Unique baby names are a great way to encourage individuality, embrace diversity, and avoid the confusion in classrooms where several kids have the same name. This list of creative baby names captures the hope and resilience of babies born in 2021 and takes inspiration from the physical and fantasy worlds. You'll find unique names for girls and boys, as well as rare unisex baby names that will show just how special your little one is.
Resilient and Unique Baby Names for Boys
Whether you're naming for character qualities you hope your little boy will have or looking for a strong name that invokes a sense of power or justice, these unique baby names can be a great fit for your little one. These uncommon names have deep meanings that will capture resilience and strength:
- Anders - strong and masculine
- Barnett - strength of the bear
- Fleet - quick and strong
- Gallant - brave and chivalrous
- Hero - admirable main character
- Judge - decider
- Justify - support with reason
- Kenzo - Japanese name for strength
- Loyal - dedicated
- Oaken - made of strong wood
- Valiance - bravery
- Valor - bravery
- Warrick - defending leader
- Zale - sea power
- Zeal - energy for life
Resilient and Unique Baby Names for Girls
Girls can be just as strong and resilient as boys, and their names can make the most of this important trait. Try one of these names for your little girl:
- Adept - excellent at a task
- Agility - quick and able to adjust
- Almada - German name meaning strong
- Courage - bravery
- Etana - Hebrew name for one with a strength of purpose
- Fortneigh - Latin for strength
- Isa - German name for strong-willed
- Lithe - strong and supple
- Mahogany - strong, dark, and beautiful wood
- Millicent - German name for hard-working strength
- Moxie - bold strength
- Nimble - quick to make adjustments
- Perseverence - refusing to give up
- Sisu - Finnish word for grit
- Zenobia - an ancient queen who conquered many places
Unique Baby Names That Mean Hope
Hope is an important quality. These hopeful baby names are creative and interesting, and they're perfect for a baby born in 2021.
- Asha - a Hindu name for hope
- Comfort - a help during difficult times
- Dillon - an Irish name for a ray of hope
- Kibou - Japanese for hope
- Matthan - a gift of hope
- Solace - a comfort for sadness
- Yuki - a Japanese name meaning hope
- Zita - a Spanish name for a hopeful gift
Unique U.S. Place Names for Your Baby
Some places are named after people and likewise, people can be named after places. Consider where your baby was conceived, where you met your partner or local places as unique names for the baby.
- Adirondack - a mountain range
- Alaska - US state
- Allegheny - a mountain range
- Galveston - a city in Texas
- Indiana - US state
- Jersey - US state
- Kansas - US state
- Lansing - a city in Michigan
- Laramie - a city in Wyoming
- Lexington - a city in Kentucky
- Nevada - US state
- Ocala - a city in Florida
- Oregon - US
- Susquehanna - a river
- Vegas - a city in Nevada
- Willamette - a river
Unique Unisex Baby Names Inspired by International Places
For a more exotic name inspired by location, look at exciting locations around the world. You may have travelled here, or you may simply love the sound of the name. Either way, it's a unique and creative choice for your little one.
- Aberdeen - a city in Scotland
- Angola - a country in Africa
- Bali - an island in Indonesia
- Caerleon - a Welsh city
- Cairo - a city in Egypt
- Cappadocia - a region in Turkey
- Dublin - a city in Ireland
- Jamaica - a country in the Caribbean
- Jakarta - a city in Indonesia
- Marseille - a city in France
- Oxford - a city in England
- Persia - another name for Iran
- Valencia - a city in Spain
- Venice - a city in Italy
- Xanadu - an ancient city
- Zaire - a country in Africa
Stylish Unique Baby Names
Fashion inspires so much of the world, why not baby names? Think about popular brands and designers or favorite fabrics and materials as unique names for boys or girls.
- Argentella - a type of lace
- Chiffon - a lightweight fabric
- Damask - a reversible woven fabric with an ornate design
- Dior - a fashion designer
- Elegant - stylish
- Flax - the plant used to make linen
- Gaultier (pronounced gol-tee-ay) - a fashion designer
- Glitter - sparkle
- Herrera - a fashion designer
- Jamdani - a finely woven textile
- Lace - a decorative fabric
- Linen - a simple fabric with a rough weave
- Mackinaw - a traditional fabric for a lumberjack's jacket, named after a region in Michigan
- Satin - a silky fabric
- Suede - a soft leather
- Taffeta - a beautiful fabric
- Velvet - a soft and luxurious fabric
One-of-a-Kind Garden Names for a Special Baby
Flowers make great baby names, and trees and other natural things do too. These creative baby names are inspired by nature. For an even more unique version, try changing up the spelling.
- Acacia - a type of tree
- Amaryllis - a large flower
- Arbor - an arch for growing vines
- Beech - a type of tree
- Branch - part of a tree
- Cedar - a type of tree
- Daffodil - a spring flower
- Flower - a plant that blooms
- Forsythia - a flowering bush
- Freesia - a beautiful white flower
- Gardenia - a fragrant flower
- Grove - a grouping of trees
- Hyacinth - a spring flower
- Hydrangea - a beautiful flower with large blossoms
- Lantana - a lovely, bright-colored flower
- Lilac - a flowering shrub
- Lotus - a beautiful flower
- Oak - a type of tree
- Oleander - a flower that smells amazing
- Peony - a large and beautiful flower
- Spruce - a type of tree
- Xantis - a name meaning "flower"
- Zinnia - a bright flower
Beautiful Unique Baby Names Inspired by Geography
The world is vast and full of places or concepts you can use to inspire baby's name. Consider where she was conceived or a favorite place to vacation if you're looking for a creative and unique name.
- Archipelago - island chain
- Canyon - a crevice carved by water
- Chaparral - a dense thicket
- Dell - a small valley
- Estuary - a body of water
- Glade - an open area in a forest
- Harbor - a sheltered spot on a body of water
- Hill - a rise in the landscape
- Lake - a body of water
- Oasis - an area where there is water in the desert
- Ocean - a body of water
Uncommon Colorful Baby Name
Colorful adjectives add style and individuality to your baby's name. Consider lesser known color names and shades for a one-of-a-kind first or middle name.
- Auburn - a reddish brown
- Azure - a shade of blue
- Byzantine - a shade of magenta
- Carmine - a shade of red
- Cerulean - a shade of blue
- Cordovan - a reddish brown
- Crimson - a shade of red
- Cyan - a shade of blue
- Fuchsia - a shade of pink
- Heliotrope - a light purple
- Icterine - a bright yellow
- Indigo - a shade between blue and purple
- Mikado - a kind of yellow
- Nattier - a soft shade of blue used by famous painter Jean-Marc Nattier
- Navy - a deep blue
- Nyanza - a pale blue
- Rajah - a deep orange
- Rainbow - all the colors
- Rosewood - a reddish brown
- Sarcoline - a flesh color
- Shade - shadow or tonality of a color
- Sunglow - a pale yellow
- Teal - a blue-green tone
- Verdigris - a shade of green
- Vermillion - a shade of red
- Zaffre - a deep blue made by melting cobalt ore
Unique Baby Names After Famous People
Celebrity first and last names from the past or present make great unique baby names because they sound familiar but aren't identical to the original namesake. Famous names pay homage to people who have inspired you or represent hopes of celebrity status for your little one.
- Angelou - after poet Maya Angelou
- Bach - after composer Johann Sebastian Bach
- Dillinger - after gunfighter John Dillinger
- Faulkner - after writer William Faulkner
- Halen - after musician Eddie Van Halen
- Halsey - after singer/songwriter Halsey
- Iggy - after singer Iggy Azalea
- Newton - after inventor Isaac Newton
- Patton - after General George S. Patton
- Wilde - after writer Oscar Wilde
- Wolfgang - after composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Zeppelin - after band Led Zeppelin
One-of-a-Kind Spiritual Baby Names
Take inspiration from the gods and afterlife concepts of belief systems around the world. These divine names give special meaning and blessings to your baby.
- Divinity - religious being or religious study
- Eternity - endless
- Nicodemus - Pharisee from the Bible
- Omni - Latin for "all"
- Pagan - beliefs other than those of mainstream religions
- Parrish - an area belonging to a church
- Peace - tranquility
- Spirit - soul or divinity
- Temple - a religious building
- Virtue - morally good
- Zen - a type of Buddhism
- Zophar - one of Job's three friends
Less Common Literary Baby Names
Great books have inspired fictional and real-life people and places for centuries. Use the name of your favorite literary character or get inspired by types of writing.
- Haiku - a poetic form
- Hedwig - from Harry Potter
- Hermione (pronounced her-MY-oh-nee) - from Harry Potter
- Horatio - character in Shakespeare's Hamlet
- Ichabod - as in Ichabod Crane from The Legend of Sleep Hollow
- Kindle - a type of e-book
- Lear - a king in Shakespeare's King Lear
- Moriarty - villain in the Sherlock Holmes stories
- Narnia - a magical place in The Chronicles of Narnia
- Nienna - Queen of the Valar in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, a collection of backstories for The Lord of the Rings trilogy
- Oberon - king of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Othello - title character in Shakespeare's Othello
- Story - a tale
High-Status Unique Baby Names
Historically, a person's position in life determined what he could or couldn't do and who he could associate with. Today, these names give your baby immediate clout with a traditional feel.
- Alliance - an agreement between nations
- Beylerbey - governor in Ottoman empire
- Chatrapati - royal title in India
- Dauphine - a young prince
- Geisha - high status entertainer in ancient Japan
- Heritage - something that is inherited
- Kaiser - a German leader
- Noble - someone with status or royal blood
- Paragon - the peak of something
- Queen - female ruler
- Rebel - someone who fights against the established ruler
- Regent - a person who rules for a young or incapacitated ruler
- Reign - period of rule
- Warrior - someone who fights
Unusual Wild Animal Baby Names
Naming a child after an animal in reminiscent of native cultures and captures the personality of your little one's natural spirit.
- Eagle - bird of prey
- Fauna - animals
- Fawn - baby deer
- Finch - a type of bird
- Fox - a wild predator
- Jaguar - a wild cat
- Kitty - a baby cat
- Lark - a bird
- Lynx - a wild cat
- Madigan - a name that means "little dog"
- Viper - a snake
- Wolf - a wild dog
Out-of-This-World Rare Baby Names
Science and mystery combine when you give baby a name inspired by the cosmos. Planets, stars, galaxies, and the equipment used to discover them serve as a launching point for modern baby names. Use an astronomy dictionary to find out the meanings of potential names, or even find new names that just roll off the tongue.
- Albedo - reflected light or radiation
- Binary - twin stars
- Caldera - a depression formed by a volcano
- Chasma - a deep depression on the surface of a planet
- Corona - the ring around a sun
- Eclipse - when the shadow of something moves in front of something else
- Galaxy - a group of stars and planets held together by gravity
- Infinity - unending
- Jupiter - a planet
- Mercury - a planet
- Nebula - a cloud of dust and gas
- Patera - a crater with scalloped edges
- Quasar - a glowing celestial object
Pretty Cooking-Inspired Unique Baby Names
The culinary landscape of the world is enhanced by the discovery of new edible ingredients and the emotional responses foods elicit. Get inspired by herbs, spices, and other edibles for your original baby name.
- Amaretto - an almond-flavored liquor
- Ambrosia - a fruit dessert
- Barley - a grain
- Cinnamon - a spice
- Cayenne - a type of pepper
- Fennel - a spice
- Hallah - as in Challah or Hallah bread
- Honey - a sugar made by bees
- Lilikoi - Hawaiian word for passionfruit
- Saffron - a precious spice
- Suzette - as in crepes
- Taffy - a type of candy
- Tarragon - an herb
- Vanilla - a flavoring
Unique Seasonal Baby Names
Holidays, natural seasons, and calendar terminology often sprang from words in other languages. Use these new versions as an influence in choosing your baby's name.
- Bramble - blackberry bushes
- Calendaria - a religious feast involving candles
- Chinook - a spring wind
- Holiday - a special day of celebration
- Ides - a day in the middle of the month
- January - the first month
- July - the seventh month
- Lunar - related to the moon
- November - the 11th month
- October - the 10th month
- Spring - season
- Suma - means born during the summer
- Tuesday - day of the week
- Winter - season
Weather-Related Rare Baby Names
In modern weather, storms are given common people names. Flip the script and let the weather spark an original name for your little one.
- Altimeter - a device to measure altitude
- Beaufort - as in wind scale
- Celsius - a scale for temperature
- Glacier - a formation of ice
- Hail - a type of precipitation
- Icelynn - a name inspired by ice
- Noctilucent - a type of clouds
- Rain - a type of precipitation
- Snow - a type of precipitation
- Soleil - related to the sun
- Storm - a weather disturbance
- Tempest - a storm
- Thunder - a sound from a storm
Unique Baby Names Inspired by Love
A new baby is a precious gift parents will love more than anything. Capture this loving spirit for your baby to hold always in his or her name.
- Affinity - liking
- Ardor - passion
- Bliss - happiness
- Delight - happiness
- Emotion - feelings
- Jubilee - extreme happiness
- Love - deep caring
- Lucious - very attractive
- Passion - extreme love
- Precious - highly important
- Solicitude - seeking to be liked
Unique Multicultural Baby Names for Girls and Boys
A great way to get a unique name for your baby is to turn to other foreign languages. Use a foreign language baby name dictionary to help you find the perfect fit for your little one.
- Aegon - Irish name meaning "I am"
- Akira - Thai name for sunlight
- Cassia - Greek for cinnamon
- Daire - Irish name for oak tree
- Gryphon - Welsh name for chief
- Hamlin - German name meaning one who loves home
- Isadora - Greek name for a gift of the gods
- Joby - a Hebrew name meaning persecution
- Kalden - a Tibetan name meaning "the golden age"
- Maleek - an Arabic name that means master
- Zahara - a Swahili name that means flower
- Zori - a Slavic name meaning golden dawn
Precious Unique Baby Names
Of course you think that your baby is the most precious thing to ever grace the earth. Give your baby a name fitting of his or her precious status.
- Agate - a figured gemstone
- Alexandrite - a blue-green gem
- Amethyst - a purple gem
- Ametrine - a combination of amethyst and citrine
- Beryl - a family of gems
- Carnelian - a red-orange gem
- Chalcedony - a glowing gem
- Citrine - a yellow gem
- Druzy - a type of quartz that sparkles
- Feldspar - a mineral with iridescent qualities
- Garnet - a gem that is often reddish purple
- Gem - a precious stone
- Granite - a hard rock
- Heliodor - a yellow gem
- Iolite - a purplish blue gem also known as water sapphire
- Ivory - a material made of tusk or bone
- Jewel - a gem
- Lapis - a blue stone
- Larimar - a light blue gem
- Malachite - a blue-green stone
- Opal - a white gem with flashes of color
- Onyx - a black gem
- Platinum - a precious metal
- Sapphire - a type of gem that comes in many colors
- Silver - a precious metal
Unique and Ancient Baby Names
Sometimes unique names can be a little less traditional. If you want to keep the tradition and go way back with your baby's name, try something borrowed from an ancient language.
- Danae - Greek name meaning "she who judges"
- Daria - Persian name meaning "maintainer of possessions"
- Dyre - Norse name meaning "dear heart"
- Echo - a name from Greek mythology
- Galatia - a Biblical name
- Ida - an Old Norse god
- Ileah - Quranic name that means "noble"
- Javan - a Biblical name
- Jove - Latin for Jupiter
- Kelby - Norse name meaning "farm with a spring"
- Lael - a Biblical name
- Muse - a name from Greek mythology
- Pandora - a name from Greek mythology
Combined Names as One-of-a-Kind Baby Names
Sometimes coming up with a unique name is as simple as combining a couple of names you already know. Try these combos for your baby's name.
- Baylyn
- Brandace
- Delynn
- Jaquelle
- Jerrell
- Jeslyn
- Kalice
- Kimlyn
- Kiriah
- Lashay
- Newlyn
- Oliana
- Oriana
Unique Surnames as First Names
Sometimes last names can also make great first names.
- Bates
- Baxley
- Dillard
- Heaton
- Heston
- Hogan
- Hopkins
- Jemison
- Joplin
- Keniston
- Kenyon
- Lerrah
- Ogden
Choosing a Baby Name That Is Unique
An innovative name gives your baby one thing that is truly special about him from the start. Creative names are, by design, less common, which can lead to difficulty for others in writing or saying the name. When you choose a unique baby name, share proper spelling, pronunciation, and the meaning behind the name for a smoother transition.
