Exotic is all a matter of perspective. One person’s exotic is another person’s commonplace, but if you’re looking for a rare and exciting name for your baby, we have some options that will make them stand out. Choosing less common names from older language forms can give that exotic ring you’re looking for. You can also choose a rarer name related to fantastical natural elements.
The name Aeneas is a classic boys’ name found in Greek and Roman mythology. He was a hero of the Trojan War, and the name means “to praise.” This name is rarely seen now in modern usage and will make your baby boy unique on the kindergarten roster.
Slade is another boys’ name that isn’t commonly heard anymore. It’s from the old English word meaning “valley,” and it has a strong, masculine quality. Stellan is the less common masculine form of the name Stella, coming from the Latin for “star.”
If you want to choose an astronomical name for a baby girl, Nova is a great choice. A nova is a bright burst of light and energy that can come from a star, a perfect description of your bright little ball of energy. Phoenix is a similar name that also conjures the idea of energy. This gender-neutral name comes from the Greek myth of a great firebird that rises from its own ashes.
If you envision your daughter as not just your little princess but a queen or leader, you might want to choose an exotic name like Rhiannon or Valeska. Rhiannon comes from the Welsh language and means “great queen” or “goddess.” The name appeared in a Fleetwood Mac song decades ago but is still uncommon. Valeska is a Slavic name that similarly means “splendid leader.”
Aarav
Meaning: Peaceful
Origin: Hindi
Gender: Boy
Alina
Meaning: Bright, beautiful
Origin: Slavic
Gender: Girl
Amara
Meaning: Grace or bitter
Origin: Latin
Gender: Girl
Amaya
Meaning: Mother city, the end, night rain
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Girl
Amelie
Meaning: Work
Origin: French
Gender: Girl
Anastasia
Meaning: Resurrection
Origin: Greek
Gender: Girl
Antonio
Meaning: Priceless one
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Boy
Anya
Meaning: Grace
Origin: Russian
Gender: Girl
Aria
Meaning: Air, song or melody
Origin: Italian
Gender: Girl
Ariel
Meaning: Lion of God
Origin: Hebrew
Gender: Girl
Aryan
Meaning: Warrior, honorable
Origin: Indo-Iranian
Gender: Boy
Astrid
Meaning: Divinely beautiful
Origin: Scandinavian
Gender: Girl
Axel
Meaning: Father of peace
Origin: Scandinavian
Gender: Boy
Brody
Meaning: Broad eye or broad island
Origin: Irish
Gender: Boy
Carlos
Meaning: Free man
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Boy
Declan
Meaning: Man of prayer
Origin: Irish
Gender: Boy
Diego
Meaning: Supplanter
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Boy
Elena
Meaning: Bright, shining light
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Girl
Elodie
Meaning: Foreign riches
Origin: French
Gender: Girl
Finn
Meaning: Fair or white
Origin: Irish
Gender: Boy
Fiona
Meaning: White, fair
Origin: Scottish
Gender: Girl
Freya
Meaning: A noble woman
Origin: Norse
Gender: Girl
Hamish
Meaning: Supplanter
Origin: Scottish
Gender: Boy
Isabella
Meaning: Pledged to God
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Girl
Isla
Meaning: Island
Origin: Scottish
Gender: Girl
Joaquin
Meaning: God will judge
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Boy
Kai
Meaning: Sea
Origin: Hawaiian
Gender: Boy
Layla
Meaning: Night
Origin: Arabic
Gender: Girl
Leif
Meaning: Heir, descendant
Origin: Scandinavian
Gender: Boy
Liam
Meaning: Resolute protection
Origin: Irish
Gender: Boy
Luca
Meaning: Man from Lucania
Origin: Italian
Gender: Boy
Lucia
Meaning: Light
Origin: Italian
Gender: Girl
Luis
Meaning: Renowned warrior
Origin: French
Gender: Boy
Lyra
Meaning: Lyre
Origin: Greek
Gender: Girl
Maeve
Meaning: She who intoxicates
Origin: Irish
Gender: Girl
Malachi
Meaning: My messenger
Origin: Hebrew
Gender: Boy
Mateo
Meaning: Gift of God
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Boy
Micah
Meaning: Who is like the Lord
Origin: Hebrew
Gender: Boy
Mila
Meaning: Gracious, dear
Origin: Slavic
Gender: Girl
Milo
Meaning: Soldier or merciful
Origin: Latin
Gender: Boy
Quinn
Meaning: Descendent of Conn
Origin: Irish
Gender: Girl
Rowan
Meaning: Rowan tree, little redhead
Origin: Scottish
Gender: Boy
Saskia
Meaning: Saxon
Origin: Dutch
Gender: Girl
Seamus
Meaning: Supplanter
Origin: Irish
Gender: Boy
Soren
Meaning: Stern
Origin: Danish
Gender: Boy
Valentina
Meaning: Strength, health
Origin: Latin
Gender: Girl
Yasin
Meaning: Age
Origin: Turkish
Gender: Boy
Zelek
Meaning: To cleave
Origin: Aramaic
Gender: Boy
Zion
Meaning: Highest point
Origin: Hebrew
Gender: Boy
Zubair
Meaning: Strong, powerful, wise
Origin: Arabic
Gender: Boy
