Invented Girl Names

Eisley and sister Isley are drawn from the German surname Eisele, which means iron and was often used as a nickname for a blacksmith. More than 100 baby girls were named Eisley in the US last year, and about two-thirds that number called Isley.

Not quite as unusual as it might seem, it first entered the popularity list in 1995, as a possible alternative to the very popular Kayla. In the Bible, an alternate spelling is Jaala.

Aniya is a a cross-cultural choice with a bright, fresh sound. While alternative spelling Aniyah is in the US and UK Top 1000, Aniya dropped out of the charts in 2021, and is now given to around 250 girls each year.

A name with plenty of celebrity glamor and contemporary flair, Anniston has a variety of origins. On one hand, it's a place name, deriving from a city in Alabama of the same name. Founded in the late 19th century by Samuel Noble and Daniel Tyler, it was named in honor of the latter's daughter-in-law, Annie Tyler.

Nylah is the Arabic name of a princess -- Nyla is another variation -- that's rising quickly through the ranks, partly thanks to an adorable kitty that enjoyed 15 minutes of YouTube fame. But we predict this attractive and unusual name will get a longer turn in the sun than the pop-culture cat.

Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills.

Australian writer Wendy Orr put this name on the map with her hit Nim's Island" series of children's books, about a smart young girl who lives on an island in the South Pacific. Abigail Breslin played Nim in a 2008 film adaptation of the book.

Culmination of two trends: names bookended by As and Nova names, seen in names like Novalee, Novalyn, and Zanova.

Skyla is the most feminine form of the Skylar / Sklyer trend - little Skyla will never be mistaken on paper for a boy.

This name's trendy trademarks - the "K" start and the "-yah" suffix - explain how it made its way up the Top 1000. Just beware the similarities between this name and creamy liqueur "Kahlua".

A compound name made up of Aubrey and Brielle, this modern invention blends fresh, stylish sounds, with a nod to more traditional elegance. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2012 and remained there for a decade, and though it has fallen from the top of the charts, it was still given to around 230 girls in a recent year.

While for some, it may feel stuck in the shadow of the Dolly Parton song, Jolene re-entered the charts in 2010 and has seen increased use in recent years, ranking in the US Top 700 in the latest count. Tuneful and spirited, it combines the 'Jo' sound of Joanne, Josephine, and similar, with the lene suffix. As such, it could be said to share their meanings, "God is gracious" and "Jehovah increases".

A name invented for a fairy in the Disney Tinker Bell series, played by Raven-Symoné.

A Scottish surname name, more popular as the Presidential McKinley, meaning "son of the fair hero".

Lucasta was invented by seventeenth century poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems dedicated to a lover named Lucy, and is familiar through the Eugene O'Neill play and film Anna Lucasta. Lucasta is a distinctive, rarely used choice and a logical extension of the Luke/Luc/Luca names.

Game of Thrones fans may recognize this as the name of the wily Wildling who helped protect Bran Stark for several seasons of the HBO show. George R.R. Martin has cited Harry Potter vet Natalia Tena's performance in the part as the one that most changed his understanding of a character he created.

Epponnee-Rae — full name Epponnee-Raelene Kathleen Darlene Charlene Craig — is the daughter of Kim and Brett on the early aughts Australian sitcom Kath & Kim.

With the sprightly "Ren" and "Wren" currently in fashion, and "ley" a productive suffix to create new names, this combination was inevitable, and is chirpy and appealing. Renley has been on the US charts for girls since 2012, and for boys since 2013. It probably got a boost from the Game of Thrones character Renly Baratheon, albeit with a slightly different spelling.

Tauriel is the name of an elf in the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, played by Evangeline Lilly. She is the head of the Mirkwood Elven guard, and a companion of Legolas. Her name was created from the Sindarin elements taur "forest" and riel "maiden’.

Zaria, the name of the Nigerian capital city, could be another Z name for parents to consider. It currently ranks lower than variations Zariah and Zariyah.