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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!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Valkyrie Meaning: Chooser of the slain.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
I feel like a particular named valkyrie would be better? Not just naming the kid after the the creature/group.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
You get a hell of a theme song and every vehicle you ever own will be the ride of Valkrie.
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#2
Calliope
Meaning: Beautiful-voiced.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
Why would that be weird? That's a pretty name with a pretty meaning and cool history.
Widdershins66 1 year ago
I looked up the pronunciation of this name. I found two differing ones, both beautiful 💖
Debby Keir 3 years ago
Calliope is also a musical instrument - think old-fashioned barrel organ. It's a common name in Greece and often shortened to Poppy.
#3
Oscar Meaning: Jumping fighter.
Pat Bond 3 years ago
Rooted in Irish culture and folklore, Oscar is a boy's name that means "God spear," "deer-lover," or "champion warrior." The name derives from the Gaelic elements os, meaning "deer," and car, meaning "loving," and he was one of the mightiest warriors to come from Irish legends. Though an Irish name through and through, Oscar is thought to have Norse and English roots and is a variation of the Old Norse name Ásgeirr.
#4
Thana
Meaning: Death.
PinkFloofyUnicorns 3 years ago (edited)
there is a person in my class called thana, everyone found out what it means so we call her hannah
#5
Amalia Meaning: Work, activity.
#6
Leah Meaning: Weary or grieved.
ThePunnyBunny 3 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.
Sarah Moeding 3 years ago
The point is that the name has an unusual meaning.
Load More Replies... #7
Delaney Meaning: Dark challenger.
#8
Olivia
Meaning: Strong army or elf army.
Hellebore 3 years ago
Lot of BS in this article, Olivia is derived from Latin oliva "olive" meaning peace
#9
Aislinn
Meaning: Dream or vision.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
I made a character yeaaaars ago with that as a last name. One of my favorite names!
#10
Mara Meaning: Bitterness. Mara was regarded as the highest goddess in Latvian mythology.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
Also Hebrew! Though there it's more "bitter with the implication of strength", not anger.
#13
Lark Meaning: A playful, lighthearted songbird.
#14
Claudia Meaning: Lame.
#15
Mallory
Meaning: Bad luck.
StrangeOne 3 years ago
Not that common nowadays, either. I've always thought it was ugly.
Load More Replies... #16
Anwen Meaning: Very fair.
#17
Ariadne Meaning: Most holy.
#18
Delta
Meaning: Fourth born.
#19
Zephyr Meaning: West wind.
#20
Thomas
Meaning: Twin.
#23
Zuri
Meaning: Beautiful.
#25
Bailey
Meaning: Comes from the French word "baili" which means "manager".
#27
Lola Meaning: Sorrows.
#29
Cecilia Meaning: Blind or dim-sighted.
Matt Smith 3 years ago
Wonder if that applies to the one the Simon & Garfunkel song is named for...?
#30
Tristan Meaning: In the Celtic language it means "tumult" or "outrcy". In French "triste" means "sad".
Vincent T Burgio 2 years ago
It's a made-up name and it's pretentious .It sounds more like a girl's name
Load More Replies... #31
Courtney
Meaning: Short nose.
DramaticYak 3 years ago
Lol I know someone named Courtney who very much does not like me I would like to tell her that her nose is short
#33
Brielle Meaning: Heroine of God.
#34
Anakin
Meaning: Warrior.
#35
Ledger Meaning: Spear people.
StrangeOne 3 years ago
Someone who thought this would be a good name needs to step out of the office for a long while.
#36
Soren Meaning: Thunder.
#40
Emery
Meaning: Loving.
#41
Onyx Meaning: Black Gemstone.
#43
Rue
Meaning: Regret.
#44
Cameron Meaning: Crooked nose.
#46
Cassandra
Meaning: She who entangles men.
#47
Molly Meaning: Bitter.
#50
Lorelei Meaning: Luring rock.
#52
Elin
Meaning: Ray of sun.
Captain Kyra 3 years ago
Elaine and similar names usually mean Dawn, or Aurora
Load More Replies... #54
Gaia Meaning: The earth.
#57
Oaklee Meaning: Meadow of oak trees.
Rabbit Of ill Portent 3 years ago
My name is Ashlee, I'm guessing mine means meadow of ash trees?
#63
Zander Meaning: Defender of the people.
#76
Rebecca
Meaning: Noose or to bind.
ThePunnyBunny 3 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".
RoanTheMad 3 years ago
Not entirely true? As far as I thought, The name actually means "captivating" or to "snare" when someone is captivating, they may "ensnare" someone with their looks etc, is what I believed the origin was.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
So it's Hebrew (Rivkah would be one transliteration) and It's from the root word "rabak", which is "to tie" or "to bind". It could have that connotation to some, but the root does not directly imply that.
Load More Replies...
#80
Melvin Meaning: Bad town.
MonkeysUncle 3 years ago
I thought Melvin meant to grab someone by the balls, as in: “Whoa! We just Melvined Death!”
#82
Odin
Meaning: Lord of frenzy.
#84
Britta Meaning: Exalted one.
#86
Hester Meaning: Star.
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
Derived from Esther, which is "Star" in Persian and "Hidden" in Hebrew.
#87
Iona Meaning: Blessed.
#89
Elian Meaning: God is my family.
ThePunnyBunny 3 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.)
#90
Maverick Meaning: Nonconforming, independent.
#91
Fennec Meaning: Dark red, rebirth.
#92
Glade Meaning: Shining, handsome.
#93
Jennett
Meaning: God is gracious.
#94
Murphy Meaning: Sea warrior.
#96
Jasper
Meaning: Treasurer.
#97
Macon Meaning: Marsh-dweller.
#98
Emily Meaning: Rival.
#100
Caesar Meaning: Hairy.
#101
Kennedy Meaning: Ugly head or helmet head in Irish.
#102
Portia
Meaning: It is derived from old Roman word, "porcius," which means "pig."
#104
Campbell Meaning: Crooked mouth.
MonkeysUncle 3 years ago
So if your name was Caleb Campbell your name would mean crooked nose crooked mouth
#105
Aeron Meaning: Slaughter.
#108
Persephone Meaning: Bringer of death.
#109
Coriander
Meaning: Bed bug.
#112
Indiana
Meaning: Land of the Indians.
#115
Blair
Meaning: Eat moss.
RoanTheMad 3 years ago
wtf no it doesn't it literally comes from the Scottish Gaelic "blàr" meaning "meadow/field"
What do you think ?
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
Can we get SOURCES for these meanings??? Several are wrong or at least not well explained.
Eline 3 years ago
Okay, I may be wrong but some meanings of the names in this post are not the right ones....
Will Cable 3 years ago
I noticed when having a look online that some names have a few meanings...Brent for example, depending where you look can mean high place, steep hill or burnt..which makes me wonder which one would be correct
ThePunnyBunny 3 years ago
Can we get SOURCES for these meanings??? Several are wrong or at least not well explained.
Eline 3 years ago
Okay, I may be wrong but some meanings of the names in this post are not the right ones....
Will Cable 3 years ago
I noticed when having a look online that some names have a few meanings...Brent for example, depending where you look can mean high place, steep hill or burnt..which makes me wonder which one would be correct
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