Names Categorized "rare english"

ACACIA f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".

ADAIR m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name EDGAR.

ADAMINA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of ADAM.

AMABEL f English (Rare)
Medieval feminine form of AMABILIS.

AMETHYST f English (Rare)
From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix ἀ (a) and μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness.

AMITY f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin amicitia.

ANDRINA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of ANDREW.

ANEMONE f English (Rare)
From the name of the anemone flower, which is derived from Greek ἄνεμος (anemos) meaning "wind".

ANGELLE f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of ANGEL.

ANIMA (2) f English (Rare)
Means "soul, spirit" in Latin. In Jungian psychology the anima is an individual's true inner self, or soul.

ANISE f English (Rare)
From the English word for the herb, also called aniseed.

ANNORA f English (Rare)
Medieval English variant of HONORA.

ARAMINTA f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown. This name was (first?) used by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor (1693) and later by Sir John Vanbrugh in his comedy The Confederacy (1705). This was the real name of abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), who was born Araminta Ross.

ATHELSTAN m English (Archaic)
Modern form of ÆÐELSTAN. This name was revived in Britain the latter half of the 19th century.

AUBERON m English (Rare)
Norman French derivative of a Germanic name, probably ALBERICH.

AUDREA f English (Rare)
Variant of AUDREY.

AUREOLE f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "radiant halo", ultimately derived from Latin aureolus "golden".

AVERILL m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from the feminine given name EOFORHILD.

AZURA f English (Rare)
Elaboration of AZURE.

AZURE f English (Rare)
From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lajvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".

BERRY (2) f English (Rare)
From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.

BETONY f English (Rare)
From the name of the minty medicinal herb.

BRAND m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of BRANT.

BRANDA f English (Rare)
Perhaps a variant of BRANDY or a feminine form of BRAND.

CARLISA f English (Rare)
Combination of CARLA and LISA.

CHARNETTE f English (Rare)
Probably an invented name.

CHRISTOBEL f English (Archaic)
Variant of CHRISTABEL.

CYBILL f English (Rare)
Variant of SIBYL. This name was borne by actress Cybill Shepherd (1950-), who was named after her grandfather Cy and her father Bill.

DACIAN m Romanian
Derived from Dacia, the old Roman name for the region that is now Romania and Moldova.

DAFFODIL f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch de affodil meaning "the asphodel".

DULCIBELLA f English (Archaic)
From Latin dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was Dowsabel, and the Latinized form Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.

EUSTACIA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of EUSTACE.

GARDENIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).

GLORIANA f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.

HAMNET m English (Archaic)
Diminutive of HAMO. This was the name of a son of Shakespeare who died in childhood. His death may have provided the inspiration for his father's play Hamlet.

JONQUIL f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".

LAURENCIA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of LAURENCE (1).

LOLICIA f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of LOLA.

MALANDRA f English (Rare)
Invented name, a prefixed form of ANDRA.

MARVYN m English (Rare)
Variant of MARVIN.

MELESINA f English (Rare)
Perhaps a form of MILLICENT. It was borne by the Irish writer and socialite Melesina Trench (1768-1827).

OTTOLINE f English (Rare)
Diminutive of OTTILIE. A famous bearer was the British socialite Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938).

PERMELIA f English (Archaic)
Meaning unknown, possibly an early American alteration of PAMELA.

PETULA f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, created in the 20th century. The name is borne by the British singer Petula Clark (1932-), whose name was invented by her father.

PETUNIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.

PRIMULA f English (Rare)
From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word primulus meaning "very first".

QUINTELLA f English (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of QUINTUS.

RICHARDINE f English (Rare)
Feminine form of RICHARD.

RONNETTE f English (Rare)
Feminine form of RONALD.

RYANA f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of RYAN.

SABELLA f English (Rare)
Short form of ISABELLA.

SAPPHIRE f English (Rare)
From the name of the gemstone, the blue birthstone of September, which is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).

SELA f English (Rare)
From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.

SIMONETTE f English (Rare)
Diminutive of SIMONE (1).

TACEY f English (Archaic)
Derived from Latin tace meaning "be silent". It was in use from the 16th century, though it died out two centuries later.

TEMPEST f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611).

TOPAZ f English (Rare)
From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek τόπαζος (topazos).

VENETIA f English (Rare), Greek
Originally this was probably a Latinized form of GWYNEDD or GWYNETH. It also coincides with the Latin name of the city of Venice in Italy. This name was borne by the celebrated beauty Venetia Stanley (1600-1633). Benjamin Disraeli used it in his novel entitled Venetia (1837).... [more]

XANTHIA f English (Rare)
Modern elaborated form of XANTHE.

XAVIA f English (Rare)
Modern feminine form of XAVIER.

XAVIERA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of XAVIER.

ZAVIA f English (Rare)
Modern feminine form of XAVIER.

ZENIA f English (Rare)
Variant of XENIA.