170 Rare and Beautiful Exotic Names for Girls

Some names sound like the place they came from: a market in Marrakech, a beach in Bali, a mountain town you had to fly two days to reach. Exotic girl names carry that far-flung feeling, drawn from languages and traditions well outside the usual American top ten.

Below you will find 170 of them, gathered from cultures across the globe, from Arabic and Sanskrit to Swahili, Persian, and Polynesian roots. Each pick leans rare rather than trendy, so your daughter is unlikely to share hers with three classmates.

Skim for the sound you love, then read on for the origins and meanings behind each one.

170 Wildly Exotic Names for Girls

Browse our full list of exotic female names, each with its origin and meaning. The Social Security Administration draws its yearly rankings from a 100 percent sample of Social Security card applications ⁽¹⁾, the same data behind the popularity trends noted throughout this list.

1. Adele: A Germanic name meaning “noble,” popularized by the famous singer.
2. Adelita: A Spanish variant of Adele, meaning “noble.”
3. Adina: Meaning “delicate,” this Hebrew girl’s name is perfect for a sensitive child.
4. Adriana: An exotic Latin name meaning “from Hadria.”
5. Aisling: An Irish name meaning “dream” and “vision.”
6. Alana: A cool Gaelic female name meaning “beautiful offering.”
7. Alba: A Latin name meaning “white” that shifts to “dawn” in Spanish and Italian, carried by actress Jessica Alba.
8. Alina: This Germanic girl’s name means “noble,” and it also means “light” in Greek.
9. Amara: A Latin and Italian name meaning “bitter” and “grace.”
10. Amelia: A German name meaning “work” or “industrious.” Amelia ranked 4th among U.S. girl names with 76,108 births from 2020 through 2025 ⁽²⁾.
11. Anisa: An Arabic name meaning “friendly” or “companion.”
12. Ariene: Meaning “most holy” and “silver,” Ariene works perfectly for pious kids.
13. Basimah: Happy daughters will love this Arabic name meaning “smiling.”
14. Bennu: For kids who want to spread their wings, this Egyptian name means “eagle.”
15. Bernadette: A French name meaning “strength of a bear.”
16. Branwen: A classic Welsh name that means “white raven.”
17. Briony: A Greek name meaning “to grow luxuriantly.”
18. Bronwyn: An Old Welsh name meaning “white-breasted.”
19. Calista: A Greek name meaning “most beautiful,” borne by actress Calista Flockhart.
20. Calliope: If you love a musical household, this Greek name means “beautiful voice.”
21. Carina: A unique Latin girl’s name meaning “beloved” or “dear.”
22. Carmen: A name of Hebrew and Spanish origin meaning “orchard” or “garden.”
23. Catalina: This pretty name is of Spanish origin, meaning “pure.”
24. Chantal: A French name meaning “stone” or “singer.”
25. Charlize: A female derivative of Charles, meaning “free man.”
26. Chiara: This Italian name means “light” or “clear.”
27. Cia: Pronounced Siy-yah, this short form of Lucia means “light.”
28. Cinnia: An exotic-sounding Celtic name meaning “curly-haired one.”
29. Circe: A Greek name from the mythological enchantress who turned Odysseus’s crew into swine in the Odyssey.
30. Coco: A French pet name made famous by fashion designer Coco Chanel, often short for Colette or Corinne.
31. Constance: A pretty Latin name meaning “constant” or “steadfast.”
32. Cora: A Greek name meaning “maiden,” another title for Persephone, queen of the underworld.
33. Coraline: A name of French and English origin meaning “coral.”
34. Corazon: One of the most striking Spanish exotic female names, meaning “heart.”
35. Daenerys: A modern, fictional name created for the Game of Thrones series.
36. Dahlia: A floral name of Swedish and Scandinavian origin, meaning “Dahl’s flower.”
37. Damaris: A Greek girl name meaning “gentle,” ideal for kind-hearted kids.
38. Dana: Meaning “from Denmark,” this name fits Scandinavian heritage perfectly.
39. Danika: A name of Slavic origin meaning “morning star.”
40. Daphne: From Greek mythology, this name means “laurel,” after the nymph who became a laurel tree to escape Apollo.
41. Della: A short, sweet name of German origin meaning “noble.”
42. Delphine: A French name derived from Latin, meaning “woman from Delphi.”
43. Devon: A unisex name from the English county, meaning “deep valley dwellers.”
44. Diana: A Latin name meaning “divine,” borne by the Roman goddess of the hunt and by Princess Diana.
45. Dido: A mythological Greek name meaning “virgin” or “wanderer.”
46. Eileen: An Irish name meaning “beautiful bird,” perfect for dainty daughters.
47. Eirene: A lovely Greek name meaning “peace.”
48. Elaxi: A multicultural Hindu name meaning “woman who has bright eyes.”
49. Eleanor: Meaning “light,” this Old English name brings brightness to your life.
50. Elham: This Arabic name meaning “inspiration” is a sweet option for your daughter.
51. Elise: A short form of Elizabeth, meaning “God is my oath.”
52. Elizabeth: A majestic Hebrew name meaning “God is my oath.”
53. Ellen: A derivative of Helen, meaning “shining light” or “torch.”
54. Eloise: A French and English name meaning “healthy” and “wide.”
55. Elvire: A captivating French name meaning “all true.”
56. Enola: An English name that spells “alone” backward, revived by the Enola Holmes films.
57. Fatima: An Arabic name meaning “captivating” and “one who abstains.”
58. Fenella: A Celtic name meaning “white shoulder.”
59. Fleur: The French word for “flower,” making Fleur perfect for your little petal.
60. Florence: A Latin name meaning “flowering” or “in bloom,” heavily tied to the Italian city.
61. Freida: A lovely German name for “peaceful” babies.
62. Freya: From Old Norse, meaning “noble lady,” and the name of the Norse goddess of love and beauty.
63. Gabriella: The female version of Gabriel, meaning “God is my strength” in Hebrew.
64. Gale: A unisex Irish name meaning “foreign, happy, and cheerful.”
65. Ghislaine: A French name meaning “pledge.”
66. Gigi: An unusual diminutive of Georgina, meaning “earth-worker” or “farmer.”
67. Ginerva: An Italian name meaning “white shadow” or “white as foam.”
68. Giovanna: An Italian name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God is gracious.”
69. Giselle: A French and German name meaning “pledge” and “hostage.”
70. Godiva: After the legendary Lady Godiva, this English name means “God’s gift.”
71. Harper: An English occupational name for a harp player, widely used for girls since the 2010s.
72. Harriet: A female derivative of Harry, meaning “estate ruler.”
73. Hattie: The feminine diminutive of Harriet, meaning “home-ruler.”
74. Hayley: An Old English name meaning “clearing or meadow.”
75. Henrietta: The female form of Henry, meaning “estate ruler.”
76. Hester: An old-fashioned female name meaning “star.”
77. Ianthe: For flower-loving daughters, this Greek name means “violet flower.”
78. India: A place name taken from the South Asian country, used as a given name since the Victorian era.
79. Ines: A name meaning “pure” in Greek and “gentle” in Spanish.
80. Ingrid: From Old Norse, meaning “Ing’s beauty,” made famous by actress Ingrid Bergman.
81. Isabella: A Spanish and Italian variant of Elizabeth, meaning “God is my oath.” According to Social Security Administration data, Isabella was given to 67,643 U.S. girls from 2020 through 2025, keeping it inside the top ten.
82. Ivana: A Slavic and Hebrew name meaning “God is gracious.”
83. Jacinda: A Spanish and Portuguese name meaning “hyacinth.”
84. Jamelia: An Arabic name that translates to “beautiful.”
85. Jhazala: A Muslim girl’s name of Middle Eastern origin, meaning “gazelle.”
86. Joy: An English name that naturally drips with happiness.
87. Karasi: An African name meaning “life and wisdom.”
88. Keiko: A cute Japanese name meaning “blessed child.”
89. Keira: An Irish name meaning “little dark one.”
90. Khaleesi: A fictional title from Game of Thrones, meaning “queen” in Dothraki.
91. Khalida: An Arabic name with meanings ranging from “immortal” to “heavenly.”
92. Krishna: A Sanskrit name representing the supreme Hindu god, meaning “all-attractive.”
93. Lana: Derived from the Germanic Alana, meaning “little rock.”
94. Latika: A sweet Sanskrit name meaning “creeper vine” or “small plant.”
95. Layla: An Arabic name meaning “dark” or “night,” revived by Eric Clapton’s song “Layla.”
96. Leilani: A Hawaiian exotic girl’s name, meaning “heavenly flower.”
97. Lorelei: A German name from the Rhine’s Loreley rock, tied to the legend of a siren who lured sailors.
98. Lottie: A diminutive of Charlotte, meaning “little and womanly.”
99. Lucia: Derived from the Latin word Lux, which means “light.”
100. Madelaine: A Hebrew name meaning “woman from Magdala.”
101. Magdalena: A majestic Greek name also meaning “woman from Magdala.”
102. Manala: A Muslim name from Arabic meaning “achievement.”
103. Margaritte: A unique French version of Margaret meaning “pearl.”
104. Mariquita: A Spanish name of Latin origin meaning “bitter” or “drop of the sea.”
105. Martha: A classic, historic name meaning “lady” in Aramaic.
106. Meital: A pretty Hebrew name carrying the gorgeous meaning of “dew drops.”
107. Mila: A Slavic name meaning “gracious” and “dear.”
108. Morgana: From the Welsh Morcant, Morgana means “circling sea.”
109. Mumbi: These descriptive African girl names hit the mark perfectly, as Mumbi means “mother of the people.”
110. Nadine: A French and Slavic name meaning “hopeful.”
111. Natalie: A Latin name referring to Christ’s birthday, making it perfect for Christmas babies.
112. Nehara: An exotic female name for the “light” or “river” in your life.
113. Neve: A name of Irish origin, meaning “snow” in Italian and “radiance” in Gaelic.
114. Njema: A Swahili name meaning “good.”
115. Odette: A French name meaning “wealthy,” deeply associated with the ballet Swan Lake.
116. Okelani: A Hawaiian name meaning a gift “from heaven.”
117. Oriana: A cool Latin name meaning “dawn” and “gold” in Spanish.
118. Paloma: A cute Spanish girl’s name perfect for your little “dove.”
119. Paradisa: A Greek name meaning “garden or orchard,” hinting at the home of the blessed.
120. Paris: A name shared by the French capital and the Trojan prince of Greek myth.
121. Pasha: A super-exotic name of Persian and Turkish origin, meaning “Lord.”
122. Penelope: A graceful Greek name meaning “weaver,” borne by Odysseus’s faithful wife in the Odyssey.
123. Persephone: A Greek name from the mythological queen of the underworld, daughter of Zeus and Demeter.
124. Quintina: A rare Latin name ideal for your “fifth” child.
125. Rashida: An Arabic name meaning “rightly guided.”
126. Raquel: A sweet Hebrew name perfect for your “little lamb.”
127. Rosanne: An Old English name meaning “gracious rose.”
128. Roselani: A pretty Hawaiian name meaning “heavenly rose.”
129. Rowena: A name of German origin bringing “fame and happiness.”
130. Roxana: A sassy Persian girl’s name meaning “dawn” or “bright and shining.”
131. Saffron: An English name from the crocus plant, meaning “yellow flower.”
132. Sapphire: A gem name meaning “blue,” and the birthstone linked to September.
133. Saraid: From ancient Irish nobility, meaning “excellent.”
134. Sasha: A unisex Slavic and Greek name meaning “defender of mankind.”
135. Saskia: An Anglo-Saxon name possibly meaning “the Saxon people” or “valley of light.”
136. Serilda: A tough name from Old German meaning “armed warrior woman.”
137. Sofia: A Greek name meaning “wisdom,” spelled Sophia in its English form.
138. Solange: A French name meaning “rare jewel.”
139. Tabitha: An Aramaic name meaning “gazelle,” borne by a woman restored to life in the biblical Book of Acts.
140. Tahlia: A name meaning “morning dew,” offering a sweet title for your girl.
141. Tallulah: A Native American name meaning “leaping water,” revived by actress Tallulah Bankhead.
142. Tamara: An exotic Hebrew name meaning “palm tree.”
143. Tate: A cheerful English name meaning “glad” or “happy.”
144. Tatiana: A popular Russian name meaning “fairy princess.”
145. Tawney: An Old English word meaning “golden brown.”
146. Taylor: A unisex name from Old English referring to a “tailor.”
147. Teague: An Irish girl’s name meaning “poet” and “philosopher” in Scottish.
148. Theadora: Dripping in Victorian charm, this name means “gift of God.”
149. Tiffany: A Greek name meaning “revelation of God,” from Theophania, and linked to the New York jeweler Tiffany & Co.
150. Tilly: A sweet name that oozes English charm but heavily means “mighty in battle.”
151. Trinity: A Latin name referring to the “triad” of the Holy Trinity.
152. Tulip: A pretty Turkish and Persian flower name meaning “turban.”
153. Ursula: An unassuming name of Latin origin meaning “little female bear.”
154. Vania: A Spanish, French, and Slavic name derived from Russian meaning “God is gracious.”
155. Vanka: A Russian-sounding female name meaning “graceful.”
156. Velora: A Latin name meaning “strong and healthy.”
157. Veronica: A Latin name meaning “true image,” stemming from Saint Veronica.
158. Vicenza: An exotic Latin name meaning “prevailing” or “conquering.”
159. Vivienne: A French version of the Latin Viviana meaning “life.”
160. Wanda: A Slavic name meaning “from the Vandal tribe.”
161. Willamina: A Germanic name meaning “determined protector.”
162. Winona: A Native American name meaning “firstborn daughter,” shared with actress Winona Ryder.
163. Xanthe: Pronounced Zan-thee, this Greek name means “golden yellow.”
164. Yara: A name of Brazilian and Arabic origin meaning “water lady” or “small butterfly.”
165. Yente: A Yiddish word meaning “home-ruler,” “aristocratic,” or “noble.”
166. Zada: A popular Syrian name meaning “prosperous and fortunate.”
167. Zadie: A catchy exotic name from Hebrew meaning “princess.”
168. Zannie: A posh Hebrew name meaning “nourished” or “lily rose.”
169. Ziva: An exotic Hebrew name meaning “radiance.”
170. Zorana: A unique Slavic girl’s name meaning “dawn.”

FAQs