Rare Baby Girl Names with Unique Name Meanings
Rare baby names are unique alternatives to the more popular names that monopolize parents’ interest. We have looked into libraries, online publications, journals, and encyclopedias to bring you the most unique rare bay names for girls. Having a rare name helps you to be amazing. Find dozens of rare girl names and get inspiration for your daughter’s name. We understand that your baby girl is the most precious thing you have in life right now. Therefore, you must find a matching name that will stand out and make her happy. Rare girl names are an exclusive list that our baby names experts built to satisfy even the most curious and adventurous parents. Keep an open mind, and you will get blown by our cool suggestions. Going through our rare girl names collection, you will be impressed by the rich meanings and deep history behind each of them. From pop culture and TV female characters with rare names to historical references that few people know, we present the most unique girl names you could think of.
- Alithia: if you happen to give birth in Thanks Giving or around Christmas, you should consider choosing a cool name like Alithia. This magnificent feminine name means truth in Greek, and as you can imagine, it’s the best way to teach your baby girl how to be honest and avoid lies. Alithia will constantly remind you of the virtue of the truth that will guide your daughter throughout her entire life.
- Amity: one of the Latin rare bay names with the lovely meaning of friendship. Is there anything better than to teach your baby girl to be a true friend, one that will always be by the side of her girlfriends? Amity has a real virtue and is much more melodic than other girl names with positive meanings like Grace or Hope.
- Aquilina: the female form of the Latin name Aquilo. The meaning of Aquilina is an eagle, and it can be considered a patriotic name due to the obvious links with the mighty bird that can be found on so many official US documents and logos. In addition, the crisply beautiful sound of Aquilina makes it ideal for parents who wish to find a different name for their daughter. Aquilina might be rare these days, but not so much in the times of the Roman Empire when it was popular among parents. Maybe, it’s going to have a comeback; who knows? But until then, it’s one of the best choices among the rare girls’ names.
- Bae: a short and straightforward name that derives from Bay. Bae is the rare variation of a unisex name with Latin origin and means berry. Bae will be one of the most pleasant baby names that can also be used as a middle name. It follows the recently popular trend of water-related names that belong to the overall family of nature baby names. If you are living in the San Francisco bay area, it would be a cool variation for your female startup founder of the future!
- Brinn: another sweet alternative of a cool unisex name, Brinn is a variation of Bryn. They might sound exactly the same, but they have entirely different spelling. Brinn is also a nature baby name as the true meaning of this ultra-rare name is a hill. It comes from the Welsh language and is a gentle choice for parents close to mother nature. Interestingly, Brinn is given more often to boys than girls in Wales. Still, on this side of the Atlantic, it’s the other way round. In terms of different spelling variations, Brynn outranked the original version back in 1999, so who knows? Maybe Brinn will outperform all the previous versions by 2029.
- Camber: take Cameron and Amber and join them up together. What do you have? Camber is a catchy choice that ignites the imagination. Certainly, one of the most interesting baby names you never hear, don’t you think?
- Celestine: a neglected gem that might be just what you look for when staring at the sky! Celestine derives from Celeste. It has a Latin origin and means heavenly
- Corisande: com’on let’s be honest. You never heard this name before, have you? Corisande is a badass princess name that can easily steal the crown from all the other rare girl names. It combines two Greek words, Coris, which stands for chorus, and Ande, which means singer. Remarkably unusual and, at the same time, evocative name that carries a sense of romance from medieval times. It can be found in Spanish legends of romance that go back in time. It was later transformed into an English name in the 19th century, and since then, it remains one of the best-kept secrets of girl names.
- Corliss: following the lead of Corisande, here’s another name with the Corl- prefix. This time a purely English-originated idea that has a relaxed meaning: carefree person. Corliss symbolizes freedom and will give your daughter the image of someone who chases her dreams without second thoughts. An eccentric choice for parents looking for rare girl names and wishing to see their kids grow up as independent human beings.
- Dari: some baby name researchers suggest that this is a Hebrew name while others insist that it’s Irish. However, both sides agree on the meaning of Dari, which is the pearl of wisdom. The ultimate stone that gives complete knowledge to its bearer. Think about it like “my precious,” the magic ring from Lord of the Rings, the one to rule them all. Or, if you are more romantic, you can consider Dari as the lady who will steal the hearts of many men and will be highly desired.
- Dezi: have you ever desired something so much that you couldn’t resist? This name represents exactly that. The desire derives from the Spanish name Desiderio, which means the desired one. The letter -z can add a jazzy feeling to any name boosting the energy around it. And if you need celebrity endorsement, you will be surprised to see that TV persona Jaime Pressly chose it for her baby boy.
- Didyou find interesting our list of rare baby names? Do you have other uncommon and unusually rare baby names to suggest? We are all ears! Leave us a comment, and we will include your suggestion on our list.
- Dita: belongs to the European rare baby names. Dita comes from the Czech Republic and has the fancy meaning of a rich gift. Another attractive version could be Ditte which has a Scandinavian origin.
- Dusanais a delicate choice for spiritual parents seeking unique inspirational baby names! This rare Slavi girl’s name has the meaning of the soul of the immortal human spirit.
- Gena: a diminutive that is becoming increasingly popular, yet it remains relatively uncommon. Gena derives from Angelina, Regina, and so on. We love short baby names, and we don’t hide it, so it’s only natural that you will find more concise versions of popular names in our rare baby names for girls. If you love Angelina Jolie (check her latest movie Maleficent where she plays the role of a cruel witch struggling with an ancient love spell), but you want an uncommon variation of that name, you can invest without any trouble in Gena. Your investment is guaranteed to give great returns in the future!
- Ginessa: a pretty girl name with some obvious pronunciation challenges. Ginessa means white as foam and has a Celtic origin. Equally rare baby names with the same meaning are Ginerba and Ginerva.
- Gizel: dedicated to little fashionistas worldwide, Gizel is a true representation of style and elegance. It derives from the uber-hot Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian supermodel that rocks the pret a porter for the past two decades. Of course, you already know her, but do you really know the origin of her name? Well, you will be surprised to learn that Gizel means pledge. Though the origin of this sexy name is indeed German and is associated widely with Brazil, this version is more French and definitely sounds more balletic and graceful.
- Guthrie: if you happen to have Scottish roots and would like to honor your ancestors, then Guthrie is a fine choice for your daughter. Rare girl names like this can connect the past with the present marvelously. They act as a bridge between the modern and the retro by creating a current path. The meaning of Guthrie is windy spot, so it can also be used by parents who care about the environment and would like to pass the eco-friendly attitude to their children. Last but not least, Guthrie is an amazing choice if you are a fan of folk music since it is the last name of singer Woody Guthrie.
- Inger: a rare diminutive of names that start with Ing-, for example, Ingrid and Ingegerd. It later became a given name, meaning the hero’s daughter. It has Danish origin and is considered to be among the strongest and bravest girl names.
- Ione: the distinctive Greek name for the violet-colored flower. According to Greek mythology, Ione was one of the ancient sea nymphs (also known as Nereids). The uncommon name was made known to the wider public thanks to the daughter of 60’s folksinger Donovan, the actress Ione Skye. Follow her on Twitter!
- Isidora: an uncommon girl name from the Christian nun Isidora who became a saint in the 4th century AD. Isidora grew up and lived her entire life in the Egyptian area of Tabennisi. She was known for veiling her head and was not particularly popular in the nun’s community. However, God saw her virtue and told Saint Pitirim to visit her after he had a vision of an angel. A deeply choice for devotional parents.
- Jovie: do you like names associated with happiness and smile, but you are tired of the common names like Joy? Then it’s time to get a twist on the old and tried name recipe introducing the funky -v letter right in the middle of Joy. So here’s to Jovie, the new entrant in baby names linked to a positive state of mind and tranquility. If jovial is too exotic for you, then Jovie is one sweet choice you will love!
- Lainey: a unique alternative spelling for Laney, which turned out to be more popular than the original. The diminutive of Elaine is one of the most haunting rare girl names since it has a very powerful meaning: bright shining one. Have you ever dreamed of raising a star? Have you ever wished that your baby girl would grow up to be a sun of love that sparkles positive vibes to everyone around her? Then Lainey can be a perfect match for you and your daughter. It also sounds like Lana, related to the amazing hot singer Lana Del Ray. Suddenly, this vintage nickname turned into a name of itself, and it’s now enjoying a cool breeze of popularity. If you are looking for an even rare alternative, you could opt-in for Lainie, which is definitely more old-school.
- Lainie: Elaine is nice but a bit overused. Thinking of a more unique way to honor your grandma by giving your baby girl her name? Choose Lainie and add a cool twist to an already successful name. The meaning of Lainie is shining bright.
- Lucilla: one of the most wonderful rare baby names for girls, which comes directly from heaven. Lucilla means light and belongs to the celestial names with an ancient pedigree as it derives from ancient Rome. The Latin origin of this name makes it more distinctive than Lucille. Elaborating on the simpler Lucy, it goes the extra mile and adds a layer of mystery. Lucilla is much more delicate, and thus parents will surely find her more appealing than Lucinda.
- Marin: there is a good reason why Marin is listed in the group of baby names you never hear, even though it sounds similar to Mary, one of the most popular names of all time. It doesn’t have to do anything with our Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. It actually derives from the Latin word that means sea. It’s much more modern and stylish than the old-fashioned Marina while it gives you an amazing dive into the deep blue. If you want an extra dose of style and finesse, then the French version of Marine is also suitable.
- Maud: a rare variation of a vintage girl named Matilda. The meaning of Maud is battle-mighty, and its origin is German. Does the royal family inspire some kind of glorious feeling inside you? Then Maud might be one of the rare girl names for you, as it was the name of King Edward’s daughter. Maud of Wales was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She became Queen of Norway when she married King Haakon VII in 1896. Royal baby names at their finest, most unusual way, breaking the traditional names that have been widely known to ordinary people.
- Mavis: we love French baby names, so we couldn’t leave Mavis out of the list of rare baby names. The awesome meaning of the songbird makes this girl’s name unique and pleasant. Charlize Theron played the role of Mavis Gary in the movie Young Adult, a great drama about a troubled woman. Also, Mavis Staples, the RnB singer and member of the group called “Staple Singers” has some chances of making this cute girl name a bit more popular. If you are a single mum, you might want to give this name to your daughter after the feminist activist Mavis Leno.
- Melisande: this name will blow your mind! Melisande is another form of Millicent, which in turn derives from the obsolete German name Amalswinth. This old high name was made up of two words, amal, which means work, and with, which means strength. Thus, the meaning of Melisande is the person who shows great strength in work. Rare girl names can also have cute nicknames and in this case,
- Meli: it could be a short alternative that can make a real difference.
- Midori: an amazing source of rare girl names is the Japanese culture. One can find really cool ideas in their history and books. Midori means green in Japanese. However, it’s not just another color name. It has rich symbolism and represents a certain human quality that most people chase nowadays. Yes, you guessed it right, it’s fame. So, if you want your daughter to be famous in school and have this aura of success, Midori is among the rare girl names that will do just fine! Midori Goto is the best-known holder of the name. This talented Japanese American violinist made her debut at the tender age of 11.
- Monet: dedicated to art lovers, Monet is one of the most delicate rare girl names. Thanks to the internationally acclaimed painter Oscar-Claude Monet, founder of French Impressionist painting, the name is strongly related to the philosophy of expressing your perceptions before nature. Naming your baby girl, Monet, will give her an aura of a prolific person who is creative and ready to lead. She will be known for her awesome charisma and consistent ambition to reinvent everything around her. Monet derives from Simon, an originally Hebrew name that means listener. Monet quickly became a favorite among bohemian people primarily because of talented new actress Monet Mazur. Quick trivia, her father designed the instantly recognized mouth and tongue logo for Rolling Stones.
- Neema: from the far East to the West Coast and even further. The meaning of Neema is born during good times in the Swahili language. Exotic rare girl names are always attractive and mysterious. Neema is particularly positive and radiates affirmative vibes to everyone around it. A name that is a blessed gift of joy and delight to your beautiful and lovely baby girl!
- Neva: it rhymes with never, so it can be a name that goes well with smart word games. The origin of Neva is Spanish and is one of the baby names you never hear, which can be used for girls born during winter as the true meaning of Neva is white snow. Check out our list of December baby names to get more inspiration!
- Odette: a lovely musical baby name that is just too sweet to ignore. Another French girl’s name (derived from German roots) means wealthy. Natalie Portman’s role won an Oscar for her unparallel performance as Odette, the good swan in Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake. Odette is a smooth and optimistic choice for parents with a background in music and arts.
- Onalee: I’m sure you haven’t heard this baby girl’s name before. One is one of the rarest baby names we have stumbled upon. In fact, the real numbers behind this extremely uncommon name will give you the whole picture. Only 1 in 322,086 babies is given the name Onalee in the US, which makes it truly unique. It combines Ona (derived from One) and Lee, a popular Asian name, particularly among Chinese parents.
- Ondine: mythology can give you great inspiration if you are looking for rare baby girl names. According to ancient Irish tales, Ondine was the spirit of the water. The deity is also known as a selkie. This mythological creature brings love and hopes to humans, motivating them to become what they always wanted to be. The meaning of the name Ondine is a little wave, and our guess is that your baby girl can play the role of a positive wave that can change the world into a better place. Even though only 10 girls were given this name last year, it was given its fair share of publicity through the 2009 love story with Syracuse “Circus” Colin Farrell and Alicja Bachleda.
- Petal: a sweet and soft choice that reminds us of the novel turned to film in 2001, The Shipping News, starring Kevin Spacey and Cate Blanchett as Petal Quoyle. An exotic name that remains down-to-earth, Petal is taking advantage of the rising popularity of similar flower names for baby girls. If you think our rare girl names are not cool enough, think again. Jamie Oliver, the fantastic celebrity chef from Britain, gave his girl the triple name Petal Blossom Rainbow when she was born in 2009. As you can see, Petal was the first choice!
- Pilar: this one goes to the Latin-American community. Pilar is a Spanish classic that is rarely used elsewhere. Now it’s time to bring this beautiful name to the surface as part of our rare girl names list. The meaning of Pilar is … well, pillar! The magic behind it is that it symbolizes Virgin Mary. How come? The story behind it is that the image of the Virgin Mary miraculously appeared over a marble pillar. Some other baby name experts suggest that Pilar references the Virgin Mary as the pillar of the modern Christian church. It represents elegance and strength, bringing a style that makes it a fascinating choice. Pilar is a name that all religious Catholic parents should consider, even if they don’t belong to the Latin-American community.
- Piper: are you a big fan of the streaming TV service Netflix? Then we are sure you already binge-watched Orange is the new Black. The bold new drama-comedy series features an inmate doing time because of an old mistake. Piper Eressea Kerman was the real person behind the story. Her experience in pen because of money-laundering charges in her youth was the main inspiration behind the successful Netflix show. It was so popular that Piper entered the baby names charts for the first time. It is a rare girl name that is spicy enough to get attention without being weird.
- Reeve: it used to be a popular choice thanks to Christopher Reeve, the actor behind the original Superman movie in 1978 (watch the trailer here). Many movie enthusiasts and comic fans still believe that the first series of Superman were deeper and more sophisticated than the Man of Steel, released in the past few years. That’s exactly what happened with this name too. Reeve was behind the Alpha Male symbol, the man who could achieve anything in life, the fearless guy who could fly from one corner of the planet to the other just to save a cat walking down the road. Reeve is a symbol of the absolute gentleman that is hard to find nowadays; that’s why it belongs to the baby names you never hear anymore. It’s time for you to change all that!
- Rowena: an upbeat yet sophisticated and rare baby name that means famous friend. Rowena was the heroine of Ivanhoe, the brave fool fighting crime in his own twisted mind. Rowena has a vintage touch, and most parents turn to Rowan as a more popular alternative. Be bold and go against the mainstream by choosing the original version!
- Sagira: an ancient Egyptian girl name that means the little one. Not to be confused with pop star Shakira! Other uncommon variants of this name include Sahirah, which has a different meaning: being clean.
- Sorrell: double dot is always a sign of luxury. The two r’s and two l’s found in Sorrell reinforce this concept. The actual meaning of Sorrell is reddish-brown. French rare girl names like Sorrell are often soft and sensitive. They make a distinctive choice of herbal names that have a pleasant or sweet sound. They bring into mind delicate fragrance and sweet-scented memories. Your daughter will undoubtedly fall in love with Paris if you give her this name. Make sure you are prepared for this!
- Svea: Swedish names are prime candidates for our list of baby names you never hear, simply because they are not so popular on this side of the Atlantic. However, Svea is a lovely baby girl’s name that has been extremely popular in its home country. The meaning of Svea is hidden in ancient Swedish history as it derives from the warrior tribe that invaded the proud land of Sweden centuries ago. The tribe’s name was Svear, so it’s a tribute to the roots of the mighty warriors and explorers. One of our readers from Sweden, Charlotta, suggested in the comments section below that we should add Sverige. According to Charlotta, Sverige is an abbreviation of “Svea rike,” which means “the kingdom of Sweden” in English. Thanks for the tip, and keep suggesting more names!
- Tansy: did you know that flower baby names are super interesting when it comes to rare baby names for girls? Yes, that’s right, and there is a good reason for that. Plants have gazillions of different species and guess what. Each one has a different name, so you can expect a wealth of unique names to grow straight from the earth. Tansy is a fantastic example that has a really strong meaning of endurance. It means immortality in Greek, and it has bright golden yellow blossoms. The flower was used during the Middle Ages as a herb against all illnesses and diseases. Tansy is much rare than Rosy and certainly not weird like Pansy.
- Tavi: Never publish an article without having at least one unisex baby name. Tavi is our choice for the rare girl names that can be either for pretty boys as well as cute girls. If you look at it from the boys’ perspective, Tavi is a diminutive of David, the famous Biblical King. On the other hand, if you approach it from its feminine side, Tavi can be a short form of Octavia. Mouth-watering names like that are hard to find, so make sure you include Tavi on your shortlist. You can thank us later!
- Thessaly: a place name derived from the Greek midland of Thessalia. According to the Odyssey, Homer described this land as Aeolus, which was famous for its brave people and beautiful landscape. A true paradise of peace and harmony, Thessaly is one of the baby names you never hear, which can be used if you want to choose a calm name for your baby girl. She will definitely appreciate the zen factor you applied to her!
- Uta: short but rich. The meaning of Uta is prosperity. Apart from actress Uta Hagen, a German name is not often heard in this part of the Atlantic. She is best known for her role as Martha in Edward Albe’s block baster show Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, which premiered on Broadway in 1963. If you enjoy a good play in theaters, Uta is among the rare girl names that can rock your world and fascinate boys and girls alike.
- Vibeke: reminds of Vikings, but it’s not that masculine as this Danish rare baby name means little woman.
- Xanthe: the letter X defines any name that includes it as special. When you have it in the front of the name, it’s even more unique. Xanthe is one of these rare girl names that benefit from the remarkably strong letter combined with an even better meaning. Xanthe derives from the Greek word Xanthe which means golden blond. As with any rare name, you might find it hard to pronounce, and it can confuse people as it’s actually ZAN-thee. If you are looking for similar X- starting names, you can also consider Xenia (also Greek) which derives from the Greek word ‘filoxenia’ and means hospitality. Not to be confused with fierce Amazon warrior Xena from the homonymous TV 90s series!
- Zenaida: belongs to the rare baby names of Greek origin. Zenaida means the life of Zeus, so please don’t confuse it with the eastern concept of Zen culture!
- Zipporah: a unique girl name that has an intriguing air of antiquity. It has Hebrew roots and was documented in the Bible as the wife of the top prophet Moses. Zipporah means bird and is a rare variation of Tzipora.
