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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Unusual baby names you have heard once and genuinely liked

156 replies

hangmycoat · 27/07/2026 17:06

What are baby names you've heard once that you don't think you'll hear again that you actually liked?

Kissinger
Nerys
Tigerlilly
Yellow
Aries
Elaris
Prospero
Everest
Mowgli
Cassiane
Lumi
Pirate (wouldn't' ever use it but it really suited the boy)
Alethea

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Robogob · 30/07/2026 15:19

Soulie
Lark
Evadne
Fenner
Story
Truly

CeciliaMars · 30/07/2026 15:30

Gilligan

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 30/07/2026 16:24

I know Cornish women called Merriel, Merryn, Zillah and Karenza. I know these are more widely used in Cornwall, but I’ve only ever met one of each.

Also - Lisanne

Blingismything · 30/07/2026 16:42

Lux was a great soap in the 80s.

Zephyr
Torquil
Bowden
Xanic
Karensa
Juno
Safira
Hebe
Navy
Velvet
Lundi
Hector

Have mingled with two Sorrels this week. One in her early 20s and the other a teenager.

ThisCraftySeal · 30/07/2026 16:48

Once read a book years ago with a character bemoaning the fact that her parents friend had called their child Silk and she got lumbered with Polly Esther, which I thought was pretty cool!

101Alsatians · 30/07/2026 17:04

Onyx
Blossom (for a guy)
Patience (also a guy)
Rainbeau (spelling annoyed me)
Jezebelle (conterversial AF but connotations really faded,6 year old little girl.)
Friend swears she knew a Checkers.

AII41 · 30/07/2026 19:25

PrincessHoneysuckle · 28/07/2026 19:04

Bridie
Sapphire
Allannah

Ooh, that reminded me I knew of a Birdie (fb announcement of old friend) and a Queenie, which I LOVE!

I also know a Sapphire spelled an Arabic way but pronounced the same, and an Armani, which is a variation on an Arabic name, they told me.

Roselilly36 · 30/07/2026 19:39

Tempany

timoteigirl · 30/07/2026 20:15

Rawnie

HappyOctober · 30/07/2026 20:53

Diamond (prob late teen now)
Hope
Onyx
Kes (Kestrel)
Callie (40’s now)
Bonnie (40’s)
Wolfie
Lark
Oriana (40’s)

Peanutlicious · 30/07/2026 23:04

Roscoe
Loveday
Soraya (sp?)
Oriana
Bear
Valentino (boy)
Raphaella (girl - adore this!)

Missohnoyoubetterdont · 31/07/2026 09:26

I know a zillah, a Raven (woman) and a Garnet (man), also used to teach a Sparkle ( girl)

Almakarlinsghost · 31/07/2026 09:30

Like another poster, I have met only one Meriel, but this is a name I like. It's a variant of Muriel, which sounds completely different - heavy, whereas Meriel is light and bright - the first syllable makes all the difference!

Many names I like are so unusual right now I've never met one at all (Leopold for example); others I know loads of.

NamingNoNames · 31/07/2026 12:20

hangmycoat · 27/07/2026 17:09

@faerylune I like Rosabel too. Lumi means snow in a Scandinavian language and I believe Nerys is welsh and the sister name to Carys

@hangmycoat ,not really, they're just names that end in -ys.
There are several Welsh names that do.

The 'sister name' to Carys is Cerys. Both have the same meaning but Cerys was more popular in South Wales and Carys in the north.

RowsOfFlowers · 02/08/2026 15:15

Marnie

itsgettingweird · 02/08/2026 15:18

TheDonsDingleberries · 27/07/2026 17:12

Avni
Demelza
Rowena
Sorrel

All names I've only heard once in real life

I also know a Rowena and Demelza.

Only ever met them too!

Karenza
Emeris
Barnabas

CoffeeChocolateWine · 02/08/2026 20:52

When I was heavily pregnant with my DD and about to go on maternity leave, we had a new lady start in our office called Elfi. I had never come across the name before and thought it was so lovely that I actually started to consider whether or not I would look like a complete weirdo if I used it for my DD! In the end, I decided that it probably would be quite weird behaviour and my DH vetoed it anyway. But I do my reckon my DD could have suited it…she’s 14 now and does have quite delicate pixie-like features! But she suits her name too.

Other unusual names I’ve come across and really liked are…
Huxley
Rhodes
Io
Kinga
Emese

Jamjam12 · 02/08/2026 22:55

6ate9 · 27/07/2026 18:52

Made me think of Annie Oakley!! 🤣

Show quote history

Oakley is a really common name now, as well as river, Phoenix etc
i have a friend who’s got a step son called Onyx..
I think it’s an awful name

Original poster
hangmycoat · 02/08/2026 22:59

Onyx reminds me of Oinks, unfortunate if they're larger

OP posts:
Jamjam12 · 02/08/2026 22:59

Giraffehaver · 27/07/2026 22:35

Lemuel I love. Only 2 letters different to Samuel but not as popular. I wonder why?

It sounds like a disease

FunnySam · 02/08/2026 23:02

James for a girl (think it was Ryan Reynolds/Blake Lively named their girl?)

caringcarer · 03/08/2026 00:47

Marizanne.

caringcarer · 03/08/2026 00:49

AII41 · 30/07/2026 19:25

Ooh, that reminded me I knew of a Birdie (fb announcement of old friend) and a Queenie, which I LOVE!

I also know a Sapphire spelled an Arabic way but pronounced the same, and an Armani, which is a variation on an Arabic name, they told me.

Show quote history

I know an Armani too.

SleepingStandingUp · 03/08/2026 01:04

Allseeingallknowing · 27/07/2026 19:52

Why burden the child with weird names and risk them being teased?

how many kids actually get bullied for their name tho? most of these names are unusual but they wouldn't stand out in a diverse school

Needmorelego · 03/08/2026 01:07

SleepingStandingUp · 03/08/2026 01:04

how many kids actually get bullied for their name tho? most of these names are unusual but they wouldn't stand out in a diverse school

Show quote history

Yes I think the whole idea of bullying over a name isn't something that really happens.
Modern children have no clue which names are traditional and which aren't.
To them a name is a name - whether that's Peter and Jane or Oakley and Skylark.