Invented Girl Names

Blends Samantha and Amanda, yet feels fresher than either.

The ultimate romantic elaboration of Winter, Wyntreaux feels like it's straight out of a fantasy novel.

Queen Nehelenia is a villain in the Sailor Moon anime franchise. Her name is likely a reference to both the mineral nepheline — as many Sailor Moon characters are named after minerals — and Nehalennia, a German or Celtic goddess.

Kikkan Randall, the American cross-country skier who won a Gold Medal at the 2018 Olympics, made her invented name famous. The name Kikkan was a compromise between Megan and Kikki, the name her father wanted to give her to honor skier Kiki Cutter. While we don't expect Kikkan to win any medals as a baby name, it's undeniably cute and original and also honors an inspirational female athlete.

Adding that B to Randall transforms a pretty boyish surname choice into a 21st century spin on Brandy.

Strange amalgam with little appeal.

This spelling of the Old Testament girls' name feels more energetic and modern than the more traditional Zilla or Zillah -- which is probably why it's been a fast-growing name for years.

While Kayla has been a mainstay in the US Top 1000 list since the 1960s, alternate version Keyla is relatively new, first entering the charts in 2002. While this spelling also has the possibility of being pronounced KEE-lah, it's most likely to cause confusing and frustration in the shadow of the much more popular spelling.

Created by novelist Clive Barker for an entire universe in his book Imajica: strange but magical.

Unfortunate name that's become a caricature, like Muffy, say, or Bruce.

Part Hadley, part Madeline, Madley is an invented smoosh name for our times. Of course, it sounds like madly so that may put some parents off, though for others the intense meaning may be a good thing. Madley also sounds a little like Melody and a bit like medley, appealing musical associations.

This melodious portmanteau name is borne by Tatewin Means (full name: Tatuye Topa Najin Win), who became the first indigenous woman to run for Attorney General in the 2018 South Dakota election. She had previously served as Deputy State's Attorney of Oglala Lakota County. She is Sisitonwan Dakota, Oglala Lakota, and Ihanktonwan Nakota by heritage.

This name can be seen as a newly invented name, a sort of elaboration on Jane. It is also a rare Hebrew name—also spelled Jania—that means "from Jana." It has been declining steadily in the US since its peak between 2004 and 2008.

An elaboration of popular Nova, that first appeared in the US baby name charts in 2020.

A newly hatched cousin of Bree and Brea, with a touch of Bailey and Brynn there too, Brae feels like a name that could catch on. However, a 'bray' is also the sound a donkey makes.

Avaline emerged as a full-fledged name when Cameron Diaz used it as the name of her wine brand. Only a dozen or two baby girls are given the name each year in the US, a surprise given the dramatically increased popularity of Adeline and Evelyn, which have spawned an abundant number of variations.

This variation of the English word "blessing" is on the rise, while the original Blessing actually fell in use in 2022. This may soon become a Journee/Journey type of situation, where the misspelled version becomes more popular than the original. The name Blessyn was given to 149 baby girls in 2022, and Blessing to 236.

The Estonian equivalent of Annelise, combining Ene (an Estonian form of Anna or Hendrika) with Eliisabet.

One of the sha-la-la sisters.

Jehilyn is a non-intuitive spelling of the popular Jaelyn, which has a wide range of well-used spellings from Jayleen to Jaylin to Jaelyn to Jaelynn. Adding all its spellings together, there were roughly 1000 baby girls given this name last year, the same number as were called Kendall and Maggie.