Of all the things you need to think about if you're expecting a baby, choosing the right
name can cause a surprising amount of stress.
Maybe you're thinking of using a traditional name with a long history in your family.
Or maybe you want something a bit more original so your little one won't be one of four Emmas
or three Williams in their class.
If it's rare baby names you're after, here are some you'll completely fall in love with.
Lennon
The name Lennon has a long history.
It was originally an Anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Leannáin, the root of
which is the Gaelic word for "lover."
Probably best known as the last name of John Lennon, a member of the iconic group The Beatles,
Lennon first became a masculine name and then a gender neutral name.
This is a wonderful name for your baby, especially if you're a fan of The Beatles and want to
pay tribute to the group.
Cassandra
In Greek mythology, Cassandra is remembered as a Trojan princess.
The daughter of Priam and Hecuba, Cassandra had the gift of prophecy and even prophesied
the fall of Troy, but no one believed her.
This elegant and noble name became very popular during the Middle Ages before falling out
of favor.
It saw a brief revival at the end of the 20th century, but is not used very much these days,
making it the perfect rare baby name for your own little princess.
Fabian
The name Fabian dates back to the ancient Roman family name Fabius and is known to Catholics
as the name of Saint Fabian, who served as pope in the 3rd century.
Most popular in Austria, Poland, and Switzerland, the name is much rarer in the English-speaking
world.
If you want to give your baby a time-honored, but uncommon name, Fabian is a fantastic choice.
Callum
This Scottish name deserves to have a chance across the pond!
Though it's popular in the UK as both a first and last name, the uncommon-in-America name
Callum traces its roots back to the Latin name Columba, which means "dove."
It's related to the much more widely recognized name of Colin, but it's rare enough in the
U.S. to be a unique name choice for your baby boy.
Lyra
This beautiful name comes from astronomy and is the name of a constellation of stars.
Lyra is named after the lyre of the mythological figure Orpheus, who created music so beautiful
that he was able to convince the god of the underworld to allow him to bring his deceased
wife back to the land of the living.
The name was used by Philip Pullman as the name of the protagonist of the fantasy trilogy
His Dark Materials.
While the series was a critical and commercial success, and was even adapted for film with
The Golden Compass, the name Lyra is still rarely used, making it a unique choice.
Heath
Modern audiences recognize Heath as the name of the late actor Heath Ledger, but probably
can't name many more people named Heath, if any.
The name Heath started gaining some traction as a given name in the 1960s when it was used
as the name of the character Heath Barkley on the show The Big Valley.
Despite the popularity of the show, Heath has yet to catch on as a first name and is
still quite rare.
Maeve
This rare name has slowly been climbing the ranks since the late 1990s, but is still far
from widely used.
Maeve has a long history, coming from Gaelic and meaning "intoxicating."
Maeve was the name of a legendary warrior queen in Irish mythology whose adventures
are immortalized in the Irish epic The Cattle-Raid of Cooley.
What better name could there be for your own little Irish princess?
Leighton
Gossip Girl fans are already familiar with the name Leighton as it's the name of one
of the show's stars, Leighton Meester.
What many don't realize, however, is that the name is actually gender neutral.
According to baby name statistics, the name is rarely used in the U.S., but when it is,
it's more frequently used for girls.
That all changes across the pond, however.
In England and Wales, Leighton is a name primarily given to baby boys.
Antonia
Despite its familiarity to Food Network viewers as the name of celebrity chef Antonia Lofaso,
Antonia is rarely used as a baby name in the United States.
The lovely name is popular in other countries, however, especially in Chile, Romania, and
Croatia, where it's ranked in the top 100 names for baby girls.
The name has ancient roots, and can be traced back to the Roman family name of Antonius.
Variations of the name have been used for centuries, dating back to at least the 1st
century B.C. Antonia may not be used often, but it does have a lot of staying power!
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