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Unusual & Avant-Garde
For parents chasing something nobody else in the class will have. These unusual and avant-garde names take a swing — bold sounds, unexpected origins, names with a story to tell. Browse with an open mind; one of them might just stick.
63 names
Ace
Latin / American
Unity, one
Unisex
Altair
Arabic
The flying eagle
UnisexCelestialMythological
Andromeda
Greek
Ruler of men
UnisexMythologicalCelestial
Annick
Breton / French
Grace
GirlLiterary
Anoush
Persian
Sweet, eternal
GirlVirtueLiterary
Anselm
Germanic
God's helmet
BoyHistoricalVirtue
Apollo
Greek
Destroyer, light-bringer
UnisexMythologicalCelestial
Arrow
English (word-name)
A straight, swift thing
UnisexNature
Athelstan
Old English
Noble stone
BoyHistorical
Auberon
Germanic / English
Noble bear
BoyLiteraryMythological
Beckham
Old English
From the homestead by the stream
Boy
Bramble
Old English
Wild blackberry bush
UnisexBotanicalNature
Calliope
Greek
Beautiful voice
GirlMythologicalLiterary
Clio
Greek
To celebrate
GirlMythological
Coraline
Latin / English
Coral
GirlLiterarySea
Cormac
Irish Gaelic
Charioteer
BoyMythologicalHistorical
Cosmo
Greek / Italian (British usage)
Order, universe
BoyCelestial
Crew
American
A team, a working unit
BoySea
Decca
English / American
From Decima, tenth
GirlLiteraryHistorical
Echo
Greek / English
Reflected sound
UnisexMythologicalSea
Eulalia
Greek
Sweetly speaking
GirlLiteraryVirtue
Hibiki
Japanese
Sound, echo
UnisexLiteraryNature
Indigo
Greek / English
The deep blue dye from India — a colour name of mysterious depth and artistic spirit.
UnisexNature
Iolanthe
Greek
Violet flower
GirlLiteraryMythological
Jett
American
Jet-black gemstone
BoyNature
Juno
Latin / English
Queen of the heavens
UnisexMythologicalCelestial
Kaveh
Persian
The legendary blacksmith who raised his leather apron as a banner and overthrew a tyrant.
BoyMythologicalHistorical
Knight
Old English
Knight
UnisexHistorical
Knox
Scottish / American
From the round hill
BoyHistorical
Lilith
Hebrew
Of the night
GirlMythologicalCelestial
Magnolia
Latin / English
The magnolia tree
UnisexBotanicalNature
Maple
Old English / American
The maple tree
UnisexBotanicalNature
Memphis
Greek / American
Enduring and beautiful
UnisexHistorical
Nasrin
Persian
Wild rose
GirlBotanicalLiterary
Nevaeh
Modern American
Heaven, spelt backwards
GirlVirtueCelestial
Oberon
Old French / Germanic
Noble bear
BoyLiteraryMythological
Om
Sanskrit
The primordial sound
BoyMythologicalVirtue
Ondine
Latin / French
Little wave
GirlSeaMythological
Onyx
Greek / English
Polished black stone
Unisex
Ottoline
Germanic / English
Wealth
GirlLiteraryHistorical
Pax
Latin
Peace
UnisexMythologicalHistorical
Phoenix
Greek / American
The mythic bird reborn from its own ashes
UnisexMythologicalCelestial
Ptolemy
Greek / Egyptian
Aggressive
BoyHistoricalMythological
Reverie
French / American
Dreaming, daydream
GirlLiteraryVirtue
Romilly
French / English
Roman
UnisexLiterary
Sailor
American
One who sails
UnisexSeaNature
Saxon
Old English
Of the Saxons
UnisexHistorical
Selene
Greek
Moon
UnisexMythologicalCelestial
Solène
Latin / French
Solemn, divine
Girl
Sterling
Old English
Of the highest quality
Unisex
Story
Old English
Narrative, history
UnisexLiterary
Thessaly
Greek
Of Thessaly
UnisexMythologicalLiterary
Tinsley
Old English / American
From Tynne's clearing
Girl
Tuesday
Old English / American
Day of Tiw, the Norse god of single combat
UnisexLiterary
Vesper
Latin
Evening star
UnisexCelestialMythological
Viggo
Old Norse
War
BoyMythological
Wilder
English
Hunter
UnisexNatureLiterary
Wilhelmina
Germanic / English
Resolute protector
GirlHistoricalVirtue
Winter
Old English
The season of rest and clarity — cold, beautiful, essential.
UnisexNature
Wynn
Welsh
Blessed, fair
UnisexVirtueLiterary
Xanthe
Greek
Golden, yellow
GirlMythological
Zeno
Greek
Of Zeus
BoyMythologicalHistorical
Zephyrine
Greek / French
Of the west wind
GirlCelestialMythological
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