The Uncommon Baby Names That You May Have Never Heard Of
Finding the perfect name for your bundle of joy can be one of life's greatest (and most daunting) challenges. With a population now exceeding 7 billion, chances are that every single name out there has been taken multiple times!
But don't despair - we've done some digging to find you some unusual names that stray from the ordinary. From 'Aero' and 'Roone', to those old-school classics like 'Kermit' - this article will give you all the inspiration needed to make sure no other kid on your block shares your little one's unique title. Keep reading and let the naming commence!
Edaline
This is one of those names that can be spelled multiple ways with the exact same meaning: Edeline, Edalene, etc. A more popular variation of the name is Adeline; many international figures in the arts have held this name. The meaning of the name regardless of the spelling is "noble."
Only 30 girls have been given the name "Edaline" in the past 200 years, while nearly 70,000 have been given the name "Adeline" in the same amount of time according to Everything Birthday. In other words, the spelling makes no difference in the meaning, but a large difference in terms of popularity.
Tansy
Tansy is a Greek name that means immortality. However, it is also the name of a plant that consists of small clusters of bright yellow blossoms. The plant was used as a natural medicine and is associated with health (hence its immortality meaning).
The most recent and popular use of the name was a character on the show Hart of Dixie. The name was also briefly mentioned in the show Game of Thrones. Despite its powerful meaning, the name has yet to become widespread.
Cassius
There are two ways to pronounce this name: CASH-us or CASS-ee-us. Both pronunciations have been used in different countries. The name is of Latin origin and means "hollow." Shakespeare fans may recognize the name as the prominent figure in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
More recently, the name was given at birth to boxing legend Muhammad Ali. It is also the name of musician Bobby Brown's youngest son. Now that celebrities are using the name, it may be a matter of time before Cassius gains some traction.
Circe
Circe is another Greek naming, this time meaning "bird." The name is most widely known as the daughter of Helios in Greek mythology. According to the myth, she is a sorceress who can turn men into animals.
She shows up in Homer's Odyssey and turns his crew into swine. Later on, she and Odyssey have a child together. The name also appeared in Ulysses and Song of Solomon. Apart from old literature, however, the name has yet to gain recognition.
Cato
Cato is a Latin name that has been used for both boys and girls. The meaning is "all-knowing." In the United States, the name was most popular prior to 1880. There was a sharp decline at the turn of the 20th century in the name's use.
Despite having a few spikes, the name nearly disappeared by the 1990s. The name has been sneaking its way back into use in the 2000s, but its popularity is nowhere near where it was in the 19th century.
Beacan
Beacan is a male name of Irish origin that means "tiny one." It is the name of an Irish saint who conjures up a beacon of light.
Other variations of the name are Beagan and Beccan.
Failenn
According to Names.org, there have been less that 100 Failenns in the U.S. since 1880. The name is of Irish origin and means "a graceful woman."
It's ironic that the name is so unknown, considering that it consists of two relatively common names: Faye and Lynn.
Aero
Aero means "of the sky." The Greek name can be used for a boy or a girl, but it is slightly more common for boys.
According to Baby Name Uniqueness Analyzer, a child would have about a 0.4% chance of going to school with a boy named Aero and a mere 0.08% chance of going to school with a girl named Aero.
Roald
Many have only encountered the name Roald due to the famous author Roald Dahl.
The meaning of the Norwegian name is "famous ruler." Additionally, it is practically the same as the common title "Donald," just without the "n." Roald has remained a virtually untouched name.
Zephyr
Zephyr is a Greek name that is often used for boys. Zephyr was the god of the west wind according to ancient mythology.
The name's popularity declined throughout the 1900s. It's rare to find a name that starts with a "z," making this name unique thanks to its infrequency and spelling.
Jessamy
Jessamy is a Persian name that means "Jasmine flower." The name is the title of a children's story by Barbara Sleigh.
The story came out in 1967, and the name soon spiked in popularity in the seventies. It reached its all-time high in the early eighties before nosediving. Despite having a few spikes, the name has gradually declined since 2005.
Nephele
Nephele means cloudy, and was named after the Greek goddess who was created from a cloud.
Apart from Greek mythology, the name is virtually unused. If you're looking for a truly rare name, this may be the name for you. It can also be spelled Nefeli, which is a modern Greek variant.
Roone
Roone is an Irish name that means "red-headed." The only Roone to appear in pop culture was the American sports and news broadcasting executive Roone Arledge.
Some sources argue that the name is related to the Gaelic Ó Ruadháin, which means "descendant of the champion."
Venetia
Venetia is a female name that means Venice, as in the Italian city. Its significance is derived from the land to which it refers.
It is the name of the aristocratic protagonist in the novel Scandalous Risks. There was also an American actress named Venetia Stevenson in the 1950s.
Eulalia
Eulalia is a Greek name meaning "well-spoken." The name peaked in popularity in the 1890s, and fell off the charts around the middle of the 20th century.
A Spanish saint was one of the more significant figures to hold the name.
Humphrey
Humphrey sounds familiar, thanks to actor Humphrey Bogart, the star of Casablanca. Despite its popularity at the turn of the 20th century (Bogart was born in 1899), its been on a steady decline since.
The German name means "peaceful warrior."
Aminta
Aminta is an Arabic name derived from the Greek term "amyntor," which means "protector" or "defender." It is the female equivalent of the Italian name Amintore. English variations of the name are Amynta, Arminta, or the simply the shortened Minta.
The name was first popularized by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso in the 16th century and peaked during the Restoration period. Nowadays, Amina is the more common variation used, having reached 0.062% usage in 2017 according to BabyNamesPedia.
Kermit
While the muppets made many of us think that Kermit is just another way to say frog, it actually means "free man." The name is Irish and was in the Top 500 names until the 1960s when it became tainted by Kermit the Frog.
Another famous, and perhaps favored, Kermit was the son of President Theodore Roosevelt, Kermit Roosevelt. The name peaked in popularity in 1910, but by 1980 it disappeared from the radar entirely.
Tanwen
Tanwen is a Welsh name typically assigned to girls. The name is thought to mean either "white fire" or "holy fire."
There are no known famous people who have been given the name Tanwen. If you're looking for a baby name that virtually no one else has, this one may be the winner.
Millicent
Millicent is a French name that means "brave strength." The name was most popular in the 1920s. It slowly but surely lost its high ranking throughout the second half of the 20th century. You may better recognize its nickname, Millie.
The name sounds similar to the word maleficent, a word that means "causing harm" and was the title of a 2014 Disney film. However, the meaning is quite the opposite, since someone who is brave often defends themselves from that which is causing harm.
