Rare Baby Names

Names outside the top 1,000. These are genuinely rare — not invented or misspelled, just given to very few babies each year. Each has a real etymology. Sorted by popularity so you can find names with some history behind them.

114,550 names — click any name for full meaning, origin, and analysis

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#1001

Aden

Boy

born of fire

Irish
#1001

Raina

Girl

queen

Slavic
#1002

Aubrie

Girl

elf ruler, ruler of supernatural beings

American
#1002

Stefan

Boy

crown, wreath

German
#1003

Bastian

Boy

from Sebaste

German
#1003

Kyomi

Girl

clear and beautiful

Japanese
#1004

Eleni

Girl

bright, shining light

Greek
#1004

Marcello

Boy

dedicated to Mars

Italian
#1005

Beck

Boy

brook, running water

English
#1005

Savanna

Girl

flat tropical grassland

American
#1006

Atharv

Boy

knower of the Atharvaveda

Indian
#1006

Melani

Girl

dark-complexioned

American
#1007

Aminah

Girl

honest, safe

Arab
#1007

Turner

Boy

tournament fighter

American
#1008

Aizen

Boy

love, passion transformed

Japanese
#1008

Belle

Girl

beautiful

French
#1009

Beaux

Boy

beautiful, handsome

American
#1009

Betty

Girl

God is my oath

American
#1010

Jaxx

Boy

God has been gracious

American
#1010

Romi

Girl

exalted, my height

Hebrew
#1011

Mike

Boy

God-like

American
#1011

Sariah

Girl

God is princess, noble ruler

American
#1012

Bria

Girl

noble, high

Irish
#1012

Korbin

Boy

crow, raven

American
#1013

Brendan

Boy

brave, bold

Irish
#1013

Carla

Girl

free man, free woman

Italian
#1014

Joan

Boy

Yahweh has shown favor

Catalan
#1014

Nori

Girl

seaweed (edible)

Japanese
#1015

Harlem

Boy

home on the wooded hill

American
#1015

Kenia

Girl

mountain of whiteness

Spanish
#1016

Barron

Boy

noble lord

English
#1016

Brylee

Girl

noble, high meadow

American
#1017

Boaz

Boy

in him there is strength

Hebrew
#1017

Esperanza

Girl

hope

Spanish
#1018

Baylee

Girl

bailiff, law enforcer

American
#1018

Titan

Boy

great one, straining force

American
#1019

Kinslee

Girl

from the king's estate

American
#1019

Randy

Boy

admirable, worthy

American
#1020

Aubriella

Girl

noble, bright

American
#1020

Harley

Boy

long meadow, rocky meadow

American
#1021

Lyle

Boy

the island, island dweller

Scottish
#1021

Maylee

Girl

May meadow, spring clearing

American
#1022

Eider

Boy

Basque masculine name, nature-connected

Basque
#1022

Tara

Girl

rocky hill, hill of kings

Irish
#1023

Mekhi

Boy

none compares to God

African-American
#1023

Vida

Girl

clear, evident

Spanish
#1024

Artemis

Girl

goddess of the hunt and moon

Greek
#1024

Eliezer

Boy

God is my salvation

Jewish
#1025

Ashlynn

Girl

ash tree meadow

American
#1025

Kartier

Boy

cart maker, transporter

African-American
#1026

Jabari

Boy

strong, mighty

African-American
#1026

Layan

Girl

graceful, supple

Arab
#1027

Winifred

Girl

white, blessed + peace

Welsh
#1027

Wren

Boy

king of birds (folkloric)

English
#1028

Avraham

Boy

father of many nations

Jewish
#1028

Guadalupe

Girl

hidden channel, valley of wolves

Mexican
#1029

Dara

Girl

pearl of wisdom

Irish
#1029

Isa

Boy

savior (indirect meaning)

Muslim
#1030

Cashton

Boy

bold and modern (cultural meaning)

American
#1030

Darla

Girl

little dear

American
#1031

Kairi

Girl

sea distance, nautical mile

Japanese
#1031

Kellen

Boy

slender, narrow

Irish
#1032

Axl

Boy

father of peace

American
#1032

Ellen

Girl

sunlight, moon (alternate etymology)

English
#1033

Evelina

Girl

wished-for child

English
#1033

Osman

Boy

founder, builder (cultural meaning)

Turkish
#1034

Ahmir

Boy

prince, commander

African-American
#1034

Roselyn

Girl

gentle horse

American
#1035

Carl

Boy

man, husband (older Germanic sense)

English
#1035

Julissa

Girl

youthful (from Julia)

Latin American
#1036

Cadence

Girl

rhythm, musical flow, beat

American
#1036

Denzel

Boy

from the Denzell estate

African-American
#1037

Nael

Boy

attainer, one who gains

Arabic
#1037

Sapphire

Girl

precious blue gemstone

English
#1038

Bronson

Boy

son of Bron

English
#1038

Saoirse

Girl

freedom, liberty

Irish
#1039

Maizie

Girl

pearl

English
#1039

Thatcher

Boy

roof maker

English
#1040

Leighton

Boy

herb garden settlement

English
#1040

Simone

Girl

one who hears, listening

French
#1041

Demetrius

Boy

earth-lover

Greek
#1041

Mariel

Girl

beloved, wished-for child

Dutch
#1042

Joyce

Girl

lord

English
#1042

Lev

Boy

heart

Hebrew
#1043

Josias

Boy

the Lord supports

Hebrew
#1043

Sandra

Girl

defender of men

English
#1044

Kiyomi

Girl

pure world beauty

Japanese
#1044

Ollie

Boy

olive tree

English
#1045

Kacey

Boy

watchful

Irish
#1045

Maite

Girl

love

Basque
#1046

Adara

Girl

fire

Hebrew
#1046

Talon

Boy

claw of a bird of prey

English
#1047

Dominik

Boy

of the Lord's day (Sunday)

Polish
#1047

Eliyanah

Girl

God is my joy

Hebrew
#1048

Renee

Girl

reborn, born again

French
#1048

Stone

Boy

strength, permanence

English
#1049

Aslan

Boy

lion, brave one

Turkish
#1049

Beverly

Girl

from Beverley (Yorkshire place name)

English
#1050

Sunny

Boy

bright, full of sunshine

English
#1050

Whitney

Girl

white island

English
#1051

Billy

Boy

will helmet, strong protector

English
#1051

Dalilah

Girl

delicate, languishing

Hebrew
#1052

Arden

Girl

high

English
#1052

Kilian

Boy

bright-headed

Irish
#1053

Antonia

Girl

priceless, inestimable

Latin
#1053

Yadiel

Boy

God knows

Hebrew
#1054

Marcella

Girl

hammer

Italian
#1054

Slade

Boy

one who lives in a valley

English
#1055

Casey

Girl

vigilant, watchful

Irish
#1055

Hollis

Boy

near the holly trees

English
#1056

Howard

Boy

high guardian, high watchman

English
#1056

Kimora

Girl

tree village (from Japanese Kimura)

American
#1057

Deandre

Boy

of manly valor, from Andre

African-American
#1057

Mattie

Girl

gift of God

English
#1058

Brennan

Boy

drop, teardrop

Irish
#1058

Montana

Girl

mountain region

American
#1059

Laylah

Girl

nocturnal, daughter of the night

Arabic
#1059

Syncere

Boy

genuine, authentic, honest

African-American
#1060

Bennett

Girl

blessed

English
#1060

Mael

Boy

prince, chief

Breton
#1061

Brett

Boy

one from the British Isles

English
#1061

Mavie

Girl

song thrush (a songbird)

French
#1062

Agastya

Boy

born of a pot, pot-born sage

Indian
#1062

Jovi

Girl

jovial, cheerful, good-humored

American
#1063

Alara

Girl

bright red, vivid beauty

Turkish
#1063

Caius

Boy

earthly, of the earth

Roman
#1064

Agnes

Girl

pure, holy, chaste

English
#1064

Menachem

Boy

one who brings relief from sorrow

Jewish
#1065

Cordelia

Girl

jewel of the sea

English
#1065

Ivaan

Boy

Yahweh is merciful

Russian
#1066

Mireya

Girl

she who is admired, wonderful

Spanish
#1066

Oziel

Boy

my power is God

Jewish
#1067

Anayah

Girl

care, protection

American
#1067

Semaj

Boy

God is gracious (via James/Jacob etymology)

American
#1068

Jadiel

Boy

beloved of God

Jewish
#1068

Raquel

Girl

gentle, innocent, nurturing

Spanish
#1069

Ellison

Girl

my God is the Lord (via Hebrew Elijah)

American
#1069

Isai

Boy

gift, offering (via Jesse/Isai)

Latino
#1070

Larry

Boy

crowned with laurels, victorious

American
#1070

Sunday

Girl

day of rest and worship

American
#1071

Aariv

Boy

evening, twilight, the pleasant time of day

Jewish
#1071

Hayley

Girl

from the hay field

English
#1072

Gadiel

Boy

God is my troop, God is my strength

Jewish
#1072

Kyleigh

Girl

narrow strait or channel

American
#1073

Malayah

Girl

high, exalted, rising

American
#1073

Zeus

Boy

sky father, divine sky

Greek
#1074

Khadija

Girl

trustworthy, dignified

Arabic
#1074

Kreed

Boy

conviction, guiding principle

American
#1075

Ever

Boy

always, at all times

English
#1075

Yuna

Girl

wish, dream

Japanese
#1076

Dana

Girl

wise, knowledgeable

English
#1076

Veer

Boy

brother

Indian
#1077

Foster

Boy

forest keeper, forester

English
#1077

Tatiana

Girl

of the Tatiani family, Roman clan

Russian
#1078

Arham

Boy

most merciful, most compassionate

Arabic
#1078

Kamari

Girl

moon

African
#1079

Araya

Girl

throne, exemplar

Thai
#1079

Palmer

Boy

one who has made pilgrimage to the Holy Land

English
#1080

Braelyn

Girl

hillside lake, brae near the loch

American
#1080

Koah

Boy

divine might

Hebrew
#1081

Justice

Boy

just, righteous, equitable

English
#1081

Paola

Girl

little one

Italian
#1082

Jethro

Boy

his excellence, his preeminence

Hebrew
#1082

Miah

Girl

beloved, wished-for child

American
#1083

Isis

Girl

throne, seat of power

Egyptian
#1083

Kooper

Boy

one who makes wooden tubs and casks

English
#1084

Kelvin

Boy

from the River Kelvin, narrow river

Scottish
#1084

Kya

Girl

crystal clear

African-American
#1085

Ernest

Boy

earnestness, sincerity

English
#1085

Leena

Girl

tender, gentle, soft

Arabic
#1086

Essence

Girl

quintessence, the truest form of something

African-American
#1086

Rodney

Boy

from the Rodney estate

English
#1087

Aubrielle

Girl

elf ruler with feminine suffix

American
#1087

Shai

Boy

gift, present

Israeli
#1088

Ivana

Girl

God is gracious

Czech
#1088

Marlon

Boy

of Mars, warlike

American
#1089

Laramie

Girl

canopy of leafy boughs

American
#1089

Montgomery

Boy

Gomeric's mountain, power mountain

English
#1090

Angelique

Girl

divine messenger

French
#1090

Gordon

Boy

from the marshy plain

Scottish
#1091

Canaan

Boy

the promised land

American
#1091

Claudia

Girl

of the Claudian clan

Italian
#1092

Corinne

Girl

maiden, young girl

French
#1092

Dhruv

Boy

constant, faithful

Indian
#1093

Avyan

Boy

perfect, unblemished

Indian
#1093

Ingrid

Girl

Ing's beauty, beloved of the god Ing

Swedish
#1094

Kacey

Girl

alert, observant

American
#1094

Lyam

Boy

helmet of will, guardian

Irish
#1095

Jream

Boy

dream, aspiration, vision

American
#1095

Kamora

Girl

moon, moonlike

American
#1096

Adela

Girl

noble, of noble birth

Spanish
#1096

Danilo

Boy

God is my judge

Italian
#1097

Cory

Boy

from the hollow

American
#1097

Wendy

Girl

white, holy, blessed ring

English
#1098

Rubi

Girl

red gemstone, precious ruby

Spanish
#1098

Zakari

Boy

the Lord remembers

American
#1099

Carmine

Boy

crimson, deep red

Italian
#1099

Sally

Girl

pet form of Sarah

English
#1100

Dania

Girl

feminine form of Daniel

Spanish
#1100

Kody

Boy

descendant of Otto

American

More name lists

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between rare and unique baby names?

We draw the line at rank 1,000. Unique names (500-1,000) are uncommon but still given to hundreds of babies per year. Rare names (1,000+) are given to fewer than a hundred or so annually. Both are real names with documented origins.

Are rare baby names safe choices?

Depends on what you mean. Rare names won't clash in the classroom. The tradeoff is that teachers, doctors, and automated systems may not recognize them — worth factoring in if your surname is also unusual.

Where do rare baby names come from?

Many are older names that were common in the 1800s and early 1900s and haven't returned yet — names like Roscoe, Eulalia, or Cressida. Others are cultural names from less-represented traditions that are starting to gain traction.

Looking for something more specific?

Browse by origin, meaning, syllables, or letter. Or run a tournament and let head-to-head matchups pick your favorite.

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