Are you looking for a unique name for your baby? If so, you have come to the right place. We understand that you don’t want your baby to be one of several Olivias or Olivers in their nursery. You are a parent looking for a name with an interesting sound, a name that will help your child to stand out from the crowd.
Unique baby names often have interesting meanings, spelling, and origins. The perks of giving your baby a rare name include:
- They will never get mixed up with another child.
- Their interesting name will spark curiosity and conversation.
- A unique name can celebrate your child’s individuality.
Finding unique baby names and meanings isn’t always an easy task. There are hundreds of lists of popular and trending names, but finding something rare can be challenging.
If you are planning on giving your baby a unique name, we have 30 names here for you to choose from. Whether you are having a baby boy or girl, this list of unique names and meanings is sure to inspire you.
Unique Boy Names with Meaning
Do you have a baby boy on the way? If so, this list of cool names with meanings has 10 unique ideas for you:
Name | Origin | Meaning | Fun Fact |
Atticus | Greek / Latin | From Attica | Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, is considered to be one of the most beloved fictional characters. |
Axton | English | Town of Ash trees | Axton was originally an Anglo-Saxton surname, used by people living in the Kent settlement of the same name. |
Bronx | American | Broncks Land, NYC | Jonas Bronck is thought to be the first European to settle in The Bronx, New York City. |
Bohdi | Sanskrit | Enlightenment | In Buddhism, the name Bohdi is associated with reaching nirvana, the final goal of enlightenment. |
Creed | Latin | Guided principle / Belief | Creed has traditionally been used as a surname and only entered the top 1000 most popular boys names in 2016. |
Chance | English | Good fortune | Chance was originally used as a surname, given to people who were considered to be lucky. |
Dax | French | Leader | There is a commune called Dax located in South West France. This place is known for its thermal waters and relaxing atmosphere. |
Dodge | Old English | Version of Roger (famous spearman) | Most well known as the surname of brothers John and Horace, developers of the Dodge automobile company. |
Forest | English | Woodsman / From the woods | Originally used as an English surname for people who settled near woodland. |
Seven | Turkish | Loving one | Seven is thought to be a lucky number and is also considered to have many mythological, religious and literary links. |
Unique Girl Name with Meaning
There are thousands of baby girl names out there to choose from, some more rare than others. If you are looking for different names for your daughter, something a little more unusual, this list is for you.
Name | Origin | Meaning | Fun Fact |
Arya | Sanskrit | Noble | Arya is an ancient name that grew in popularity following the release of the TV series, Game Of Thrones. |
Aeris | Latin | Air | Aeris is a version of the name Aerith, this name has a sweet meaning – Earth of flowers. |
Blaise | French | Stutter | Saint Blaise was the patron saint for people with sore throats. |
Briar | British | Brambles / Thorny bush | Briar Rose was the name given to Princess Aurora in the DIsney movie Sleeping Beauty. |
Cinnamon | Latin | Spice | Kinnamon is the original semitic spelling and is one of many girl names inspired by spices. |
Clover | British | Meadow flower | Four leaf clovers are considered to be lucky and often associated with the Irish and Saint Patrick’s Day. |
Dynasty | English | Family group | In the Greek language, the word dynasty means ‘power’ , ‘sovereign’ and ‘lordship’. |
Elowen | English | Elm tree | The name Elowen comes from Cornwall, the coastal area in the South West of England. |
Roux | French | Reddish | This name is traditionally used as a nickname for people with red hair. |
Zaniyah | Aztec | Forever / Always | This name has lots of cute nicknames to choose from, including Niya, Zazi and Zani. |
Names with Unique Meanings
Unique sounding names are cute but some parents like to have unique name meanings too. Here is a list of 10 names and their meanings:
Name | Origin | Meaning |
Artemis | Greek | Goddess of the hunt |
Chiara | Italian | Light |
Vita | Latin | Vivacious / Life / Vital |
Isolde | Irish | Ice ruler |
Rhea | Greek | Flowering stream |
Orson | French / Latin | Bear cub |
Adonis | Greek | Lord / Handsome |
Pip | Greek | Lover of Horses |
Isaac | Hebrew | He will laugh |
Kano | Japanese | One’s masculine power |
How To Choose a Unique Baby Name
Unique and meaningful names can be difficult to find unless you know where to look. There are hundreds of lists online of popular baby names for girls and boys, but you may have to do a little more research to find a rare name that you love.
We have shared 30 unique baby names in this article, but if you still haven’t found the name of your dreams, don’t despair. Here are our top tips on how to choose a unique baby name:
- Explore other languages – There are many popular names that are completely different in other languages. If you live in the United States, Isabella is in the top 10 most popular names, but the Medieval Latin version – Elisabel – is much rarer and more interesting.
- Try a different spelling – As well as researching alternative names from other cultures and languages, you could also try experimenting with spelling variations. For example, Jessica can be spelled in several different ways – Jesika, Jessicah, and Jessikah – all of which are not as popular as the traditional spelling.
- Make it gender neutral – All names can be used for boys or girls, but there is no denying the fact that most names traditionally fall into two camps – boys names and girls names. There are of course many gender neutral names, such as Ashley, Alex, and Reece, but there is nothing stopping parents from turning a traditional boy name into a girls name. For instance, James is often considered to be a boy name but it is a unique girl name for Blakely Lively and Ryan Reynolds eldest daughter.
- Track your family tree – Older names are coming back into fashion but there are many names from years gone by that are yet to make a comeback. While old fashioned names like Etta, Elsie, and Norah are growing in popularity, it is still rare to see babies named Augustine, Everett, and Philomena today.
Unique Baby Names
All through history there have been trends when it comes to baby naming. Today, the most popular girl’s name in the US is Olivia and Liam takes the top spot for boys. Not all parents want a fashionable name for their baby, instead, they prefer unique and unusual names.
We have shared 30 unique name ideas here and hope they inspire you. Parents looking for rare names can also research alternative spellings to popular names, find names from other countries and look at names from centuries gone by.
If you want a completely unique, one of a kind name, you are going to have to make something up. If none of the names on this list sound like ‘the one’, why not get creative? Elon Musk and Grimes did name their child X Æ A-12 after all.