Unique girl names: 130+ rare and uncommon baby girl names with meanings
136 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest
Unique girl names are real names that few US girls get, like Saoirse (freedom), Calliope (beautiful voice) and Farida, which means unique. These baby girl names are unique without being made-up spellings: each is a real name with a documented meaning, every one ranks outside the US top 150 for 2025, and most are outside the top 1,000.
Below are 130+ uncommon girl names grouped by origin and style: Irish, Welsh and Cornish names, Greek and Latin names, rare Hebrew names, nature names, unique female names from the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe, vintage revivals, Norse classics and unique nicknames for girls from around the world. Each name has its meaning, the language it comes from and a pronunciation tip where it helps.
Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks
Róisín
Little rose; Irish Gaelic, a poetic name for Ireland. Say roh-SHEEN
Gudrun
God's secret lore; Old Norse, a heroine of the sagas
Ingrid
Ing is beautiful; Old Norse, actress Bergman's first name
Vesper
Evening star; Latin, also the word for evening prayer
Signe
New victory; Old Norse. Say SEE-neh in Danish, SING-neh in Swedish
Saffron
Golden spice; Arabic via English, also a warm yellow
Find a unique girl name on this page
Narrow 136 names by how common they were for US girls in 2025, by section, length or first letter, or search the meanings.
Uncommon Irish, Welsh and Cornish girl names
Celtic names that are familiar at home but rarely heard in the US. The spelling often hides the sound, so we add a guide.
- Caoimhe 24 in 2025: Gentle, dear; Irish Gaelic. Say KEE-va
- Fionnuala 6 in 2025: White shoulder; Irish Gaelic, a girl turned into a swan. Say fin-NOO-la
- Bláthnaid Under 5 in 2025: Little flower; Irish Gaelic. Say BLAW-nid
- Róisín 64 in 2025: Little rose; Irish Gaelic, a poetic name for Ireland. Say roh-SHEEN
- Carys 32 in 2025: Love, beloved; Welsh. Say KA-riss
- Ffion Under 5 in 2025: Foxglove flower; Welsh. Say FEE-on
- Angharad Under 5 in 2025: Much loved; Welsh, a heroine of Arthurian tales. Say an-HAR-ad
- Tegan 80 in 2025: Darling; Welsh, from a word for pretty
Rare Greek girl names
Muses, nymphs, queens and saints, with the Greek meaning behind each one.
- Xanthe 15 in 2025: Golden, yellow; Greek. Say ZAN-thee
- Eudora 25 in 2025: Good gift; Greek, author Welty's first name
- Cosima 19 in 2025: Order, decency; Greek via Italian. Say KOH-zee-ma
- Eulalia 57 in 2025: Sweetly speaking; Greek, a patron saint of Barcelona
- Theodosia 35 in 2025: Gift of God; Greek, Aaron Burr's daughter in Hamilton
- Eirene 15 in 2025: Peace; Greek, the goddess of peace. Say eye-REE-nee
- Sophronia 6 in 2025: Self-controlled, sensible; Greek, a vintage name with a scholarly feel. Say so-FROH-nee-a
Uncommon Latin girl names
Roman names and virtue names that still sound elegant today.
- Honora 15 in 2025: Honor; Latin, a classic in old Irish families
- Sabina 68 in 2025: Sabine woman; Latin, from an ancient Italian people
- Letitia Under 5 in 2025: Joy, happiness; Latin, Lettie for short. Say leh-TISH-a
Rare Hebrew and biblical girl names
Lesser-known women of the Bible and modern Israeli names.
- Tirzah 62 in 2025: Favorable; Hebrew, a daughter of Zelophehad in Numbers
- Adah 110 in 2025: Adornment; Hebrew, one of the first women named in Genesis
- Elisheba 8 in 2025: My God is an oath; Hebrew, Aaron's wife and the root of Elizabeth
- Ayelet 46 in 2025: Gazelle, doe; Hebrew, popular in Israel. Say ah-YEH-let
- Yael 127 in 2025: Mountain goat, ibex; Hebrew, a heroine in Judges. Say yah-EL
- Shira 79 in 2025: Song, poetry; Hebrew. Say SHEER-ah
- Ilana 71 in 2025: Tree; Hebrew. Say ee-LAH-na
- Dalia US #800: Hanging branch; Hebrew, also the Spanish form of Dahlia. Say DAHL-ya
Unique nature names for girls
Flower, tree and gem names that are far less common than Lily or Rose.
- Amaryllis 73 in 2025: To sparkle; Greek, a shepherdess in Virgil and a flower
- Camellia 123 in 2025: Named for botanist Kamel; Latin, a glossy winter-blooming flower. Say ka-MEEL-ya
Unique female names from the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific
Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Japanese, Hawaiian and Māori names, each with its source language.
- Farida 38 in 2025: Unique, matchless; Arabic, made for a one-of-a-kind girl. Say fa-REE-da
- Safiya 168 in 2025: Pure, sincere; Arabic, a wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Say sah-FEE-yah
- Laleh 10 in 2025: A tulip; Persian. Say lah-LEH
- Soraya US #868: The Pleiades star cluster; Persian form of an Arabic name. Say so-RYE-a
- Parisa 28 in 2025: Like a fairy; Persian. Say pah-ree-SAH
- Shirin 15 in 2025: Sweet, charming; Persian, a heroine of classic poetry. Say shee-REEN
- Anjali 65 in 2025: Offering with joined hands; Sanskrit. Say AHN-ja-lee
- Kavya 75 in 2025: Poetry, poem; Sanskrit. Say KAHV-ya
- Marama Under 5 in 2025: Moon, month; Māori, a moon deity in legend. Say MAH-rah-mah
Unique girl names from Africa and Europe
Akan day names, Swahili and Igbo names, and rare European picks.
- Ama 14 in 2025: Born on Saturday; Akan, Ghana. Say AH-mah
- Abena 15 in 2025: Born on Tuesday; Akan, Ghana. Say ah-BEH-nah
- Imani US #579: Faith, belief; Swahili, from Arabic. Say ee-MAH-nee
- Chiamaka 7 in 2025: God is more beautiful; Igbo, Nigeria. Say chee-ah-MAH-kah
- Anouk Under 5 in 2025: Favor, grace; Dutch pet form of Anna. Say ah-NOOK
- Liesl 33 in 2025: My God is an oath; German, the eldest von Trapp child in The Sound of Music. Say LEE-zel
Unique vintage girl names
Early-1900s names: some still rare, some already on their way back.
Rare Norse girl names
Old Norse names that are classics in Scandinavia and rare in the US.
- Signe 8 in 2025: New victory; Old Norse. Say SEE-neh in Danish, SING-neh in Swedish
- Dagny 24 in 2025: New day; Old Norse. Say DAHG-nee, or DAHNG-nee in Scandinavia
- Runa 62 in 2025: Secret lore; Old Norse. Say ROO-na
- Sunniva 25 in 2025: Sun gift; Old English via Norwegian, a saint of Norway. Say soo-NEE-va
Unique nicknames for girls
Real pet forms and short forms from many languages. Use one as a nickname for a longer name, or as a first name in its own right.
- Kizzy Under 5 in 2025: Pet form of Keziah, cassia; Hebrew. A heroine of Roots (1977)
- Clemmie Under 5 in 2025: Pet form of Clementine, merciful; Latin. Say KLEM-ee
- Sukie Under 5 in 2025: Pet form of Susanna, lily; Hebrew via English. Say SOO-kee
- Lisette 29 in 2025: French pet form of Élisabeth, my God is an oath. Say lee-ZET
- Ninon Under 5 in 2025: French pet form of Anne, favor or grace. Say nee-NOHN
- Annick Under 5 in 2025: Breton pet form of Anna, favor or grace. Say ah-NEEK
- Paquita Under 5 in 2025: Spanish pet form of Francisca, a Frenchwoman. Say pah-KEE-tah
- Pepita Under 5 in 2025: Spanish pet form of Josefa, God will add. Say peh-PEE-tah
- Zosia 35 in 2025: Polish pet form of Zofia, wisdom; Greek. Say ZAW-shah
- Gosia Under 5 in 2025: Polish pet form of Małgorzata, a pearl. Say GAW-shah
- Mette Under 5 in 2025: Danish pet form of Margaret, a pearl. Say MED-eh
- Malin 16 in 2025: Swedish short form of Magdalene, woman of Magdala. Say MAH-lin
- Stina Under 5 in 2025: Scandinavian short form of Kristina, follower of Christ. Say STEE-nah
- Brita Under 5 in 2025: Scandinavian pet form of Birgitta, exalted one. Say BRIT-ah
- Sanne Under 5 in 2025: Dutch and Danish short form of Susanna, lily. Say SAHN-neh
How to pick the right name
Test the spelling
Saoirse, Niamh and Caoimhe are lovely but rarely spelled right on the first try. If that matters to you, choose a rare name that reads the way it sounds, like Dagny, Seren or Linnea.
Look for a story
Names with history, like Philippa for a medieval queen or Calliope for a Muse, give your daughter something to share when people ask about her name.
Pair rare with familiar
A rare first name sits well with a simple middle name, and a classic first name can carry a rare middle name like Elowen or Vesper.
Check the nickname
Long names come with built-in short forms: Wilhelmina can be Mina, Henrietta can be Hettie and Theodosia can be Theo.
Save this list for later
Pin it to a naming board, or tap the heart next to any name to keep it in your favorites on this device.
Unique girl names: how rare is rare, and how to keep it that way
By The Nomezo Editors · Updated October 25, 2026 · How we research names
“Unique” is relative, so we measure it. Of the 136 names on this page, 14 rank between 101 and 500 in the US, 10 more between 501 and 1,000, 89 are outside the top 1,000 and 23 were given to fewer than 5 US girls in 2025. The tag beside each name in the finder shows its number.
Girls' names are more spread out than boys': in 2025 the top 1,000 girls' names covered about 67% of girls, against about 76% of boys, so roughly one girl in three has a name outside the top 1,000.
- Step 1Pick your level of rareFamiliar but rare, or almost unheard of: the finder sorts them.
- Step 2Check the trendSome rare names are climbing fast and will not stay rare.
- Step 3Say it and spell itIrish spellings hide their sound; read the tips before you fall in love.
- Step 4Check other languagesA sweet word in one country can be slang in another.
How rare is rare?
| Tier | What it means | Names on this page |
|---|---|---|
| Ranks 101 to 500 | Familiar but rare: everyone knows it, few classmates will share it | 14 |
| Ranks 501 to 1,000 | Uncommon: recognized, but seldom heard at school | 10 |
| Outside the top 1,000 | Rare: the 1,000th name, Harmoni, went to 252 girls, so these went to fewer | 89 |
| Fewer than 5 girls | Very rare: too few for Social Security to list at all | 23 |
Source: US Social Security Administration, 2025 data. Names given to fewer than 5 babies are not published, each spelling is counted separately, and accents are dropped (Róisín is counted as Roisin).
Rare today, popular tomorrow?
Unique names do not stay unique if everyone finds them at once. These names from this page climbed fastest from 2020 to 2025:
| Name | US rank in 2020 | US rank in 2025 | Girls in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liora | #2,569 | #900 | 295 |
| Daphne | #415 | #178 | 1,740 |
| Seraphina | #1,275 | #600 | 489 |
| Marigold | #1,097 | #590 | 498 |
| Elowen | #1,346 | #798 | 341 |
| Keziah | #1,167 | #767 | 354 |
Source: US Social Security Administration. A cautionary tale: Kizzy, from the 1977 TV miniseries Roots, went to 1,117 US girls that year (#223); in 2025 fewer than 5 girls got it.
Three checks before you choose
- Old or new? Several Celtic names sound ancient but are modern as given names: Saoirse was first used as a name in the 20th century, and Behind the Name calls Seren a recently created Welsh name and Elowen a recently coined Cornish one (Behind the Name). That is fine; just know it.
- What it means elsewhere. A harmless pet name in one country can be slang in another. Concha, a Spanish pet form of Concepción, is vulgar in parts of South America, which is why it is not on this page (Wiktionary). Look a name up in the languages your family speaks.
- Day and faith names. Akan families often name a child for the day she was born: Ama is a Saturday girl and Abena a Tuesday girl (Wikipedia). Names like these carry meaning for the people who use them, so borrow them with care.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the most unique girl name?
There is no single answer, but names like Ylva, Angharad, Fionnuala and Sophronia are real, documented names that fewer than 5 US girls got in 2025. Farida even means unique.
What are some unique girl names with meaning?
Elowen means elm tree, Seren means a star, Liora means my light and Farida means unique. All are real names that are uncommon in the US.
What are some unique nicknames for girls?
Real pet forms like Clemmie, Kizzy, Zosia and Ninon are rare in the US and come with a full name behind them. Clemmie is short for Clementine, Kizzy for Keziah and Zosia for Zofia.
How do you pronounce Niamh and Saoirse?
Niamh is said NEEV and Saoirse is said SEER-sha. Caoimhe is KEE-va and Aoife is EE-fa, because Irish spelling follows its own rules.
Are vintage names good unique girl names?
Often. Names like Mildred, Ethel, Henrietta and Wilhelmina were far more common a century ago and are rare today. But vintage is not always rare: Clementine reached its highest US count ever in 2025, so check the tag beside each name.
Is a name outside the top 1,000 automatically rare?
It is less common than you might think. In 2025 the top 1,000 girls' names covered only about 67% of US girls, so roughly one girl in three has a name outside them. The 1,000th name, Harmoni, went to 252 girls, so a name just outside the list can still have a couple of hundred namesakes a year.
Are Irish names like Saoirse very old?
Some are, some are not. Saoirse is an Irish word for freedom that became a given name only in the 20th century, and Niamh has been used as a name since the early 20th century. They are real and well loved, just younger than they sound.
How rare are the names on this page?
In 2025 Social Security data, 14 rank between 101 and 500, 10 more rank between 501 and 1,000, 89 are outside the top 1,000 and 23 were given to fewer than 5 US girls. None is in the top 150.
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