Uncommon baby girl names are worth considering, if you’re having a daughter. See, out of the 28 girls in my daughter’s class, five are named Olivia, and two are named Emily—probably making at least one of them wish they had one of the more unusual names out there. Want your daughter to avoid the same fate? Consider this A to Z list of unique options.
Aida
Verdi’s opera gives us one of the most uncommon baby girl names out there. It means “happy,” though Aida’s tragic ending is anything but.
Beatrix
A variation on the classic Beatrice (which is currently in the top 600 baby names in the U.S.), Beatrix features that cool “x” ending, and a famous wearer—children’s book author Beatrix Potter.
Cordelia
One of King Lear’s daughters in Shakespeare’s classic sports this name, along with the queen bee of Sunnydale High in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Daria
Surprisingly, even the too-cool-for-school lead character in the popular 1990s cartoon hasn’t helped lift Daria into prominence.
Edie
This nickname of Edith has become a name in its own right, with actress Edie Falco, singer Edie Brickell and Andy Warhol muse Edie Sedgwick among its most famous wearers.
Fiorella
This name combines two popular trendy names—Fiona and Ella—into one of our favorite uncommon baby girl names. Fiorella means “little flower.”
Gaia
Less than 100 girls in the whole U.S. were given this name, associated with the earth goddess in Greek mythology, making it one of the most uncommon baby girl names in the U.S.
Heloise
A French name that means “healthy,” Heloise may have close cousins in more popular names like Helen and Eloise.
Isadora
Dancer Isadora Duncan is the most famous wearer of this elegant name, which means “gift of Isis.”
Juno
The name sported by the Roman goddess of marriage was used for the ubercool pregnant teen character in Juno.
Kismet
This word name means “destiny.”
Lotus
This exotic bloom makes a lovely baby name.
Milagros
An exotic way to get to that sweet “Millie” nickname, Milagros is a Spanish name that means “miracle.”
Nico
A unisex option, Nico means “people of victory,” and its claim to fame is the 1960s singer tied to Andy Warhol.
Octavia
While in the past, Octavia was reserved for the eighth child, you don’t have to have a big family to use this unique baby name.
Philomena
This Greek name, which means “lover of strength,” could be a cool way to honor a Philip from your family.
Queen
With royalty names like King becoming more common for boys, it’s worth considering giving your daughter a similar title.
Rhiannon
Rock legends Fleetwood Mac popularized this Welsh name, which means “divine queen.” It was in the top 1000 from 1976, the year their song hit the charts, until 2007.
Soleil
One of the fanciest uncommon baby girl names is this French name, which means “sun.”
Tracy
This French name was red hot in the 1970s, but could be ready for a comeback now.
Uma
The famous actress sports the name of a Hindu goddess—and it means “nation” in Hebrew.
Viola
Viola’s a name that feels like it should be more common, considering it’s a cousin to popular Violet, it’s a lovely sounding string instrument, and the heroine from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Winifred
A sweet Welsh name, Winifred means “blessed peacemaking.”
Xiamara
This exotic name means “joyful deer.”
Yvette
This French name, meaning “yew tree,” reached a peak in popularity here in the 1960s—but is uncommon today.
Zinnia
A bold and bright flower makes the perfect name for a summer baby.
Photo: Getty
