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115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings

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Did you know that baby name regret is very much a real thing? According to Tiny Hearts Education's Instagram post, "between 11-30% of parents regret the name they chose for their baby." The many reasons for name regret may include the name becoming too popular, people developing nicknames related to the name, or being rushed and pressured into naming the child. Some may also discover that the name's origins or meaning are totally unappealing, causing remorse.

However, while many baby names, especially popular baby names, come with beautiful, even empowering meanings, not all of them do. Interestingly, there are plenty of both common and unusual baby names with interesting meanings. In this case, by interesting, we not only mean entrancing, but we also mean names with weird meanings or meanings you would not expect a name to have. However, weird doesn't mean the meaning is ugly or unappealing, but rather just very peculiar, specific, or unexpected.

Below, we've compiled a list of both boy and girl names with weird meanings. Again, while many of the below are relatively rare and unique baby names, they are nonetheless beautiful and just happen to have rather unusual or odd meanings. Do you know of any more baby boy or baby girl names with weird meanings? Or, on the contrary, weird names with cool meanings? Let us know!

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#1

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Calliope

Meaning: Beautiful-voiced.

18points

Ines Olabarria-Smith 2 years ago

Calliope was the muse of music.

11points

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#2

Valkyrie

Meaning: Chooser of the slain.

18points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

I feel like a particular named valkyrie would be better? Not just naming the kid after the the creature/group.

5points

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#3

Oscar

Meaning: Jumping fighter.

16points

KathleenJ 2 years ago

Perfect for a cat!

5points

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#4

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Thana

Meaning: Death.

15points

Raven Sheridan 2 years ago

Hence, Thanos.

7points

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#5

Leah

Meaning: Weary or grieved.

14points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Iirc that's the Greek meaning. Hebrew sources say "cow", which makes sense given her sister Rachel's name means "ewe". Agrarian society, total sense.

7points

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#6

Amalia

Meaning: Work, activity.

14points

Bhazz 2 years ago

The Dutch crown princess is named Amalia.

5points

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#7

Delaney

Meaning: Dark challenger.

13points

Widdershins66 1 month ago

Commonly Irish surname

1point

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#8

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Olivia

Meaning: Strong army or elf army.

12points

Hellebore 2 years ago

Lot of BS in this article, Olivia is derived from Latin oliva "olive" meaning peace

21points

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#9

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Aislinn

Meaning: Dream or vision.

12points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

I made a character yeaaaars ago with that as a last name. One of my favorite names!

4points

#10

Mara

Meaning: Bitterness. Mara was regarded as the highest goddess in Latvian mythology.

11points

Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago

'Mara' also means 'sea' in Gaelic.

8points

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#11

Jessamy

Meaning: Jasmine flower.

11points

#12

Kailani

Meaning: Sea and sky.

11points

#13

Lark

Meaning: A playful, lighthearted songbird.

11points

Widdershins66 1 month ago

The Lark Ascending 🪽🪽🪽

1point

#14

Claudia

Meaning: Lame.

10points

Nilsen 2 years ago

Female form of Claudius (Claude) meaning "the limping one"

4points

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#15

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Mallory

Meaning: Bad luck.

10points

madbakes 2 years ago

Mallory really isn't new or unique

4points

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#16

Anwen

Meaning: Very fair.

10points

Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago

A centuries old Welsh name.

6points

#17

Ariadne

Meaning: Most holy.

10points

Matt Smith 1 year ago

Especially true in the Etrian Odyssey series...

0points

#18

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Delta

Meaning: Fourth born.

10points

Steve Robert 1 year ago

Delta means where is my bags

6points

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#19

Zephyr

Meaning: West wind.

10points

Lawrence mcalistar 1 year ago

Like the plane in agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

2points

#20

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Thomas

Meaning: Twin.

9points

lauralett50 2 years ago

My twins name is Maggie, thank you

2points

#21

Nia

Meaning: Bright.

9points

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#22

Talia

Meaning: Flourishing.

9points

#23

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Zuri

Meaning: Beautiful.

9points

Ines Olabarria-Smith 2 years ago

Or Blanca, Clara, Chiara, Bianca… in Vasc

2points

#24

Amos

Meaning: Burden, or carried by God.

8points

#25

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Bailey

Meaning: Comes from the French word "baili" which means "manager".

8points

Grammarly 2 years ago

"I DEMAND TO SPEAK TO BAILEY!"

5points

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#26

Belinda

Meaning: Beautiful serpent.

8points

#27

Lola

Meaning: Sorrows.

8points

Ines Olabarria-Smith 2 years ago

Diminutive from Dolores.

4points

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#28

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Danica

Meaning: Morning star.

8points

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#29

Cecilia

Meaning: Blind or dim-sighted.

7points

Matt Smith 1 year ago

Wonder if that applies to the one the Simon & Garfunkel song is named for...?

2points

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#30

Tristan

Meaning: In the Celtic language it means "tumult" or "outrcy". In French "triste" means "sad".

7points

Tiffi 1 year ago

I love this name so much. I wish I had named my son Tristan but was kinda pressured by my dead ex husband's mom to name him for her husband.

0points

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#31

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Courtney

Meaning: Short nose.

7points

StrangeOne 2 years ago

Such a 80s/90s prep name.

4points

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#32

Connor

Meaning: Hound-lover.

7points

#33

Brielle

Meaning: Heroine of God.

7points

Bhazz 2 years ago

There's a Dutch town called Brielle

0points

#34

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Anakin

Meaning: Warrior.

7points

lauralett50 2 years ago

Someone been watching star wars, Prequel.

4points

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#35

Ledger

Meaning: Spear people.

7points

StrangeOne 2 years ago

Someone who thought this would be a good name needs to step out of the office for a long while.

3points

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#36

Soren

Meaning: Thunder.

7points

RoanTheMad 2 years ago

wrong. It means "one who is stern/strict" derived from Latin "Severus"

2points

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#37

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Tanner

Meaning: Leather maker.

7points

#38

Blakely

Meaning: Dark woodland clearing.

7points

#39

Cayce

Meaning: Alert, watchful.

7points

#40

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Emery

Meaning: Loving.

7points

StrangeOne 2 years ago

All I can think of is a nail file.

3points

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#41

Onyx

Meaning: Black Gemstone.

7points

Daantje Vermeulen 6 months ago

thats the name of cartis son

0points

#42

Wren

Meaning: Small songbird.

7points

Widdershins66 1 month ago

Ive a Jenny wren 💕

0points

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#43

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Rue

Meaning: Regret.

6points

Natalie Kelsey 1 year ago

It's also an herb

1point

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#44

Cameron

Meaning: Crooked nose.

6points

Beck 2 years ago

I am literally watching ferris bueller right now. They just got the car stolen.

0points

#45

Louis

Meaning: Famous in war.

6points

#46

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Cassandra

Meaning: She who entangles men.

6points

Grammarly 2 years ago

oop-

1point

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#47

Molly

Meaning: Bitter.

6points

Eline 1 year ago

Bitter Weasley.

2points

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#48

Caleb

Meaning: Dog.

6points

#49

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Ralph

Meaning: Wolf-counsel.

6points

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#50

Lorelei

Meaning: Luring rock.

6points

Anne Reid 2 years ago

No, it means “enticing temptress”. The Lorelei sat on rocks, singing songs to lure sailors to their doom. They were not actually rocks!

4points

#51

Cassia

Meaning: Pure.

6points

#52

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Elin

Meaning: Ray of sun.

6points

Eline 1 year ago (edited)

Damn, so close

0points

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#53

Erina

Meaning: Girl from Ireland.

6points

#54

Gaia

Meaning: The earth.

6points

Lawrence mcalistar 1 year ago

Explains why Gaia the fierce knight is a earth attribute

0points

#55

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Kenna

Meaning: Fire-born, handsome.

6points

#56

Laney

Meaning: Shining light.

6points

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#57

Oaklee

Meaning: Meadow of oak trees.

6points

Rabbit Of ill Portent 2 years ago

My name is Ashlee, I'm guessing mine means meadow of ash trees?

1point

#58

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Xandra

Meaning: Defender of the people.

6points

#59

Hazen

Meaning: Dark, handsome.

6points

#60

Idan

Meaning: Era, time.

6points

#61

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Keirnan

Meaning: Lord.

6points

#62

Willis

Meaning: Resolute protector, will.

6points

Nathaniel 2 years ago (edited)

Willis. Meaning: Defender of Nakatomi Plaza.

8points

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#63

Zander

Meaning: Defender of the people.

6points

lauralett50 2 years ago

Triple xxx. Vin Diesel movie.

0points

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#64

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Zayd

Meaning: Abundance, growth.

6points

#65

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Amory

Meaning: Brave, powerful.

6points

#66

Hartley

Meaning: Deer meadow.

6points

#67

Kynlee

Meaning: Fair-haired Viking.

6points

#68

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Nollan

Meaning: Champion.

6points

#69

Quinn

Meaning: Wise, counsel.

6points

#70

Sorrell

Meaning: Chestnut.

6points

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#71

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Ùisdean

Meaning: Always, forever.

6points

#72

Wynn

Meaning: Friend, joy, happiness.

6points

#73

Xian

Meaning: Spiritual enlightenment, long-living.

6points

#74

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Ace

Meaning: Number one.

6points

#75

Darwin

Meaning: Dear friend.

6points

#76

Mallory

Meaning: The unlucky one.

5points

2 years ago

repeat

2points

#77

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Rebecca

Meaning: Noose or to bind.

5points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Not unique. But for those interested, it seems the root word of the Hebrew "Rivkah" (transliteration of the Hebrew רִבְקָה) is "rabak", which is "to tie" or "to bind".

4points

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#78

Calvin

Meaning: Bald.

5points

#79

Brennan

Meaning: Descendant of sorrow.

5points

#80

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Byron

Meaning: Cow barn.

5points

#81

Melvin

Meaning: Bad town.

5points

MonkeysUncle 2 years ago

I thought Melvin meant to grab someone by the balls, as in: “Whoa! We just Melvined Death!”

0points

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#82

Makai

Meaning: Hell.

5points

#83

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Odin

Meaning: Lord of frenzy.

5points

lauralett50 2 years ago

Viking god of war,battle.

2points

#84

Ares

Meaning: Ruin or throng of battle.

5points

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#85

Britta

Meaning: Exalted one.

5points

Gabby Ghoul 2 years ago

I have an exalted water filter?

5points

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#86

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Fionnuala

Meaning: White shoulder.

5points

#87

Hester

Meaning: Star.

5points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Derived from Esther, which is "Star" in Persian and "Hidden" in Hebrew.

2points

#88

Iona

Meaning: Blessed.

5points

Kevin N Hartman 2 years ago

Yes. This. My Grandma’s name. She was a saint walking this earth!

1point

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#89

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Chaim

Meaning: Life.

5points

Lorrie Rothstein 2 years ago

L'chaim

1point

#90

Elian

Meaning: God is my family.

5points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Not sure why some places say that, but the Hebrew means "G-d has answered" as in answering prayer. I think it may also be a Dutch variant on Elijah/Eliyahu, but that means "Yah is my god" (Yah is a stand-in for The Most Holy Name in Judaism, a poetic form.)

1point

#91

Maverick

Meaning: Nonconforming, independent.

5points

James016 2 years ago

That's just a word

1point

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#92

Fennec

Meaning: Dark red, rebirth.

5points

Eline 1 year ago

Isn't it a cute little fox too?

3points

#93

Glade

Meaning: Shining, handsome.

5points

Dani M 1 year ago

mhm but with the latin gladius meaning sword having really strong phallic conotations I wonder if that isn´t a nice way to call your kid a a d**k.

0points

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#94

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Jennett

Meaning: God is gracious.

5points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Because it's from "John"/"Yochanan" (the original Hebrew name).

2points

#95

Murphy

Meaning: Sea warrior.

5points

Beck 2 years ago

I have a cat names Murphy. Definitely not a sea warrior

3points

#96

Tenley

Meaning: Woodland clearing.

5points

#97

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Jasper

Meaning: Treasurer.

5points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

No. It's a semi-precious stone.

1point

#98

Macon

Meaning: Marsh-dweller.

5points

Will Cable 2 years ago

Not to be confused with Macon Bacon.....

0points

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#99

Emily

Meaning: Rival.

4points

James016 2 years ago

I don't think Emily is a unique name

5points

#100

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Giselle

Meaning: Mutual obligation.

4points

#101

Caesar

Meaning: Hairy.

4points

MonkeysUncle 2 years ago

It means salad

0points

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#102

Kennedy

Meaning: Ugly head or helmet head in Irish.

4points

RoanTheMad 2 years ago

its not helmet head, it's helmeted leader... e_e

5points

#103

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Portia

Meaning: It is derived from old Roman word, "porcius," which means "pig."

4points

Dani M 1 year ago

not from porticus/door?

0points

#104

Campbell

Meaning: Crooked mouth.

4points

MonkeysUncle 2 years ago

So if your name was Caleb Campbell your name would mean crooked nose crooked mouth

1point

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#105

Aeron

Meaning: Slaughter.

4points

RoanTheMad 2 years ago

um no? It's a welsh name meaning "mountain of strength" ffs...

3points

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#106

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Carter

Meaning: Cart maker or one who transports goods.

4points

#107

Deborah

Meaning: Bee.

4points

#108

Persephone

Meaning: Bringer of death.

4points

Eline 1 year ago

And godess of spring?

2points

#109

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Coriander

Meaning: Bed bug.

4points

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

It's a spice, you kumquat.

4points

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#110

Mylah

Meaning: Gracious, soldier.

4points

#111

Brecken

Meaning: Freckles.

4points

#112

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Indiana

Meaning: Land of the Indians.

4points

lauralett50 2 years ago

No. Indian is named because Columbus thought he had found India .

2points

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#113

Vale

Meaning: lives by the valley.

4points

#114

Presley

Meaning: Priest’s meadow.

4points

#115

115 Unique Baby Names With Weird Meanings Blair

Meaning: Eat moss.

3points

RoanTheMad 2 years ago

wtf no it doesn't it literally comes from the Scottish Gaelic "blàr" meaning "meadow/field"

3points

Larysa Perih

I’m a visual editor at Bored Panda. My work is to find or create visuals for articles about home and design. I enjoy making small illustrations and improving my skills in Adobe Illustrator. After work, I try to do something active like running, yoga, cycling, or skateboarding, mostly because it allows me to spend more time outdoors and not sitting behind my desk.

I’m a visual editor at Bored Panda. My work is to find or create visuals for articles about home and design. I enjoy making small illustrations and improving my skills in Adobe Illustrator. After work, I try to do something active like running, yoga, cycling, or skateboarding, mostly because it allows me to spend more time outdoors and not sitting behind my desk.

Violeta Lyskoit

Violeta is an SEO Editor at Bored Panda. She has completed her higher education at Northumbria University with a bachelor's degree in Media & Journalism.

Violeta is an SEO Editor at Bored Panda. She has completed her higher education at Northumbria University with a bachelor's degree in Media & Journalism.

What do you think ?

ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Can we get SOURCES for these meanings??? Several are wrong or at least not well explained.

5points

Nathaniel 2 years ago

Nathaniel. Meaning: "gift from god". Nathaniel

5points

Eline 1 year ago

Okay, I may be wrong but some meanings of the names in this post are not the right ones....

2points

Lindsay A 1 week ago

You are correct

0points

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ThePunnyBunny 2 years ago

Can we get SOURCES for these meanings??? Several are wrong or at least not well explained.

5points

Nathaniel 2 years ago

Nathaniel. Meaning: "gift from god". Nathaniel

5points

Eline 1 year ago

Okay, I may be wrong but some meanings of the names in this post are not the right ones....

2points

Lindsay A 1 week ago

You are correct

0points

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