea of bitterness
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Gaelic form of Mary; pronounced MAH-ree with a different weight than the English.

Morfudd

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: great gain, great treasure
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced MOR-vith; a medieval Welsh poetic subject.

Muirenn

Origin: Irish (compound name)
Meaning: sea + fair/white
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced MIR-en; a mythological and historical Irish name.

Saoirse

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: SEER-shah · ˈsɪərʃə
Meaning: freedom
Popularity: #1,036 and falling (#959 → #1,036, 2024)

Pronounced SER-sha; still rare outside Ireland despite Saoirse Ronan’s fame.

Sorcha

Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Irish
Meaning: bright, radiant
Popularity: #13,286 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced SOR-uh-khah; the Gaelic parallel to Claire.

Global Names with Beautiful Sounds

These names come from traditions that don’t often appear in mainstream baby-name discussions: Hebrew, Persian, Sanskrit, Arabic, Finnish, Japanese, and Māori. Each is a real name with real cultural roots — not borrowed or repurposed, but genuinely part of its tradition. They cross cultural lines beautifully because they carry clear meanings and sounds that translate well.

Aino

Origin: Finnish
Pronunciation: EYE-no · ˈaɪnoʊ
Meaning: the only one, or sole (from Finnish ‘ainoa’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The tragic heroine of the *Kalevala*; beautiful and rare in any Western context.

Amara

Origin: Igbo (Nigerian); also Sanskrit
Pronunciation: ah-MAR-ah · əˈmɑːrə
Meaning: grace (Igbo); immortal (Sanskrit)
Popularity: #121 and rising (#123 → #121, 2024)

Pan-cultural with deep roots in multiple traditions simultaneously.

Asha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: AH-shah · ˈɑːʃə
Meaning: hope, wish
Popularity: #1,196 and rising (#1,338 → #1,196, 2024)

The same sound carries meaning across continents.

Atarangi

Origin: Māori
Pronunciation: ah-tah-RAHN-gee · ɑːtɑːˈrɑːŋi
Meaning: shadow of the sky (from ‘ata, ‘ shadow/dawn, and ‘rangi, ‘ sky/heaven)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Evocative and unusual; Māori names are gaining wider appreciation.

Ayla

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: AY-lah · ˈeɪlə
Meaning: halo around the moon (moonlight)
Popularity: #69 and rising (#105 → #69, 2024)

Luminous in both traditions; gentle sound.

Daria

Origin: Persian (Old Persian)
Pronunciation: DAR-ee-ah · ˈdɑːriə
Meaning: feminine form of Darius: ‘possessing goodness’ (Old Persian ‘possess/hold’ + ‘good’)
Popularity: #1,954 and falling (#1,907 → #1,954, 2024)

The feminine form of Darius; carries ancient Persian royal history.

Eeva

Origin: Finnish (form of Eve)
Pronunciation: AY-vah · ˈeːvɑ
Meaning: life
Popularity: #12,597 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Finnish form of Eve; minimal and clean.

Elan

Origin: Hebrew (variant of Elon)
Pronunciation: ay-LAHN · eɪˈlɑːn
Meaning: oak tree
Popularity: #2,636 and falling (#2,251 → #2,636, 2024)

Simple and nature-connected; works easily in English-speaking contexts.

Hana

Origin: Various (Japanese, Hebrew, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Hawaiian, Māori, Albanian)
Pronunciation: HAH-nuh · ˈhɑːnə
Meaning: varies by origin: ‘flower’ (Japanese), ‘grace/favor’ (Hebrew, via Hannah), ‘bliss’ (Arabic), ‘hope’ (Kurdish), among others
Popularity: #708 and rising (#727 → #708, 2024)

Cross-cultural in the best way.

Kaveh

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: KAH-veh · kɑːˈve
Meaning: a legendary blacksmith who rebelled against a tyrant king
Popularity: #13,229 and falling (#6,712 → #13,229, 2024)

The mythic blacksmith hero of the *Shahnameh*; rarely used outside Iran.

Kiri

Origin: Māori; also European (short form of Cyril/Kyrillos)
Pronunciation: KEE-ree · ˈkiːri
Meaning: in Māori, ‘skin’ or ‘bark of a tree’; separately, a European short form of Cyril/Kyrillos (‘lordly’)
Popularity: #7,405 and falling (#6,545 → #7,405, 2024)

Lale

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: lah-LEH · lɑːˈlɛ
Meaning: tulip
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Floral without being obvious; completely unfamiliar to most English speakers.

Leyla

Origin: Arabic, variant of Leila
Pronunciation: LAY-lah · ˈleɪlə
Meaning: night (from Arabic layl)
Popularity: #601 and rising (#602 → #601, 2024)

Lior

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: LEE-or · ˈliːɔːr
Meaning: my light
Popularity: #2,427 and falling (#2,333 → #2,427, 2024)

Gentle, gender-neutral, and rarely used outside Israel.

Mira

Origin: Multi-origin: Slavic / Latin / Sanskrit / Hindi
Pronunciation: MEER-ah · ˈmɪrə
Meaning: peace (Slavic); wonderful/admired (Latin); sea or boundary (Sanskrit); or from Meera/Mirabai, a 16th-century Hindi poet-saint
Popularity: #380 and rising (#412 → #380, 2024)

Multi-cultural resonance; underused given how beautiful it sounds.

Mirja

Origin: Finnish (short form of Mirjam/Miriam)
Pronunciation: MEER-yah · ˈmiɾjɑ
Meaning: sea
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Very Finnish, very uncommon in English-speaking countries.

Noam

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: noh-AHM · noʊˈɑːm
Meaning: pleasantness
Popularity: #1,447 and rising (#1,602 → #1,447, 2024)

Nour

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: NOOR · ˈnʊr
Meaning: light
Popularity: #1,856 and rising (#1,884 → #1,856, 2024)

Simple, clear, and rarely used in English-speaking contexts.

Ora

Origin: Latin (variant of Aura); a distinct Hebrew name Ora/Orah also exists
Pronunciation: OR-uh · ˈɔːrə
Meaning: breeze (as a form of Aura); the separate Hebrew name means ‘light’
Popularity: #3,474 and rising (#3,567 → #3,474, 2024)

Very short, very bright meaning; works easily across languages.

Priya

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: PREE-ah · ˈpriːə
Meaning: beloved, dear
Popularity: #1,857 and falling (#1,678 → #1,857, 2024)

Common in South Asia; still distinctive and beautiful in the West.

Reem

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: REEM · ˈriːm
Meaning: gazelle
Popularity: #1,305 and rising (#1,643 → #1,305, 2024)

A poetic Arabic name for a graceful creature; rare everywhere outside the Arab world.

Roya

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: ROH-yah · ˈroʊjə
Meaning: dream, vision
Popularity: #2,808 and falling (#2,458 → #2,808, 2024)

A beautiful feminine Persian name with almost no presence in Western naming.

– **Runa** — see Nordic section, but also used in Japanese (meaning “luna/moon”) — cross-cultural overlap.

Sama

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: SAH-muh · ˈsɑːmə
Meaning: sky (Arabic سما, from a root associated with height/heaven)
Popularity: #1,384 and rising (#1,770 → #1,384, 2024)

Airy and underused; one syllable with a beautiful meaning.

Shai

Origin: Hebrew (also an unrelated ancient Egyptian deity name)
Pronunciation: SHY · ʃaɪ
Meaning: In Hebrew, means ‘gift’; separately, Shai is also the name of the ancient Egyptian personification of fate and destiny
Popularity: #1,086 and falling (#981 → #1,086, 2024)

Short, sweet, and genuinely uncommon.

Shirin

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: shee-REEN · ʃiːˈriːn
Meaning: sweet
Popularity: #8,854 and rising (#10,198 → #8,854, 2024)

The legendary queen in Nizami’s epic poem; the name is melodic and meaningful.

Siiri

Origin: Finnish (from Swedish Siri/Sigrid, ultimately Old Norse)
Pronunciation: SEE-ree · ˈsiːri
Meaning: victory
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Short and clean; barely known outside Finland.

Suki

Origin: uncertain (associated with Japanese, also used as an English pet name)
Pronunciation: SOO-kee · ˈsuːki
Meaning: Linked to the Japanese word suki, meaning ‘liked’ or ‘favorite.’
Popularity: #3,869 and rising (#4,550 → #3,869, 2024)

Familiar-sounding but rare as a legal name outside Japan.

Tuulikki

Origin: Finnish
Pronunciation: TOO-lik-kee · ˈtuːlikːi
Meaning: root likely from Finnish ‘tuuli’ (wind); name of a forest goddess in the Kalevala
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tuulikki is depicted in the Kalevala as a forest goddess who watches over game animals, not a wind deity — though her name likely does derive from ‘tuuli’ (wind).

Yael

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: yah-ELL · jɑːˈɛl
Meaning: mountain goat, ibex
Popularity: #790 and falling (#777 → #790, 2024)

Yuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: YOO-kee · ˈjuːki
Meaning: snow (from the common kanji 雪); some spellings instead give ‘happiness’ (幸)
Popularity: #4,539 and rising (#5,374 → #4,539, 2024)

Dual meaning depending on the kanji chosen; both interpretations are beautiful.

Zara

Origin: English/Hebrew (variant of Sarah) or Arabic
Pronunciation: ZAR-ah · ˈzɑːrə
Meaning: uncertain — either from Sarah (‘princess’) or Arabic zahra (‘flower’)
Popularity: #234 and rising (#236 → #234, 2024)

Popular in the UK; still genuinely rare in the US.

Virtue and Concept Names

The Puritans had a whole naming philosophy built on virtue words — Patience, Mercy, Constance, Temperance. Most of those names feel stiff now, but a handful have aged quietly and beautifully. This section also includes some newer concept names that walk the line between meaningful and wearable.

Amity

Origin: English (virtue name from Latin amicitia ‘friendship’)
Pronunciation: AM-ih-tee · ˈæmɪti
Meaning: friendship
Popularity: #3,045 and falling (#2,616 → #3,045, 2024)

Clean and rarely given; the most underused of the classic virtue names.

Bliss

Origin: Old English (bliss/blīþs, ‘joy’)
Pronunciation: BLIS · ˈblɪs
Meaning: perfect joy or happiness
Popularity: #2,192 and falling (#2,061 → #2,192, 2024)

One syllable, pure meaning; rarer than it should be.

Brave

Origin: English (word name)
Pronunciation: BRAYV · ˈbreɪv
Meaning: courageous, bold
Popularity: #3,329 and falling (#2,511 → #3,329, 2024)

A virtue name with directness; almost never given.

Clarity

Origin: English, ultimately from Latin claritas
Pronunciation: KLAIR-ih-tee · klæɹɪti
Meaning: clearness; clarity of thought or vision
Popularity: #2,887 and rising (#2,943 → #2,887, 2024)

Simple, bright, and meaningful without being heavy.

Clement

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KLEM-ent · ˈklɛmənt
Meaning: merciful
Popularity: #2,260 and rising (#2,394 → #2,260, 2024)

Concord

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KON-kord · ˈkɒŋkɔːrd
Meaning: harmony, agreement
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A place name and a virtue simultaneously; historically bold.

Constance

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KAHN-stanss · ˈkɑːnstəns
Meaning: steadfast, constant
Popularity: #1,645 and rising (#1,656 → #1,645, 2024)

More distinguished than its nickname Connie implies.

Felice

Origin: Italian (from Latin Felix)
Pronunciation: feh-LEE-chay · feˈliːtʃeɪ
Meaning: lucky, fortunate
Popularity: #12,555 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Continental version of Felix or Felicia; lighter and rarer.

Fidelity

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: fih-DEL-ih-tee · fɪˈdɛl.ɪ.ti
Meaning: faithfulness, loyalty
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Unusual virtue name; more striking than Faith.

Honor

Origin: Latin (via English virtue name)
Pronunciation: AH-ner · ˈɑːnər
Meaning: shortened from Honoria/Honora, later read as the virtue ‘honor, esteem’ (Latin honos/honoris)
Popularity: #1,577 and falling (#1,569 → #1,577, 2024)

Solid and unambiguous; simple enough to never feel pretentious.

Loyal

Origin: English (from French ‘loyal’)
Pronunciation: LOY-al · ˈlɔɪəl
Meaning: faithful, devoted
Popularity: #877 and falling (#739 → #877, 2024)

A virtue name that almost no one has given a child, for reasons unclear.

Mercy

Origin: English (17th-century Puritan virtue name)
Pronunciation: MER-see · ˈmɜːrsi
Meaning: compassion, mercy
Popularity: #849 and falling (#834 → #849, 2024)

A Puritan favorite undergoing a quiet revival.

Noble

Origin: English (word name, from Latin nobilis)
Pronunciation: NOH-bul · ˈnoʊbəl
Meaning: noble, distinguished
Popularity: #1,233 and rising (#1,262 → #1,233, 2024)

An old surname used rarely as a given name; carries unexpected warmth.

Patience

Origin: English (virtue name)
Pronunciation: PAY-shents · ˈpeɪʃəns
Meaning: The virtue of patience/endurance
Popularity: #1,330 and falling (#1,209 → #1,330, 2024)

A virtue name that has worn well; neither stiff nor dated.

Prosper

Origin: French (from Latin prosperus)
Pronunciation: PRAH-spur · ˈprɑːspər
Meaning: fortunate, favorable
Popularity: #2,692 and rising (#3,043 → #2,692, 2024)

Reverie

Origin: French (loanword into English)
Pronunciation: REV-er-ee · ˈrɛvəri
Meaning: a daydream; being pleasantly lost in thought
Popularity: #2,291 and rising (#2,875 → #2,291, 2024)

Almost never a given name; possibly it should be.

Revel

Origin: Old French/English surname
Pronunciation: REV-uhl · ˈrɛvəl
Meaning: one who rebels or rises up
Popularity: #4,658 and rising (#4,707 → #4,658, 2024)

Energetic and extremely unusual; for the family that celebrates everything.

Solace

Origin: Latin (via Old French ‘solas’)
Pronunciation: SAH-lis · ˈsɑːlɪs
Meaning: comfort, consolation
Popularity: #6,399 and falling (#5,216 → #6,399, 2024)

Unusually beautiful meaning; virtually never given as a name.

True

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: TROO · ˈtruː
Meaning: faithful, genuine, and loyal
Popularity: #986 and falling (#982 → #986, 2024)

Short virtue name; one of the most direct names on this list.

Valor

Origin: Latin (via Old French/Middle English)
Pronunciation: VAL-er · ˈvælər
Meaning: bravery, courage
Popularity: #1,463 and rising (#1,470 → #1,463, 2024)

Extremely rare as a given name; carries serious, unambiguous meaning.

Verity

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VER-ih-tee · ˈvɛrəti
Meaning: truth (a Puritan virtue name)
Popularity: #1,875 and falling (#1,706 → #1,875, 2024)

An understated English virtue name; precise and lovely.

Wonder

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: WUN-der · ˈwʌndər
Meaning: astonishment, marvel
Popularity: #7,208 and rising (#7,613 → #7,208, 2024)

For parents who want a name that holds infinite possibility.

Boon

Origin: English (from Old Norse)
Pronunciation: BOON · buːn
Meaning: a timely benefit or blessing
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rarely given; packs enormous meaning into one syllable.

Quest

Origin: Latin, via Old French
Meaning: a search or long journey
Popularity: #2,122 and falling (#1,889 → #2,122, 2024)