This article will show you a list of unique baby names with beautiful meanings.
A rare and unique name is a wonderful choice, but choosing one with a beautiful hidden meaning can often set your child apart from the rest.
The trend towards choosing more rare and uncommon baby names reflects a desire for individuality, creativity, and a departure from traditional naming practices.
JUMP TO: List of unique baby names with hidden meanings
It also allows parents to make a unique and personal statement about their child’s identity.
And there are so many gorgeous names with beautiful meanings that have weaved their way into different cultures.
Throughout history, naming practices have evolved significantly. In ancient times, names often had religious or mythological significance.
They were chosen to honour deities, reflect divine qualities, or convey messages about the child’s destiny or character.
For example, in ancient Greece, names like Apollo, Athena, or Zeus were common, reflecting the influence of mythology.
During medieval times, names were often influenced by saints or biblical figures. Popular first names included Mary, John, or Catherine, which were associated with religious virtues and traditions.
RELATED: Unique flower baby names for girls with meanings
In more recent times, names have become more diverse. One significant shift has been the move away from traditional choices to more unique and unusual names.
Many beautiful names now relate to natural elements such as the ocean or rivers. Such names include Maren, Darya and Kai, which all mean some variation of the sea in different cultures and languages.
Others, however, are related to flowers. Naming your child after a beautiful bloom is a popular choice for parents, but those who want something more unique than Poppy or Violet could consider Ione, Fleur, Jessamine or Primrose.
Perhaps the most beautiful of them all are celestial names that translate to the moon and stars. Examples of these otherworldly names include Nisha, Luna, Soma, Sol and Celeste.
The popularity of uncommon names can vary across different regions and cultures; what may be considered uncommon in one context may be a popular baby name in another.
Remember, the beauty of a name is subjective, and it’s important to choose a perfect baby name that resonates with you.
Check out this list of unique baby names for boys and girls.
150 unique baby names and their meanings
BOY NAMES
River – English, from “river”.
Felix – The name Felix is a masculine name that comes from the Latin word felix, which means “happy” or “lucky”. The name was popularized by Roman emperors and early Christian saints.
Bellamy – The name Bellamy is a gender-neutral name of French origin that means “fair friend” or “handsome friend”
Orin – A variation of the Old Irish name Odhrán, Orin means “dark-haired,” “brown,” “sallow,” or “little pale green one”.
Finlo – The name Finlo is a Celtic name from the Isle of Man that means “fair Lugh” – Lugh is a Celtic sun god. Finlo can be shortened to the name Finn.
Jasper – The name Jasper has multiple meanings, including “treasurer” and “precious stone”. The gemstone is associated with protection, healing, and grounding energies.
Lachlan – means “land of lakes” or “from the fjord-land” in Scottish Gaelic.
Jethro – Jethro is a biblical name of Hebrew origin that means “excellence,” “abundance,” “His excellence,” “posterity,” or “His remnant”.
Onyx – The name Onyx can also mean “black gemstone” and is of English origin
Urien – Urien is a Welsh name that means “privileged birth”. In Arthurian legend, Urien was a rebel who led his troops when King Arthur became king.
Phoenix – The name Phoenix is of Greek and Latin origin and means “dark red” or “crimson”. It’s also the name of a mythical bird that is said to rise from its own ashes, a symbol of rebirth and renewal.
Quillan – Quillan is an Irish name for boys that means “cub”.
Riven – The name Riven is a boy’s name of Norse and Greek origin that means “to tear down”
Sable – The name Sable is of Slavic origin and means “black”.The name is also associated with the sable, a small mammal with a rich brown fur.
Silas – he name Silas is a Latin and Greek name that means “wood” or “forest”. It comes from the name of the Roman god of the countryside, Silvanus.
Zenith – The name Zenith means “the very top” or “the highest point”. The term “zenith star” refers to a star that passes through the zenith, or directly overhead, at some point in the day or night.
Kai – Kai is a gender-neutral name with roots in many cultures. In Hawaiian it means “sea”, in Japanese it means “ocean or “shell”, in Persian it means “king” and in Welsh it means “keeper of the keys”.
Owain – The name Owain is a Welsh name that means “wellborn”. The Anglicized version of Owain is Owen.
Caius – The name Caius is a Latin name that means “rejoice,” “glad,” “delight,” or “pleased”. It was a common name in the Roman empire.
Dashiell – The name Dashiell is a masculine name of French origin that means “sky,” “heavenly,” or “from heaven”.
Kael –The name Kael is an Irish name that means “slender” or “mighty warrior”.
Larkin – From the English word “lark”, which refers to a small songbird known for its melodious songs. The name Larkin encapsulates the meaning “Like a Lark”.
Bodhi – The name Bodhi is a Sanskrit word that means “awakening” or “enlightenment”.
Magnus – Means “great” or “mighty”. It was a common name for Roman rulers and was also used by ancient Christian saints.
Asher – The name Asher is derived from Hebrew, meaning “happiness”. Asher may also come from the Old English word asche, which means “ash tree”.
Peregrine – The name Peregrine is a gender-neutral name of Latin origin that means “traveler,” “wanderer,” or “one from abroad”.
Rowan – The name comes from the Irish surname Ó Ruadháin and the word ruadh, which means “red-haired” or “rusty”. It’s associated with the color red, and may also be inspired by the rowan tree with red berries.
Orion – The name Orion is a Greek name for boys that means “heaven’s light”. It is derived from the Greek mythological character Orion, a mighty hunter and son of Poseidon. After Zeus placed Orion among the stars, the constellation became known as Orion.
Evander – The name Evander is a masculine name that means “good man” and has Greek and Scottish origins.
Balthazar – The Biblical nname Balthazar means “Bel protects the king” and has Hebrew origins.
Ren – The name Ren is of Japanese origin and means “lotus”. The lotus flower is a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and spiritual growth in Japanese Buddhism.
Caelum – The name is Latin for “sky” or “heaven.”
Rafferty – The name Rafferty is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Raithbheartaigh, and it means “flood tide” or “prosperity wielder”.
Cassius – The name Cassius is a masculine name of Latin origin that means “vain”, “empty”, “helmet”, or “castle”. It’s derived from a Roman family name.
Quinlan – The Irish name Quinlan has multiple meanings, including “fair form,” “handsome image,” “strong,” “well-shaped,” or “athletic”.
Jago – The name Jago is a masculine name of Spanish and Cornish origin that means “supplanter” or “beauty”.
Arlo – derived from Old English, meaning “fortified hill” or “army hill.”
Xander – The name Xander is a shortened version of the name Alexander, and it means “defender of man”.
Beau – The name Beau is of French origin and means “handsome” or “beautiful”.
Huxley – The name Huxley is an English name that means “Hugh’s meadow, clearing, or woodland”.
Lysander – The name Lysander is of Greek origin that means “liberator”. In Greek mythology, Lysander was a Spartan general who played a key role in the Peloponnesian War. The name may also be familiar to readers of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Alaric – derived from Germanic elements, meaning “ruler of all” or “king of all.”
Aspen – inspired by the majestic winter tree, known for its striking white bark and graceful branches.
Sol – meaning “sun” in Latin.
Atlas – derived from Greek mythology, the Titan who carried the world on his shoulders.
Wolfgang – The name Wolfgang is a Old High German name that means “traveling wolf” or “way of the wolf”.
Leo – The Latin name Leo is a masculine name that means “lion”. It’s also the fifth sign of the zodiac, which corresponds to the constellation Leo.
Rigel – The name Rigel means “left leg of the giant”. It is also associated with the constellation Orion, where Rigel is one of the brightest stars at the base.
Thaddeus – The name Thaddeus comes from the Aramaic name Thaddai, which means “heart” or “courageous heart”. It may also come from the Greek name Theodore, which means “gift of God”.
Islaith – The name Islaith is a variant of the Irish Gaelic name Iarlaith, which means “leader” or “prince”.
Inigo – Inigo is a masculine name of Spanish and Basque origin that can mean “fiery” or “my little (love)”.
Zephyr – The name Zephyr is a gender-neutral name of Greek origin that means “west wind”. It is derived from the name of the Greek god Zephyrus.
Orson – The name Orson is a male name of English origin that means “bear cub”
GIRL NAMES
Lumi – The name Lumi is of Scandinavian-Finnish origin and means “snow”.
Darya – feminine name with Greek and Old Persian origins, Darya means “wealthy” or “maintains possessions well”. It also means “sea.”
Lilou – of French origin, meaning Lily.
Nova – The name Nova means “new” and comes from the Latin word novus. It’s also the name of a star that suddenly appears in the sky with a burst of energy and then gradually fades away.
Calliope – means “beautiful voice”, derived from Greek mythology, the muse of epic poetry.
Delphine – The name Delphine is a feminine name of Greek and French origin that means “dolphin” or “woman from Delphi”.
Aveline – derived from Old French, it means “hazelnut” or “wished-for child.”
Soma – of Indian origin that means “moon” or “lunar nectar.”
Eleri – Eleri is a Welsh name that may come from the Greek word hilaros, which means “cheerful” or “merry”. It may also mean “shining light”.
Celeste – derived from Latin, meaning “heavenly” or “celestial.”
Galatea – The name Galatea is a Greek name for girls that means “she who is milk-white”. In Greek mythology, Galatea was a sea nymph.
Amara – meaning “eternal” or “unfading” in Igbo.
Iris – derived from Greek mythology, the goddess of the rainbow, who delivered messages to the gods across a rainbow bridge.
Halia – The name Halia or Halie is of Ancient Greek origin and means “the dweller in the sea” or “the briney”. In Greek mythology, Halie was the name of a sea nymph.
Guinevere – of Welsh origin, meaning “white fairy, fair one.” Guinevere was the queen of Camelot and wife of King Arthur. She is known for her beauty, grace, and charm.
Esme – derived from the French word for “loved” or “esteemed.”
Kaida – Kaida is a Japanese name that means “little dragon”. In Japanese culture, dragons represent power, strength, and good fortune.
Lysandra – The name Lysandra is of Greek origin and means “one who is freed”.
Nisha – of Sanskrit origin that means “night.” In ancient Hindu texts, Nisha is associated with the goddess Ratri, who represents the night sky and protects the world during sleep.
Maëlys – The name Maëlys is a French feminine name of Breton origin that means “chief” or “prince”.
Cosima – of Greek origin meaning “order, beauty, universe”.
Niamh – The name Niamh is an Irish feminine name that means “bright” or “radiant”. In Irish mythology, Niamh is the daughter of a sea god and is known as the “princess of the golden hair”.
Thalia – means “to blossom.” In Greek mythology, Thalia was the muse of comedy and pastoral poetry, and one of the Three Graces.
Zara – derived from Arabic, meaning “princess” or “flower.”
Vega – in Latin, Vega means “falling star” and is the name of the bright star in the constellation Lyra. The Arabic translation of Vega is “swooping eagle”.
Arella – The name Arella is a Hebrew name for girls and boys that means “angel” or “messenger from God”.
Xanthe – means “yellow” or “blonde.”
Isla – derived from the Scottish island, meaning “island” or “river flowing with water.”
Anouk – The name Anouk means “grace” or “favor”. It is a French and Dutch pet form of the name Anna.
Lyra – derived from the lyre, a musical instrument, symbolizing poetry and music. The name comes from the Greek myth of Orpheus, a legendary musician and poet who played a lyre that was said to be so beautiful it could move animals, trees, and gods. Lyra is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky that represents the instrument.
Briar – The name Briar means “thorny bush” and is of English origin. It comes from a Middle English word for a thorny bush, such as brambles or wild roses.
Eirlys – Eirlys is a Welsh name for girls that means “snowdrop”.
Galen – The name Galen is a Greek name that means “calm” or “tranquil”.
Hazel – after the tree and its nuts. It comes from the Old English word haesel.
Indira – The name Indira is a feminine name of Sanskrit origin that means “beauty” and “splendor”.
Juniper – The name Juniper is associated with the juniper tree and its berries. In ancient Roman times, the juniper tree was believed to have protective qualities.
Selvi – of Indian origin meaning “happy prosperous daughter.”
Orla – The name Orla is an anglicized version of the Irish name Órfhlaith, which means “golden princess”.
Seren – Seren is a Welsh name that means “star”.
Lavinia – of Latin origin, meaning “legendary mother of the Roman people.”
Tamsin – The name Tamsin is a feminine name of British origin that means “twin”. It is a derivative of the name Thomasina.
Una – Una has multiple meanings and origins, including “one” or “unity” in Latin and Celtic, and “lamb” in Irish.
Clover – The name Clover is a girl’s name of English origin that means “meadow flower”. It is derived from the Old English word clāfre.
Vesper – The name Vesper is a Latin name that means “evening star” or “evening prayer”. The name Vesper comes from ancient Roman mythology, where Vespera was the goddess of the evening.
Ximena – The name Ximena is a girl’s name of Spanish origin that means “one who hears” or “son”.
Yara – means “water lady” or “small butterfly.”
Aster – a gender-neutral name of Greek origin, meaning “star.”
Alba – From the Latin word alba or albus, which means “white”. It can also mean “bright” or “fortunate”. Albais is the Gaelic name for Scotland.
Pansy – a French word “pensée”, meaning “thought.” After the flower with velvety petals and multi-colored appearance.
Cosima – The name Cosima is a feminine name of Greek origin that means “order” or “decency”.
Marcella – derived from Latin, meaning “warlike” or “dedicated to Mars.”
Elowen – The name Elowen means “elm tree” or “beloved elm” and has English origins. Elowen is a Cornish name, and Cornish is a Celtic language.
Freya – The name Freya is a Scandinavian name that means “noble woman” or “lady”. Freya is derived from the name of the Norse goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, Freyja.
Ginevra – The name Ginevra is a feminine name of Italian origin that means “white phantom,” “white fay,” or “white spirit”.
Skye – After the beautiful Scottish island. It means “cloudy” or “misty” and is derived from the Gaelic word sgiath.
Ione – means “violet flower.” In Greek mythology, Ione was a sea nymph and one of the 50 daughters of Nereus and Doris
Seraphina – The name Seraphina is a girl’s name of Hebrew origin that means “burning ones” or “fiery”. It is a reference to the seraphim, which are the highest-ranking angels in Jewish scriptures and are known for their intense passion and love.
Elysia – The name Elysia has Greek and Latin origins and means “the realm of the dead” and “blissful”. It comes from the word Elysium, which means “heaven” or “paradise”. In ancient Greek and Roman mythology, Elysium was a place of beauty and nature where heroes and virtuous souls went after death.
Fleur – of French origin meaning “flower”.
Marina – derived from the Latin word “marinus,” meaning “of the sea.”
Maren – means “of the sea.”
Noemi – The name Noemi is a feminine name of Hebrew origin that means “pleasantness” or “delightful”.
Octavia – The name Octavia is a feminine name of Latin origin that means “eighth”.
Luna – The name Luna is a feminine name of Latin origin that means “moon”. It has its roots in Roman mythology, where Luna was the goddess of the moon
Perele – The name Perele is a girl’s name that means “pearl” and is of French, Latin, and Yiddish origin.
Morgana – originating from Welsh, meaning “circling sea” and “bright sea dweller.”
Aria – means “air” or “melody” in Italian. In Greek, Aria means “lioness”. In Greek mythology, Aria was a woman from Crete who had a son with Apollo
Jessamine – Jessamine is a French girl’s name that means “jasmine”.
Saffron – The name Saffron is a feminine name that means “yellow flower” and is of Arabic or possibly Persian origin. It comes from the Arabic word za’faran, which also means “yellow”. Saffron is also the name of a spice that comes from the Saffron Crocus plant.
Theodora – The name Theodora is a feminine name of Greek origin that means “gift of God” or “divine gift”.
Laure – a Latin name, Laurel means laurel tree. The name Laure means “laurel or sweet bay tree” and “symbol of victory”.
Blossom – an English girl’s name meaning “flower-like” or “to bloom.”
Uriah – The name Uriah is a Hebrew name that means “my light is Yahweh” or “flame of God”. It is a biblical name.
Verity – The name Verity is a girl’s name of Latin origin that means “truth”
Cordelia – derived from the Latin words “cor” meaning “heart” and “delia” meaning “of the sea.”
Leilani – Hawaiian meaning “heavenly garland of flowers” or “royal child”.
Peony – The name Peony is of Greek origin and means “healer”. In Europe during the Victorian era, peonies symbolized honor, romance, and wealth.
Serenity – English word meaning “peaceful” or “calm.”
Valencia – derived from Spanish, meaning “bravery” or “strength.”
Camellia – Latin girl’s name Camellia means “helper to the priest.”
Hana – meaning of “happiness” or “flower.”
Orianna – The name Orianna is a feminine name of Latin origin that means “gold, sunrise, or dawn”.
Aoife – means “beautiful” or “radiant” in Irish.
Mira – has multiple origins, including Latin and Slavic, and can mean “sea” or “ocean.”
Astrid – derived from Old Norse, meaning “divinely beautiful.”
Primrose – The name Primrose is a feminine name of English origin that means “first rose”. The name is often associated with new beginnings and hope because primroses are a type of wildflower that bloom in early spring.
Brigid – is derived from the Celtic goddess Brigid and means “exalted one” or “strength.
Neva – derived from the Latin word for “snow”.
Primrose – The name Primrose is a feminine name of English origin that means “first rose”.
Genevieve – meaning “white wave” in French.
Enya – means “little fire” or “kernel” in Irish.
Elara – derived from Greek mythology, it means “bright” or “shining.”
Ismeria – derived from Old Germanic, it means “famous” or “renowned.”
Ceridwen – The name Ceridwen is a feminine name of Welsh origin that means “fair, blessed poetry”. Ceridwen is also the name of a Welsh mythological goddess and enchantress who rules over the realms of death, magic, and regeneration.
Galadriel – J.R.R. Tolkien invented the name for his Lord of the Rings trilogy, which translates to “maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance”.
This post showed you a list of unique baby names with beautiful meanings for girls and boys.
Want more inspiration? Check out a list of names inspired by literature.