Rare Names
A rare name is one your child won’t share with three classmates, yet one that still has a real history behind it. Every name below is given to relatively few babies in the US each year, but none of them is made up: each has a documented meaning and origin, from Old English and Latin to Welsh, Swedish and Sanskrit.
We’ve grouped 90 of our favorites by style so you can find the right kind of rare. For bigger lists, head to our dedicated pages of rare girl names, rare boy names and rare unisex names, or browse our broader collection of unique baby names.
Rare Names: browse all lists
Rare girl names with beautiful meanings
These names feel polished and familiar enough to spell, but you’ll rarely hear them called across a playground. Hundreds more are waiting on our rare girl names page.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Aurelie | Golden | French, from Latin aureus |
| Isolde | Possibly “ice battle” (Germanic) or “fair one” (Celtic) | Arthurian legend |
| Marisol | Sea and sun (mar y sol) | Spanish |
| Ottilie | Prosperous in battle | German |
| Saoirse | Freedom | Irish (SEER-sha) |
| Calanthe | Beautiful flower | Greek |
| Elowen | Elm tree | Cornish |
| Zinnia | The zinnia flower, named for botanist Johann Zinn | Botanical |
| Linnea | The twinflower, named for Carl Linnaeus | Swedish |
| Clementine | Merciful, mild | Latin, via French |
| Delphine | Of Delphi; linked to “dolphin” | French, from Greek |
| Philippa | Lover of horses | Greek |
| Seraphina | Fiery ones, from the seraphim | Hebrew |
| Veda | Knowledge | Sanskrit |
| Oriana | Golden, or “to rise” | Latin |
| Rosalind | Gentle horse (Germanic); later read as “pretty rose” | Germanic |
| Esmé | Esteemed, loved | Old French |
| Lark | The songbird | English |
Rare boy names that still sound strong
Many of these belonged to kings, saints and poets before falling out of fashion. See our full list of rare boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Alaric | Ruler of all | Gothic |
| Cassius | Roman family name, possibly “hollow” | Latin |
| Evander | Good man | Greek |
| Leopold | Bold people | Germanic |
| Lucian | Light | Latin |
| Osric | Divine ruler | Old English |
| Thaddeus | Possibly “heart” or “courageous” | Aramaic |
| Anselm | God’s helmet, divine protection | Germanic |
| Barnaby | Son of consolation | Aramaic, via English |
| Casimir | Proclaimer of peace | Polish |
| Ignatius | Linked to Latin ignis, “fire” | Latin |
| Lysander | Liberator | Greek |
| Peregrine | Traveler, pilgrim | Latin |
| Cormac | Commonly “charioteer” | Irish |
| Emrys | Immortal | Welsh |
| Ambrose | Immortal, divine | Greek |
| Florian | Flowering | Latin |
| Lorcan | Little fierce one | Irish |
Rare unisex names
Gender-neutral names are having a moment, but these still sit well outside the top 500. Pair them with ideas from our unisex names hub.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Sutton | South town | English surname |
| Ellis | From Elias, or Welsh Elisedd, “kind” | Welsh / English |
| Marlowe | Remnant of a lake, driftwood | Old English |
| Linden | The linden (lime) tree | English / German |
| Arden | High land, from the Forest of Arden | Celtic, via English |
| Sage | Wise; the herb | Latin |
| Lennox | Place of elms | Scottish Gaelic |
| Wren | The small songbird | English |
| Oakley | Oak clearing | Old English |
| Blair | Plain, field | Scottish Gaelic |
| Emerson | Son of Emery | English |
| Remy | From Remigius, “oarsman” | French |
| Shiloh | Biblical place name, often read as “tranquil” | Hebrew |
| Indigo | The deep blue dye; “from India” | Greek, via Spanish |
Rare vintage names ready for a comeback
Your great-grandparents knew these names well. They’ve been quiet for decades, which is exactly why they feel fresh again. Browse our old names collection for more.
| Name | Meaning | Peak era (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Mildred | Gentle strength | 1910s |
| Agatha | Good | 1900s |
| Beatrix | She who brings joy | 1900s |
| Winifred | Blessed peace (from Welsh Gwenfrewi) | 1910s |
| Cornelius | Horn | 1880s |
| Horace | From the Roman family name Horatius | 1880s |
| Ida | Work, labor | 1880s |
| Mabel | Lovable (Latin amabilis) | 1890s |
| Otto | Wealth | 1900s |
| Rufus | Red-haired | 1890s |
| Cyril | Lordly | 1920s |
| Edmund | Fortunate protector | 1900s |
| Hortense | Garden | 1910s |
| Percival | Pierce the valley (Arthurian knight) | 1900s |
Rare names from myth and legend
Heroes, goddesses and bards make memorable names with a story built in. If you love these, see our lists of Greek god names and Welsh names.
| Name | Story | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Andromeda | Princess rescued by Perseus; now a galaxy | Greek |
| Calypso | Nymph who held Odysseus; “she who conceals” | Greek |
| Persephone | Queen of the underworld and goddess of spring | Greek |
| Eos | Goddess of the dawn | Greek |
| Leander | Swam the Hellespont nightly to reach Hero | Greek |
| Cadmus | Founder of Thebes, credited with bringing the alphabet | Greek |
| Baldur | Norse god of light and beauty | Norse |
| Idun | Goddess who guards the apples of youth | Norse |
| Brigid | Goddess of poetry and fire; “exalted one” | Irish |
| Niamh | Otherworld queen of Tír na nÓg; “bright” (NEEV) | Irish |
| Oisín | Poet-warrior who followed Niamh; “little deer” (uh-SHEEN) | Irish |
| Rhiannon | Horse-riding queen of the Mabinogion; “great queen” | Welsh |
| Taliesin | Legendary bard; “shining brow” | Welsh |
| Theseus | Slayer of the Minotaur | Greek |
Rare international names
Common in their home countries, rare in the US — the sweet spot for a name that’s distinctive but proven.
| Name | Meaning | Where it’s used |
|---|---|---|
| Anouk | Grace (a form of Anna) | Netherlands, France |
| Ilse | God is my oath (from Elisabeth) | Germany, Netherlands |
| Zosia | Wisdom (from Zofia) | Poland |
| Mireille | To admire | France (Provençal) |
| Søren | Stern, severe (from Severinus) | Denmark |
| Ilya | My God is Yahweh (form of Elijah) | Russia, Ukraine |
| Tamsin | Twin (from Thomasina) | Cornwall, England |
| Farida | Unique, precious | Arabic-speaking countries |
| Oona | From Irish Úna, possibly “lamb” | Ireland, Finland |
| Anders | Manly (form of Andrew) | Scandinavia |
| Keziah | Cassia tree; daughter of Job | Hebrew / English |
| Ihsan | Excellence, doing good | Arabic, Turkish |
How to choose a rare name that works
- Check the numbers. The Social Security Administration publishes every name given to five or more babies a year. A name with a few hundred births is rare but not strange.
- Test spelling and pronunciation. Say it to a friend and ask them to write it down. Irish and Welsh names like Saoirse or Oisín are gorgeous but will need spelling out often.
- Lean on history. A rare name with a real meaning (Peregrine, Elowen) ages better than an invented spelling of a popular one.
- Balance it. A rare first name pairs nicely with a classic middle name, and vice versa. Our middle names list helps with pairings.
- Think about nicknames. Ottilie becomes Tilly, Barnaby becomes Barney, Seraphina becomes Sera — a friendly short form makes a rare name easier to live with.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a rare name?
There’s no official cut-off, but a name given to fewer than about 500 US babies a year (roughly outside the top 1,000 in SSA data) is usually considered rare.
Is it bad to give a child a rare name?
Not at all. Rare names can help a child stand out on paper. The best ones are easy to say once heard and have a clear meaning or story behind them.
What is the rarest real name?
Thousands of names are recorded fewer than ten times a year, so there’s no single rarest. Old names like Hortense or Osric are good examples of real names that almost nobody uses today.
What is a rare but pretty girl name?
Elowen, Linnea, Aurelie, Calanthe and Ottilie are all rare in the US, easy to pronounce and carry lovely meanings.
What is a rare but strong boy name?
Alaric (“ruler of all”), Evander, Casimir, Lysander and Emrys all feel strong and distinctive without sounding invented.