Unique Girl Names
A unique girl name should feel special without forcing your daughter to spell it out at every coffee shop for the rest of her life. The 100+ names below all sit outside the US top 100, yet each one has real roots — a meaning, a myth, a book or a language behind it — so it never feels made up.
We’ve grouped them by style: nature and botanical names, heroines from mythology, literary finds, celestial names, international gems and rare vintage revivals. If you want something a little more mainstream, compare them with our pretty girl names or the popular girl names list; for truly off-the-radar choices, see rare girl names and unique baby names for both genders.
Unique nature girl names
Botanical names are having a moment, but you can skip Lily and Rose for something fresher. More in our nature names for girls and flower names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Wren | A small, lively songbird | English |
| Linnea | The twinflower, named for botanist Carl Linnaeus | Swedish |
| Juniper | The evergreen shrub | Latin |
| Zinnia | A bright summer flower named for Johann Zinn | Botanical |
| Marigold | “Mary’s gold,” the orange flower | English |
| Briar | A thorny wild rose | English |
| Lark | A songbird known for singing at dawn | English |
| Sorrel | A lemony herb; a reddish-brown color | English |
| Clover | The lucky three-leaf plant | English |
| Laurel | The bay tree, symbol of victory | Latin |
| Fern | The feathery green plant | English |
| Magnolia | The flowering tree named for Pierre Magnol | Botanical |
| Azalea | “Dry,” the flowering shrub | Greek |
| Yarrow | A wildflower used in herbal medicine | English |
| Amaryllis | “To sparkle”; a trumpet-shaped flower | Greek |
| Tamsin | Cornish form of Thomasina, “twin” | Cornish |
Girl names from mythology and legend
Goddesses and heroines give a name instant backstory. Our mythology girl names list goes deeper into Greek, Norse and Celtic legends.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Isolde | Heroine of Tristan and Isolde; possibly “ice ruler” | Celtic / Germanic |
| Calliope | “Beautiful voice,” muse of epic poetry | Greek |
| Rhiannon | “Great queen,” a figure in the Mabinogion | Welsh |
| Persephone | Queen of the underworld and goddess of spring | Greek |
| Eos | Goddess of the dawn | Greek |
| Idun | Norse goddess of youth and golden apples | Norse |
| Thalia | “To flourish,” muse of comedy | Greek |
| Niamh | “Bright, radiant”; queen of Tír na nÓg (NEEV) | Irish |
| Andromeda | Princess rescued by Perseus; also a galaxy | Greek |
| Minerva | Roman goddess of wisdom | Latin |
| Artemis | Goddess of the hunt and the moon | Greek |
| Brigid | “Exalted one,” Celtic goddess of fire and poetry | Irish |
| Ariadne | “Most holy”; she guided Theseus out of the labyrinth | Greek |
| Sigrid | “Beautiful victory” | Norse |
| Danae | Mother of Perseus | Greek |
Literary girl names with character
Borrowing from a favorite book is a lovely way to be original. These heroines and authors are recognizable to readers but rare in classrooms.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Marlowe | “Driftwood” or “lake remnant”; after playwright Christopher Marlowe | English |
| Clementine | “Merciful,” from the folk song and many novels | Latin |
| Ophelia | “Help,” Hamlet’s tragic heroine | Greek |
| Beatrix | “She who brings happiness,” as in Beatrix Potter | Latin |
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman’s brave heroine; a spin on Caroline | Modern English |
| Imogen | From Shakespeare’s Cymbeline; possibly “maiden” | Celtic / English |
| Scout | Nickname of the narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird | English |
| Portia | The clever heroine of The Merchant of Venice | Latin |
| Wendy | Popularized by Peter Pan | English |
| Hermione | “Messenger,” from Hermes; Shakespeare and Harry Potter | Greek |
| Eloise | “Healthy, wide”; the Plaza Hotel heroine | French / Germanic |
| Arden | “Valley of the eagle”; Shakespeare’s forest | English |
| Matilda | “Mighty in battle,” Roald Dahl’s bookworm | Germanic |
| Bronte | After the Brontë sisters; “thunder” in Greek | Irish / Greek |
| Anouk | French diminutive of Anna, “grace” | Dutch / French |
Celestial and cosmic girl names
Stars, moons and light make for dreamy names. See names that mean star and star names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Soleil | “Sun” | French |
| Lyra | The lyre constellation, home of the star Vega | Greek |
| Celeste | “Heavenly” | Latin |
| Selene | Goddess of the moon | Greek |
| Elara | A moon of Jupiter; a lover of Zeus | Greek |
| Vega | “Swooping eagle,” one of the brightest stars | Arabic |
| Estelle | “Star” | French |
| Io | A moon of Jupiter; a priestess of Hera | Greek |
| Carina | “Keel,” a southern constellation | Latin |
| Aurora | “Dawn”; the northern lights | Latin |
| Seren | “Star” | Welsh |
| Halley | After Halley’s Comet; “hay meadow” | English |
| Astra | “Star” | Latin |
| Nova | “New,” an exploding star | Latin |
Unique international girl names
Names that are familiar in their home country but rare in the US feel fresh and authentic. Check our Irish girl names and Japanese girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin / pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Oona | “Lamb” or “unity” | Irish (OO-na) |
| Saoirse | “Freedom” | Irish (SEER-sha) |
| Esmé | “Esteemed, loved” | French (ez-MAY) |
| Ingrid | “Beautiful” (from the god Ing) | Norse |
| Anneliese | Combination of Anna and Elisabeth | German |
| Liesel | Short for Elisabeth, “God is my oath” | German |
| Mireille | “To admire” | French (mee-RAY) |
| Kaia | “Pure” (from Katherine); “sea” in Hawaiian | Scandinavian / Hawaiian |
| Noor | “Light” | Arabic |
| Yuki | “Snow” or “happiness” | Japanese |
| Aiko | “Beloved child” | Japanese |
| Solveig | “Sun strength” or “house strength” | Norwegian (SOL-vay) |
| Ximena | Possibly “listening”; Spanish form of Simone | Spanish (hee-MEH-na) |
| Zofia | “Wisdom” | Polish |
| Ilse | German short form of Elisabeth | German |
| Talia | “Dew of God” | Hebrew |
| Maëlle | “Princess” or “chief” | Breton (ma-EL) |
Rare vintage girl names ready for a comeback
These were common a century ago and are nearly gone now — perfect for parents who love the vintage girl names look.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Winifred | “Blessed peace” | Welsh / Old English |
| Ottilie | “Wealthy, prosperous” | German |
| Mabel | “Lovable” | Latin |
| Augusta | “Great, venerable” | Latin |
| Dorothea | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Philippa | “Lover of horses” | Greek |
| Cordelia | Possibly “heart”; King Lear’s loyal daughter | Latin |
| Temperance | The virtue of moderation | English |
| Henrietta | “Ruler of the home” | Germanic |
| Leonie | “Lioness” | French |
| Blanche | “White” | French |
| Marguerite | “Pearl”; the daisy flower | French |
| Hester | “Star,” a form of Esther | Persian |
| Rosamund | “Horse protection,” later read as “rose of the world” | Germanic |
Short unique girl names
One- or two-syllable names that still stand out. For more, see our short girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Thea | “Goddess” | Greek |
| Juno | Queen of the Roman gods | Latin |
| Blythe | “Happy, carefree” | English |
| Remy | “Oarsman” or from Reims | French |
| Sage | The wise herb | Latin |
| Ines | Spanish form of Agnes, “pure” | Spanish |
| Isla | From the Scottish island of Islay | Scottish |
| Mae | Variant of May, the month | English |
| Nell | Short for Eleanor or Helen, “light” | English |
| Romy | Short for Rosemarie | German |
| Echo | Mountain nymph whose voice lingered | Greek |
| Zelie | Short for Azélie, “zeal” | French |
| Bea | “She who brings happiness” | Latin |
| Opal | The iridescent gemstone | Sanskrit |
| Delphine | “From Delphi”; dolphin | French / Greek |
| Rue | The herb; also “regret” | English |
| Lux | “Light” | Latin |
| Pia | “Pious, devout” | Latin |
How to choose a unique girl name she’ll love
- Unique, not unspellable. A rare name with a clear spelling (Wren, Oona, Linnea) is easier to live with than a common name spelled creatively.
- Check the popularity trend. A name at #900 today can hit the top 100 in five years — Maeve and Juniper both climbed fast. Look up the Social Security Administration data before committing.
- Pair bold with classic. A daring first name balances beautifully with a familiar middle, like Calliope Jane or Marlowe Grace. Our middle names for girls can help.
- Say it with your last name. Watch for rhymes, awkward initials and endings that run into the surname.
- Give her an everyday option. Names with easy nicknames — Clementine (Clem), Persephone (Percy), Winifred (Winnie) — let her choose how unique to be.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most unique girl name?
No name is completely unique, but choices like Isolde, Ottilie, Linnea and Calliope are each given to only a few hundred US babies a year or fewer, so they’re rarely shared in a class.
How do I know if a girl name is too unusual?
Try it in real situations: introducing her at school, on a résumé, called at the doctor’s office. If people can spell and pronounce it after hearing it once, it’s unique in a good way.
Are unique names bad for kids?
Research is mixed, and most studies find a distinctive name has little effect on outcomes. What matters more is that the name is easy to say and that she has a comfortable nickname if she wants one.
What are some unique but pretty girl names?
Soleil, Linnea, Isolde, Marlowe, Clementine, Lyra, Esmé and Wren are all uncommon but instantly appealing, with lovely meanings.
What unique girl names have nice meanings?
Winifred (blessed peace), Beatrix (she who brings happiness), Noor (light), Soleil (sun) and Blythe (happy) all carry warm, positive meanings.