Do you know what Urmel, Pumuckl, and Tiger have in common? They’re not only characters from children’s series, but also first names that were rejected by the registry office. When it comes to approving names, the child’s welfare comes first. Names can be unusual, but those that could make a child look ridiculous or carry negative connotations are generally not allowed. Fortunately, there are many first names that are rare and still sound beautiful. For inspiration, here are the most popular rare girl, boy, and unisex names from our LILLYDOO Name Finder.

For even more inspiration, you can also browse our Name Finder. You can choose from 17,000 different first names, which you can filter and sort easily to find the name that fits your baby perfectly.

Top 10 Rare Girl Names

1. Malea

Aloha! The name Malea probably comes from the tropical island of Hawaii and translates to “the flower.”

2. Tilda

Tilda is a shortened form of the Old High German name Mathilda and means “mighty warrior” or “heroine.”

3. Liara

The first name Liara is of Hebrew origin. It traces back to the word “lior” and therefore means “the luminous one.”

4. Finalize

With Fina , it is a standalone shortened form of names ending in “-fina,” especially Josefina .

5. Alea

Alea can be traced back to the Greek word “eulalos” and means “the eloquent” and “the articulate.”

6. Mali

Mali is of Gothic origin and an independent short form of names containing the element “Mal-,” such as Amalie or Malwine .

7. Lyn

Lyn is Old High German and means “gentle,” “mild,” and “friendly.”

8. Leoni

Leoni is a feminine form of Leon or Leo .

9. Felina

The origin of the name Felina is not entirely clear. It could originate from the Latin words “felix” or “felinus.” The meaning would then be either “happy” or “cat-like.”

10. Elli

Elli is a shortened form of names starting with “El-,” such as Eleonore, Elisabeth, Elena, Ellen, Elke, Elisa .

Top 10 Rare Boys' Names

1. Eliah

Eliah is Hebrew and a variation of Elias . The first name means “my God is Yahweh.”

2. Leano

The first name Leano is Italian and means “the luminous.”

3. Tilo

With the name Tilo , it is an independent shortened form of names with the element “Diet-,” such as Dietrich .

4. Lean

Lean comes from Ancient Greek and is a shortened form of the names Leander and Leandro . The name means “the people” and “the man.”

5. End

Fin is an alternative spelling of the Old Irish name Finn and means “bright” or “blond.”

6. Jannes

The origin of the first name Jannes is Hebrew, and it is a Frisian and Dutch short form of Johannes .

7. Choose

Choose is also a variation of the name Elias , which is, among other things, the name of a major biblical prophet.

8. Mio

As a boys’ name, Mio is the short form of the Slavic name Miodrag . The first name means “the lovable,” “the graceful,” “the charming,” and “the pleasant.”

9. Mattheo

Mattheo is the Italian form of Matthew . It carries the meaning “Gift of Yahweh.”

10. Lion

The first name Lion may have an Old High German origin if it is derived from a short form of the names Leonhard and Leopold . However, in relation to the name Leon , a Greek origin is also possible.

Top 10 Rare Unisex Names

1. Lian

Lian comes from Mandarin and means “graceful willow.”

2. Toni

The first name Toni became widespread through the veneration of Saint Anthony of Padua.

3. Janis

Janis can be of Hebrew or Welsh origin. In Hebrew, it means “Yahweh is gracious,” and in Welsh, “white” or “blond,” as well as “smooth” and “soft.”

4. Lovis

The Old High German name Lovis was widespread throughout Europe as the name of German and French kings and emperors.

5. Jael

The first name Jael is very popular in Judaism. In the Bible, Jael kills an enemy of Israel.

6. Ari

Ari comes from the Hebrew word "arij" and means “the lion.”

7. Esmé

The first name Esmé is Old French. It means “respected.”

8. Niki

The short form Niki comes from Ancient Greek and from the name Santa Claus .

9. Ira

Ira is derived from Irene . In Greek mythology, Irene is the goddess of peace.

10. Ilia

Ilia is also a variation of the name Elias .

We hope you found a name that you and your partner love. And always remember: your little explorer is completely unique, even if another child at daycare or on the playground has the same name.