Weird and wonderful baby names: 83 unusual names we love
If you want unusual without weird, start with the classic names with a twist (Albie, Rosa, Zadie) and the seasonal group (Cole, Ivy, Blossom). If you want properly rare
You've had a list in your Notes app for years. Now there's an actual baby on the way, and every name on it suddenly sounds either too normal or too much.
This is our list: the unusual ones, the classics with a twist, names from around the world, names for the season they're born in, the names that are quietly dying out, and the ones we'd pick ourselves. Every name has its meaning next to it. Steal freely.
One honest note first. The meanings are the ones the name books give, and name books disagree with each other more than you'd think. Treat them as the story behind the name, not a fact, and check the one you fall for before it goes on the certificate.
Quick answer: If you want unusual without weird, start with the classic names with a twist (Albie, Rosa, Zadie) and the seasonal group (Cole, Ivy, Blossom). If you want properly rare, go to the names from around the world and the rare group near the end. And if you want a name that's about to disappear, Kirsty and Craig are right there.
Key facts
- 83 names below, in 8 groups, each with its meaning.
- Only 25 baby boys were named Craig in 2017. Jordan went from 5,750 in 1996 to 248.
- 11 baby girls were named Kirsty in 2017. Shannon went from 4,649 in 1996 to 41.
The popular names from the 2020 list
When we first put this list together in 2020, these were the names we kept hearing. If you want unusual, skip this group; if you want a name everyone can spell, it's a good place to start.
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Asher | Boy | "Fortunate, blessed, happy." Hebrew. |
| Milo | Boy | "Soldier" or "merciful". German origin. Strong and soft at the same time. |
| Oliver | Boy | "Olive tree." Latin. Hugely popular, so not one for the unusual list. |
| Luna | Girl | "Moon." Latin. Shimmery and a bit moonstruck. |
| Aurora | Girl | "Dawn." Latin, and the name of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. |
| Mauve | Girl | The colour. "Violet coloured", from French. |
Classic baby names with a twist
Everyone knows James, Charlotte, Thomas and Margaret. This is how you keep the classic and still have the only one in the class.
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sampson | Boy | "Sun." An unusual route to Sam. |
| Arno | Boy | "Eagle." A modern take on Arnold. |
| Albie | Boy | "Noble, bright." Albert, without the Albert. |
| Gigi | Girl | "Earth worker" or "gracious God". French, a sweet take on Georgia. |
| Zadie | Girl | "Princess." Sadie with an edge. |
| Rosa | Girl | "Rose." Latin. A different take on Rose or Rosie. |
Unusual baby names from around the world
If you want a name with a story, this is the group. Pronunciations are given where they trip people up.
Irish names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Merric | Boy | The older spelling of Merrick. The meaning given is "ruler of the sea"; Merrick is usually given as "fame". |
| Oisin | Boy | "Fawn, young deer." Pronounced O-sheen. |
| Luan | Boy | "Warrior, strong." Pronounced LOO-an. |
| Orla | Girl | "Golden princess." |
| Eimear | Girl | "Swift." Old Irish. Pronounced ee-mer. |
| Nora | Girl | "Light." |
Indian names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Krishna | Boy | "Black, dark", and by extension "all attractive". Sanskrit. Very popular in India. |
| Sanjaya | Boy | "Triumphant." Sanskrit; a longer form of Sanjay. |
| Avani | Girl | "Earth, earthly." |
| Opal | Girl | "Precious gem." Rare and pretty. |
| Ranee | Girl | "Queen." Also spelt Rani. |
Muslim names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Amir | Boy | "King, ruler." For your little king. |
| Zayan | Boy | "One who makes things beautiful." Which it is. |
| Owais | Boy | "Little wolf." |
| Rimsha | Girl | "Beautiful; a bouquet of flowers." |
| Aisha | Girl | "Lively." The name of the Prophet's wife. |
| Mahnoor | Girl | "Moonlight." Pronounced mah-noor. |
Japanese names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kenji | Boy | "Second son." Traditionally what the second boy was called. |
| Fuji | Boy | "Wisteria", or "dweller near the river where wisteria grows". |
| Sanjiro | Boy | "Admired, praised." |
| Koko | Girl | "Stork." |
| Mio | Girl | "Beautiful cherry." |
| Suki | Girl | "Loved one." |
Boho baby names
Edgy but sweet. If your house has a lot of plants and a record player, these are yours.
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ziggy | Boy | "Victorious peace." German origin, and very edgy. |
| Forest | Boy | "Woods, woodsman." Goes well in a family with unusual names already. |
| Wilder | Boy | "Hunter." A surname first, and growing as a first name. |
| Sage | Either | "Wise." Works for anyone; we think it's lovely on a girl. |
| Tula | Girl | "Mountain peak", also "a Libra", also "tranquil". Take your pick. |
| Cleo | Girl | "Glory." Greek. Short for Cleopatra, but sweeter on its own. |
Baby names inspired by the seasons
Go by the due date, or by the season you'd want to be born in.
Summer names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kai | Boy | "Sea." Hawaiian. A small surfer's name. |
| Ocean | Either | Exactly what it says. We like it on a boy. |
| Deniz | Boy | "Sea, waves." Turkish. |
| Tempest | Girl | "Turbulent, stormy." For the summer thunderstorms. |
| Ziva | Girl | "Brilliance, brightness." |
| Bay | Girl | "Berry." Latin. Short and sunny. |
Autumn names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Rusty | Boy | "Red." Short for Russell if you want the long version on the certificate. |
| Oakley | Either | "Oak wood." Autumn in a name. |
| Hunter | Boy | "The one who hunts." English. |
| Maple | Girl | The tree, and the colour of it in October. |
| Scarlett | Girl | "Scarlet, red." Getting more popular, and you can see why. |
| Goldie | Girl | "Made of gold." English, and still unusual. |
Winter names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noel | Boy | "Christmas." Obvious, and still lovely. |
| Nicholas | Boy | "People of victory." Timeless, and Saint Nicholas is Father Christmas. |
| Cole | Boy | "Coal black." English. |
| Ivy | Girl | The climbing plant, and a Christmas one. English. |
| Robin | Either | "Bright fame." Also the bird on the card. |
| Neva | Girl | "Snow." Spanish. For a January baby. |
Spring names
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bud | Boy | "Offshoot." Short for Buddy if you like, but Bud on its own fits the season. |
| Attwell | Boy | "Lives by the spring." English, and very rare. |
| Florian | Boy | "Flowering." |
| Blossom | Girl | "To bloom." Still unusual, probably not for long. |
| Dahlia | Girl | The flower, named after a Swedish botanist. |
| Avia | Girl | "Bird." Short and sweet. |
Name sorted, or nearly? Tell us your due date and we'll send the week by week: what to expect, what to do and what to sort each week. 10% off when you're ready.
Traditional names that are dying out
Unusual doesn't have to mean invented. Some of the most ordinary names of the 1990s have almost vanished, which makes them rarer now than most of the names above. These are the 2017 figures for babies given each name.
| Name | For | Babies given the name in 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Craig | Boy | 25 |
| Jordan | Boy | 248, down from 5,750 in 1996 |
| Kieran | Boy | 131 |
| Kirsty | Girl | 11 |
| Shannon | Girl | 41, down from 4,649 in 1996 |
| Danielle | Girl | 44 |
Pick one of these and your child will be the only one in their year, possibly their school. Craig in particular is due a comeback.
Rare and unusual baby names
The ones you might not have heard of, or not on a baby.
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Duke | Boy | "Leader." A bit of royalty. |
| Fergus | Boy | "Man of force." Fergie for short, if you want something different again. |
| Jarvis | Boy | "Spear." |
| Terra | Girl | "Earth." Latin. |
| Calla | Girl | "Beautiful." |
| Lotus | Girl | The flower. |
Our top baby names
The BABYGO® team's picks. Not a vote, just the ones that kept coming up when we argued about it.
| Name | For | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Rufus | Boy | "Redhead." Latin. Cool and a bit edgy on a little boy. |
| Adi | Boy | Short and different. Nobody else in the class will have it. |
| Ellis | Boy | "Benevolent." Welsh. Timeless with a bit of edge left in it. |
| Effie | Girl | "Pleasant speech." Greek. Unusual and old at the same time. |
| Frankie | Girl | "From France; free." Retro and adorable. |
| Margo | Girl | "Pearl." Just a lovely name. |
Questions we get asked
What counts as an unusual baby name?
One you don't hear at the school gate. The names that are dying out are the clearest example: Craig, Kirsty and Shannon were everywhere in the 90s and had fewer than 50 babies each in 2017, so they're properly unusual now. Unusual is about now, not about how strange the name sounds.
What are some classic baby boy names with a twist?
Sampson for Sam, Arno for Arnold, Albie for Albert. You get the classic on the birth certificate and something nobody else in the class has.
Which short baby names are on this list?
Kai, Bay, Mio, Koko, Suki, Bud, Cole, Adi, Ivy, Nora, Rosa, Luna, Opal, Sage, Cleo, Duke, Gigi and Orla. All one or two syllables, all easy to shout across a park.
Which boy names mean sea or water?
Kai (Hawaiian, "sea"), Deniz (Turkish, "sea, waves"), Ocean, Attwell ("lives by the spring") and Merric, whose meaning is given as "ruler of the sea".
What names are like Ruby?
If it's the gemstone you like: Opal, and Margo, which means "pearl". If it's the colour: Scarlett, Rosa, Goldie and Mauve. If it's the short, old-fashioned feel: Effie, Frankie, Ivy and Nora.
Can you suggest more names?
Yes, and we'd like yours too. Send the names you love through the contact page and we'll add the best ones the next time this list is updated.
Still deciding? Tell us your due date and we'll send the week by week, so the name is the only thing left to argue about. 10% off when you're ready.
Once the name's done, the pregnancy collection is there for when you get to the buying things stage.
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