Every mother wants her daughter to stand out from the crowd, to be special, and that usually starts with a list of unusual girl names that encompass the mamma’s feelings about her little girl.
Unusual girl names come with the caveat of being a relic of their time. Sometimes they’re just too old-fashioned for the present-day or the name simply isn’t appropriate in modern culture.
But, there are always some hidden gems stowed away somewhere that you still might end up fancying.
These baby names cover every emotion that surfaces when you start thinking about your little one and express everything good you wish for her throughout her life.
These unique girl names are usually buried deep in some foreign languages like Greek, German or Italian.
While these may be popular in their countries of origin, they will seem exotic and trendy in the United States.
But, most importantly, these are ones that still manage to convey all the love you feel for your baby girl.
Another good place to find very unique baby names is looking back through history.
Several popular names that were all the rage back in the day have been lost to the sands of time and could make a resurgence if you find the right one.
Mind you, that’s not an easy task nowadays since everyone is trying to be unique these days and most of the unusual baby names have been taken and popularized to the point where they’re no longer as special as they were before.
The well has almost dried up, but I’ve taken it upon myself to find a few beautiful names that may be to your liking.
If not, they may serve as an inspiration. Let’s get started then.
Top 53 Unusual Girl Names
1. Abilene
A Latin name referring to a “hazelnut“. This one’s definitely rare and rather unique.
I’d suggest it if your family has hazel eyes as a hereditary trait, as then it would be quite fitting, but nothing is stopping you from picking it regardless.
2. Abina
A Ghanian name, one that’s rarely used, potentially because the spread of Ghanian culture hasn’t been as wide as some of the others on this list.
Nevertheless, the name refers to someone “born on a Tuesday“, which might be hard to time if you want to make it symbolic, but you can always keep it in your back pocket should the stars align.
3. Acadia
Acadia comes from the Greek script, a different way of spelling Arcadia, which meant “paradise” at the time.
And personally, nothing fits that description better than the feeling you get when you first look upon your daughter.
4. Addison
A unisex name that could seem more like a boy ‘s name than a girl’s one. Addison is old-English for “son of Adam”.
Despite its meaning making it one of the more unusual girl names, it’s that very meaning that makes it so unique.
5. Adeline
A French name referring to someone who’s “Noble“. A name that’s present in the United States, but very rare to encounter.
6. Adira
A Hebrew name that describes someone who is “powerful” or “noble.”
A strong name that is currently only popular in Arabian countries and not so much elsewhere, despite its strong roots and powerful meaning.
7. Aerith
This one is more of an American name without much of a historic origin to it as it comes from a more modern source, video games.
Yes, some of the most beautiful, albeit unusual, girl names can be found in the most unexpected mediums and Aerith is one of them.
It belonged to a girl who was pure of heart and it would be fitting to don your future child with it.
8. Alexandra
Alexandra has quite a heroic and powerful meaning behind it. In Hebrew it means “defender of mankind“.
It also has some significance in Greek mythology as being one of the names that the goddess Hera went by.
9. Allegra
Allegra is a rather unusual girl name that comes from the Italian language. Often used to represent the Allegro tempo in music, it refers to something “joyous“.
And your little one is undoubtedly going to be a rather joyous girl, so she might as well have a name that fits the bill.
10. Bailey
While a somewhat unisex name, Bailey still works as a perfectly fine girl’s name. It carries roots from old-English, meaning “berry clearing” or “fortification“.
The meaning itself is nothing to write home about, but you can’t deny that it’s one of the more unique and unusual girl names in a good way.
11. Beatrix
A name popularized by the Harry Potter series with Beatrix Lestrange, though its origins come from a bit further back in history, all the way to its Dutch and even Latin roots where it means “she who brings happiness” or “blessed“.
12. Bella
A Latin name representing something “beautiful“. This one is more common as a nickname for Isabella rather than a full name on its own, though.
That said, despite it being a somewhat unusual girl name, it’s still short and sweet, and the meaning behind it makes it so much more enticing to choose, doesn’t it?
13. Birdie
Here we have a name with three different meanings, each stemming from a different language.
The first one is Germanic, meaning “bright“, the second is from English, meaning “famous“, and the third is American and a bit more obvious, representing a “little bird“.
A rather cutesy name and definitely unusual for a child, but it doesn’t stray too far from the norm.
14. Calia
This one comes straight from our own American roots and represents “renowned beauty,” as well as referring to some species of flora.
Regardless, it’s quite unused despite its wonderful meaning. Perhaps you find it interesting enough to use it as the name for your future daughter.
15. Calliope
A name that comes straight from Greek mythology, it belongs to a muse of the same name and means “a beautiful voice“.
If you envision your future child as a singer, maybe this unusual girl name may shift fate to that very prediction.
16. Cora
A name of Greek origin, holding the meaning of “maiden“, there’s certainly no maiden more fair than your darling little girl that’s due to lay her eyes on this world very soon.
17. Dahlia
A name of Scandinavian origin, this one represents a flower that was given the same name. A lovely pink one too.
Consider giving this name to your very own budding flower that’s kicking in your belly.
18. Edna
A name that meant “enjoyment” in the Hebrew script.
This one is quite unusual to find out here in the real world, but it is a name donned by the character Edna Mode from the movie The Incredibles.
19. Eileen
An old Irish name representing something that’s “shining” and “brilliant“.
Much like a shining star, this name is sure to fit someone’s future daughter rather well.
It’s certainly on my list in case I decide on expanding the family roster some more.
20. Faith
While faith carries an obvious religious meaning, it does have a second one too.
This second meaning derives from old-English and means “loyalty“, which is very synonymous to the modern meaning the word has today.
This name was popular once before when the sitcom “Hope & Faith” was airing back in the 90s but has since fallen out of favor.
21. Farrah
An unusual girl name that carries two different meanings in two different languages. In English, it refers to someone “fair-haired”, while in Arabic it simply represents “joy“.
The unusual bit comes from its scarcity. It’s more common in Arabian countries, but over here in the United States, the only known person under that name was Farrah Fawcett.
That said, if you feel like your little one represents the biggest joy in your life so far, I’d definitely say the name is poetically fitting.
22. Felicia
Either Felicia or Felicity, whichever you prefer, this is a Latin name that refers to someone who’s “happy” or “lucky“.
A name that isn’t seen often, even though it does belong to one of the more accomplished women of modern times, Felicia Day.
It’s also a name used by a popular Marvel superhero, Black Cat, A.K.A. Felicia Hardy.
23. Gabrielle
A feminine version of the name that belonged to archangel Gabriel with an appropriate meaning in the Hebrew language, “heroine of God“.
It’s definitely one of the more common names and is somewhat popular worldwide too, but it’s still rather unique and quite a fitting name for a new arrival to a Christian family.
24. Gemma
Do you like the name Emma but feel like it’s overused? Then you might like Gemma as an alternative.
An Italian name and the root of where the word “Gem” in the English language.
Gemma has the same meaning, that of a “precious stone“, something that you’ve undoubtedly often compared your little upcoming bundle of joy.
25. Genevieve
One might think that this is a French name, but it’s actually a German one derived from the word Genie which means “white wave“.
It did belong to a French person though, St. Genevieve, a person whose actions were rumored to have saved Paris from the Huns among all her other great deeds.
26. Harlow
A rather unusual name, but a female one nonetheless. Harlow is one that, like a few others on this list, has its roots in the English language, meaning “army hill“.
The meaning itself isn’t all that appealing and it’s certainly one of the most unusual girl names on this list, but not all of them can appeal to everyone.
27. Ilsa
While the stereotype is that German names often sound somewhat gruff, that’s not the case with Ilsa, a name that refers to one “pledged to God“.
This is an ideal name to give to a daughter of a religious family, one that’s quite uncommon, but gorgeous.
28. Ina
A feminine name for a female child, Ina comes from the Latin language and refers to “making something feminine“.
A short and sweet name perfect for your sweet little girl.
29. Kamilla
A different way to spell Camilla, but both are equally usable, the K-spelled one might even feel a bit more exotic.
Nevertheless, it’s a name of Slavic origin with a somewhat distasteful meaning behind it, that of a “serving girl“, which makes it one of the more unusual girl names on this list for that alone.
But don’t let that stop you, if you feel like it has a nice ring to it, don’t hesitate to put it up for consideration.
30. Lana
Another name popularized only recently by famous singer Lana del Rey.
It’s a name of Greek origin meaning “light“, perfect for that warm light in your life that is your future daughter.
And, just because it’s a somewhat popular baby name nowadays, doesn’t mean that it isn’t unusual either.
31. Macy
Macy is a French name. One with a meaning not quite as pretty as the others, signifying that of a “weapon“.
Despite the meaning making it one of the more unusual girl names, it’s a short and sweet one that might sound familiar because of the “Macy’s” brand.
32. Maeve
Here’s a name with a more obscure origin, an Irish-Gaelic one at that! It’s a name that belongs to Queen Maeve, a character from Irish mythology and from a recent Amazon show “The Boys”.
A name that used to be rather unusual to have, but has gained some traction due to the aforementioned show. It might be something to consider for your own little girl too.
33. Magnolia
Magnolia: a Latin name that refers to a flower that carries the same name. It’s slightly more old-fashioned, seen more as a name for book characters than anything, but my inner hipster loves them.
Maybe you might as well, it certainly isn’t too out there compared to some of the names that exist, and being compared to a flower is sure to get your little girl some bonus points.
34. Nadia
A Russian name that means “hope“. While we mostly use the English meaning of the word, it wouldn’t be too weird to try doing the same in a different language.
So, if Hope was already on your lists, and you feel like it might be too generic, why not give Nadia a try?
35. Naomi
Naomi is a name that isn’t quite as unusual and uncommon as many of the others on this list, but it’s not as represented as some of our more standard names.
And it’s a shame because it’s one that refers to the feeling of something or someone “pleasant” in the ancient Hebrew text.
Plus, it’s a name carried by Naomi Campbell who was one of the first supermodels in the industry so it’s really odd that it’s not as common.
36. Nell
A very old-fashioned name that has two potential origins, the first being Germanic and the second being Hebrew.
The first one holds the meaning of a “crown on the head” while the second simply represents “light”.
Both wonderful attributes to add to your future daughter and a beautiful, albeit unusual, girl name that represents them in just four letters.
37. Pacifica
A name of Spanish origin meaning “peaceful“, it belongs to a prominent figure in Costa Rican history, Pacifica Fernández, one of the country’s first ladies.
She was responsible for the current design of the Costa Rican flag.
The Spanish language truly is an abundant source of great names, ones that should get a bit more representation outside of their territories too.
38. Parvati
Here’s an unusual girl name for all you fans of J.K. Rowling and her writing. A name from the Harry Potter books belonging to the character Parvati Patil who was present in the later books.
It’s a name that comes from Sanskrit with a powerful meaning. One referring to “the daughter of the mountain“, representing strength of character and perseverance.
39. Razia
An Arabic name belonging to the only female sultana of Delhi in Indian history. A name that refers to something being “contented“.
More common in the Middle East, this is a name that many of us in the west are sleeping on.
I feel that like this one still sounds like a rather beautiful name, despite it being somewhat unorthodox for the United States.
40. Regina
A Latin name with the meaning, “Queen“. Not as unusual as some others on this list, but definitely an underused one.
The only recent mention of that name was with the character Regina George from “Mean Girls”, but nothing outside of that.
And, your little girl is undoubtedly going to be the queen of your heart, so having a suitable name wouldn’t be too on the nose, right?
41. Samara
A Hebrew name meaning “under God’s rule“. While not too obscure, it is rather unusual and rarely ever used except in certain places in Russia that are named after it.
Still, a rather beautiful one nonetheless.
42. Tasha
A name that has two meanings in two languages. In Greek, it means “resurrection” while in Latin it stands for “birthday“.
While this is a rather unusual girl name, it does belong to a character in the tabletop game “Dungeons & Dragons”, and it’s somewhat saddening that it doesn’t get any further recognition.
43. Una
Another Latin name and this time it’s one that represents the number “one“.
You can apply that to your child in any manner, whether she’s the one occupying all of your thoughts, or maybe she’s your favorite one.
And again, it’s one of the more unusual girl names for our region.
This name is more popular in eastern Europe, but it’s so short and sweet that I find it absolutely tragic that it is not more of a common name in the United States.
44. Vera
Vera is a common Slavic name but a very rare name to find in the United States.
It’s quite odd too because it means “faith“, or “truth” in Latin and one would figure that at least some religious families would turn to it.
It’s a real shame that some of these names go unused despite the current craze for unique and unusual girl names.
45. Verena
A Latin name, one that describes “truth” and everything it stands for. A rather lovely sounding name that rolls off the tongue quite well too, don’t you think?
It was one of the top names I was considering for my daughter, but I ended up falling for a more traditional one in the end.
That said, the purity of truth can’t be ignored and when you have a name that represents said truth, it’d be a shame not to at least think about it for a bit.
46. Waverly
A gender-neutral name that comes from old English and carries the meaning of a “meadow of aspens“.
You might recognize it from a 90’s TV show “Wizards of Waverly place” as it was the cause of the name garnering some fans when it first aired but has since fallen into obscurity.
But, if you feel magical whenever you talk about your daughter, maybe Waverly is the name to go for.
47. Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina, while a bit long, is a German name with quite a powerful meaning behind it. That of a “strong-willed warrior“. A name that many members of their royal families were adorned with in the past.
And who knows, maybe you too are going to have a sweet princess who harbors a stoic and persistent warrior side to her.
48. Winnie
You’d never think to use the name of Winnie the Pooh of all of them. Turns out that it’s not just a boy’s name for his teddy, after all.
It’s actually an abbreviation of the name Winnifred that comes from the old-English language and represents someone “holy” or “blessed“.
Despite it seeming a bit unusual, your daughter might find it cute that she’s named after a cartoon character.
49. Xena
A name some of you may find familiar as it belonged to the titular character from the show “Xena, warrior princess”. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word Xenia which translates into “foreigner“.
While its meaning isn’t anything to write home about, the name itself is rather nice-sounding and would make for a rather lovely and unusual girl name.
50. Yelena
Yelena is a Greek name, representing a person who is “chosen” or someone who is “bright“. This name is common around Slavic regions, especially Ukraine and Russia.
This one holds such a beautiful meaning yet remains seldom used in our lands.
A real shame, but maybe you’ll find it to your liking.
51. Zafira
A name with Arabic roots holding the meaning of someone who’s “successful“.
An attribute I’m sure you’re always putting in your prayers when you think about your future daughter’s life.
Plus, it kind of sounds similar to the word ‘Sapphire’, which could also represent your baby girl’s beauty.
52. Zara
A name of Arabic origin representing “radiance“, and one that can serve as a beautiful comparison of your baby girl to the warmth of the Sun.
Zara is a name that has gained more popularity as a fashion brand rather than an actual name, but that doesn’t mean it’s off-limits.
It’s one that rolls off the tongue and has such a lovely meaning behind it too, it would be a shame to not at least consider it.
53. Zeta
A name popular in Italian culture, but very rarely represented over on our shores outside of Catherine Zeta Jones’ middle name.
It’s one of the more unique baby girl names out there, holding the meaning of “being born last”.
I’d suggest using this one on the last child you plan on having (doesn’t mean it’ll end up being last, but more for the sake of symbolism).
In Conclusion
There are plenty more unusual girl names with a powerful meaning behind them, a lot more than there are on this list.
That said, despite being unusual, it doesn’t mean that they’re bad, just that they’re underutilized in our country.
These 53 are but a few suggestions.
They are those that I personally found to be rather interesting and figured would serve as inspiration for a few more names to be added to your list for your upcoming baby girl.
Whichever one you end up choosing, I’m sure it’ll fit her perfectly.
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