Unique girl names that are beautiful, strong, and completely underrated

We can all agree: Olivia, Emma, and Amelia are beautiful names. But are they unique? As the current top three girl names on BabyCenter, the answer is a resounding… no.

If you’re looking for a not-so-common name that’ll have other parents raising their eyebrows and saying, “Oh, I wish we’d thought of that!” – we have suggestions in spades.

20 unique, nature-inspired names for girls

Abilene

Abilene is a region of ancient Syria mentioned in the Bible. The name is thought to come from a Hebrew word meaning “grass.”

Blossom

Blossom comes from Old English and means “to bloom.”

Calla

Calla is a type of flower native to southern Africa. Its name comes from a Greek word meaning “beautiful.”

Camellia

Camellia is a bush with large, eye-catching flowers native to tropical areas of Asia. The name could also be considered a variant of Camilla, which derives from a Latin term for a servant to a priest.

Deborah

Deborah is a Hebrew name derived from the word for “bee.” In the Bible, she’s a prophet of Israel.

Fern

Fern derives from an Old English word for the plant. In floriography – the Victorian secret symbolism of flowers – ferns represent magic and secrecy.

Flora

Flora means “flower” in Latin (as you might guess).

Hyacinth

Hyacinth is a popular, brightly colored flower native to the Mediterranean. Its name comes from a hero in Greek mythology who was the god Apollo’s lover.

Jacinda

Jacinda is a name with Mediterranean (Greek and Spanish) origins. It’s a variant of the word hyacinth, the flower.

Marigold

Marigold flowers are so called because a similar flower was often placed at shrines to St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and became known as “Mary’s gold,” for their bright yellow color.

Myrtle

Myrtle is a type of tree. In Victorian times, myrtle flowers symbolized love and were often used in wedding bouquets.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is an aromatic spice that comes from the seed of the nutmeg tree. Its name derives from a Latin phrase meaning “musky nut.”

Pearl

Pearl, a gemstone name, comes from the Medieval Latin perla.

Peony

Peony is a type of flower thought to be named after the Greek physician of the Gods, Paean, because the ancient Greeks thought the peony had healing properties. The peony is also symbolic in Chinese culture, where it’s called “king of the flowers.” 

Sequoia

Sequoia is a type of giant redwood tree famous in California. The origins of its name aren’t certain – it could be named after Sequoyah, a Cherokee man who created the Cherokee writing system.

Tamar

Tamar is a Hebrew name meaning “date palm.” In the Bible, Tamar is the mother of two of Judah’s sons.

Tansy

Tansy is a flowering herb. Its name derives from the Greek word for immortality.

Tulip

Tulip comes from the French word for the flower, which itself is derived from the Persian word for “turban,” since the flowers look like turbans.

Waverly

Waverly is an English name that means “meadow of quivering aspens.”

Zinnia

Zinnia flowers symbolized everlasting friendship in Victorian times, since they’re so easy to grow and care for.

Overwhelmed by name options? Download the BabyCenter appOpens a new window and play the Name Shuffle game to quickly swipe through ideas, save your top favorites, and find the perfect match.

15 unique, vintage girl names

These old-fashioned names had a hold on the charts 100 years ago – but aren’t so popular nowadays.

Belle

Belle can be short for Isabelle, but it’s also pretty (and more unique) on its own. It translates to “beauty” in French and is the namesake for one of Disney’s most popular princesses.

Bernice

Bernice is a Greek name that means “bringer of victory.” (Fun fact – this name shares the same roots as Nike – not just the shoe brand, but also the Greek goddess of victory.)

Cecilia

Cecilia comes from an ancient Roman family name, rooted in a Latin word that means “blind.”

Dinah

Dinah is a Hebrew name that means “judged” or “vindicated.”

Dorothea

Dorothea is a less-famous version of Dorothy, which is rooted in Greek and means “gift of God.”

Elfrieda

Elfrieda derives from a Germanic name meaning “elf strength.”

Ernestine

Ernestine is a feminine version of Ernest, which shares the same Germanic roots as the vocabulary word “earnest” – it means “serious business,” or more dramatically, “battle to the death.”

Harriet

Harriet is an English version of the French name Henriette, itself the feminine version of Henry. It means “ruler of the home.”

Ingrid

Ingrid is a Scandinavian name that means “beautiful” or “fair.”

Lorraine

Lorraine was originally a surname used by people who lived in the Lorraine region of eastern France. If you want to break down the name to its parts, it comes from a Latin word meaning “territory of the people of Lothar,” and Lothar was a Germanic name meaning “famous army.”

Maude

Maude is a Medieval version of Matilda, a German name that means “mighty in battle.”

Philomena

Philomena is a Greek name with dual meanings: “beloved” and “friend of strength.”

Reba

Reba was a Midianite king in the Bible, though in modern times it’s considered a diminutive for Rebecca, which is derived from a Hebrew name meaning “to join.”

Rhoda

Rhoda is a Greek name with two potential origins – it could be inspired by the Greek word rhodon, meaning “rose,” or it could mean “woman from Rhodes” (a Greek island). 

Rosalind

Rosalind is derived from Old German words meaning “horse” and “soft” or “tender,” though its meaning has transformed over the years, thanks to the Latin phrase rosa linda, meaning “pretty rose.”

10 unique, modern girl names

These bold, inventive names have only started gaining traction in the last 20 years — but they’re still flying under the radar.

Allegra

Allegra is an Italian name that means “joyful” or “lively.”

Bexley

Bexley was originally an English surname for people who lived in Bexley, an area of London. Broken down to its parts, it comes from Old English words meaning “box tree clearing.”

Cadence

The melodious Cadence comes from the vocabulary word, which has French roots and means “flow of rhythm” referring to either poetry or music.

Dylan

More common for boys, Dylan is an underrated name for girls. Its meaning isn’t certain, but it may be tied to a Welsh word meaning “sea.”

Fallon

Fallon grew out of an Irish last name meaning “leader.”

Lyric

Another musical name, Lyric originally comes from an ancient Greek word that meant “singing to the lyre.” (The meaning “words of a song” developed in the 1800s.)

Marlen

Marlen has a few potential meanings. As a variant of Marlene, it’s a German name that combines the names Mary and Magdalene; as a variant of Marlon, it’s commonly tied to Mars, the Roman god of war; and some sources say it was invented by Russian communists to combine the names Marx and Lenin. 

Val

Val is a nickname for the name Valerie, which derives from a Latin family name meaning “brave” or “valiant.”

Wallis

Wallis is a variant spelling of the Scottish surname Wallace, which means “from Wales.”

Wednesday

Wednesday may be a day of the week, but it’s also a name derived from the Anglo-Saxon god Woden, god of wisdom and war.

11 rare, unique girl names

Hoping to be even more original? The following names are so rare they don’t even rank in the top 1,000.

Avalon

Avalon is a place in Arthurian legend; it’s a Celtic name that means “island of apples.”

Aoife

Aoife is an Irish name that means “beautiful” or “radiant.”

Cambria

Cambria is the Latinized version of the Welsh name for Wales.

Claudette

Claudette is the feminine version of the French name Claude, which derives from a Latin name meaning “crippled.”

Devika

Devika is a Hindu name meaning “little goddess.”

Erina

Erina is a Japanese name with several meanings, depending on which characters are used to spell it. One common meaning is “favor.”

Solange

Solange is a French name derived from a Latin name meaning “solemn” or “religious.”

Sybil

Sybil is an ancient Greek name that means “prophet” or “oracle.” 

One BabyCenter Community member writes, “I like Sybil a lot! She was one of my favorite characters on Downton Abbey. It’s a lovely name, beautiful and classy.”

Valor

Valor derives from the Latin word valere, which means “to be strong.”

Yael

Yael is a Hebrew name that means “mountain goat.”

13 short, unique girl names

None of these short-and-sweet names are longer than four letters.

Dia

Dia is a Spanish name that means “day,” though it’s also an alternate spelling for the Hindi name Diya, which means “light.”

Esti

Esti (also spelled Este) is derived from the Hebrew name Esther and means “star.”

Ever

Ever is super familiar, but wholly unexpected on a little girl. The word comes from Old English and invokes thoughts of eternal life.

Faye

Faye is derived from a Middle English word for “fairy,” though it may also derive from an Old French word meaning “loyalty” or “belief.”

Ida

Ida is a strong historical name ripe for a comeback. This German name means “industrious” or “prosperous.”

Kit

Kit is typically a nickname for Katherine, though it stands strong on its own. It’s thought to derive from a Greek word meaning “pure.”

Lee

Lee is a name of English origin meaning “meadow” or “clearing.”

Rain

Rain is a nature-inspired name perfect for a little girl who will bring refreshment and joy.

Rora

Rora is a shortened version of Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn (and the Latin word for dawn).

Rue

Rue brings Parisian charm. Its French meaning, “street,” brings to mind wandering adventures with a dash of French sophistication. 

“When I hear Rue, I think of two things,” one BabyCenter Community member saus. “The French meaning of ‘street’ or the most famous Rue ever… Rue McClanahan, aka Blanche from The Golden Girls.”

Vail

Vail is an English name that means “valley,” and also evokes the snowy peaks of this Colorado town.

Xyla

Xyla is a Greek name that means “wood dweller” and conjures visions of the forest.

Zena

Zena is a variant of the Greek name Xena, which is derived from a word that means “hospitable.”

11 beautiful, unique girl names

Adina

Adina was the mother of Rachel and Leah in Jewish tradition. It means “gentle” or “mild.”

Caius

Caius is an old Latin name that means “rejoice.” It’s typically used for boys, making it an especially unique choice for a girl.

Esperanza

Esperanza is a Spanish name meaning “hope.”

Janna

Janna is a Hebrew name that means “God is gracious.” It’s a more unique spin on tried-and-true names like Jane, Jean, and Jenna. But it’s also an Arabic name that means “paradise” or “garden.”

Kiva

Kiva is a more intuitive spelling (for English speakers) of the Irish name Caoimhe, which is pronounced the same way. It means “gentle, lovely, graceful.”

Mirielle

Mirielle is a variation of the French name Mireille, which is thought to originate from an Occitan word meaning “to admire.”

Odette

Odette is a French name that derives from an Old German word meaning “wealthy.”

Sheba

Sheba was a kingdom in modern-day Yemen, made famous by the Queen of Sheba, who visited Israel with an abundance of riches and gifts for King Solomon in the Bible.

Talita

Talita (also spelled Talitha) is an Aramaic name meaning “little girl.”

Vashti

Vashti is an Old Persian name that possibly means “best of women” or “beautiful woman.”

Wendy

Wendy is an English name with uncertain origin: Some speculate the author of Peter Pan made it up for a character in the book, though it may also be a variant of Gwendolyn, meaning “blessed ring.”

10 strong, unique girl names

Adira

Adira is a Hebrew name meaning “strong” or “powerful.”

Atara

Atara (also spelled Atarah) is the wife of a minor character in the Old Testament. The name derives from the Hebrew word for “crown.”

Bridget

Bridget derives from a Gaelic word meaning “power” or “strength.”

Comfort

Comfort now means “to cheer up” or “to console,” but it derives from a Latin verb meaning “to strengthen much.”

Cosima

Cosima is a Greek name meaning “order” – it comes from the same root for the word cosmos.

Jaiyana

Jaiyana is an Urdu name meaning “strength.”

Minna

Minna on its own is a German name meaning “courtly love,” though it’s also a diminutive for Wilhelmina, which comes from an Old German word meaning “willing to protect.”

Sander

Sander is a Dutch spin on Alexander, and means “defender.”

Simone

Simone is a Greek translation of a Hebrew name meaning “he has heard.”

Vida

Vida means “life” in Spanish and Portuguese.

11 cute, unique girl names

Allegra

Allegra is an Italian name meaning “happy” or “lively.”

Aviva

Aviva is a Hebrew name meaning “spring.”

Calista

Calista derives from a Greek word meaning “most beautiful.”

Candace

Candace is a royal title in the Bible deriving from the term for a queen in the ancient African kingdom of Kush.

Cleo

Cleo is both a shortened version of the famous Egyptian ruler Cleopatra and an alternate spelling of a Greek muse, Clio. It comes from the Greek word kleos, meaning “glory.”

Danica

Danica is a Slavic name that means “morning star.”

Enya

Enya is the anglicized version of the Irish name Eithne, which means “kernel” or “grain.”

Philippa

Philippa is the feminine version of Philip, a Greek name that means “lover of horses.”

Galene

Galene is an ancient Greek goddess who presided over calm seas. The name means “calm.”

Liesel

Liesel is a German diminutive form of Elizabeth and its variants, including Lieselotte. It originally comes from a Hebrew name meaning “God is an oath.”

Tabitha

Tabitha is an Aramaic name that means “gazelle.”