Invented Boy Names

One part fantastical literary invention and one part Ancient Greek, Atreyus is a new and rising name for boys. It's could be viewed as a combination of Atreus, an Ancient Greek name, and Atreyu, created by German author Michael Ende for his novel The Neverending Story.

Though not technically a one-person name, since 30 baby boys were named Shemar in 2016, Shemar stems from one specific person, prolific actor Shemar Moore. He has said that his parents came up with it by combining the first three letters of each of their first names, Sherrod and Marilyn.

Definite twenty-first- century possibilities, with its stylish K opening, strong first syllable, and softer second.

This phonetic spelling of Drew feels particularly distanced from the original classic Andrew. Jrue, along with other phonetic "Jr" names such as Jream, is on the rise in the US — even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.

The name of the lead character -- a purple dragon -- in a long-running series of video games. Technically also a variant of the classic Greek name Spiro/Spyros.

One of the oft-mocked Zappa kid names; it supposedly was a nickname his father had for his wife's pinkie toe.

May tagalong after fast-rising cousin Jaxon.

Kasyn is a modern masculine name that has emerged in recent decades as part of the trend toward unique spellings and contemporary-sounding names. It likely developed as a variant of Casey or possibly as an alternative spelling of Cason. The name has a strong, succinct sound with its crisp consonants and straightforward pronunciation. While its specific etymological origins are not firmly established, it shares qualities with both Celtic names (like Casey, meaning 'vigilant' or 'alert') and surnames-turned-first-names. Kasyn remains relatively uncommon, appealing to parents seeking a distinctive yet accessible modern name for their sons.

This variation of Jason and Jayce was the fastest-rising name of 2013 for boys -- leaping 845 spots in a single year to break into the Top 1000 for the first time ever. Its trendy sound, y spelling, and connection to rapper Jayceon "The Game" Taylor can be credited for this spike.

Lakelyn is a fast-rising girl name of the last decade, combining a nature word with the ever-fashionable -lyn suffix. It is occasionally given to baby boys too (eight of them in 2020), no doubt helped by the similarity to Lachlan.

Take modern virtue Brave, add the trendy -n ending, and voilà! A cool new word-meets-surname name which feels bang on trend right now.

Also found as Brason, this is one of an army of Jason sound-alikes, which include Cason, Mason, Kaysen, and so on. Stylish, yes; recommended, no.

A character name in the Shadow and Bone book series, invented by author Leigh Bardugo. It is intended as a Ravkan form of Malcolm, meaning "disciple of St Columba".

An attractive twist on an Arabic classic, with further twists being Zamari, Jamari, and Jamarion. It was a popular choice from the 70s onwards in the US but has fallen out of favor in recent years, replaced by Jamir.

Kallen is a versatile masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may be derived from the Irish surname Ó Cathalán, meaning 'descendant of Cathalan,' ultimately from 'cath' meaning 'battle.' Alternatively, it could be a variation of Kellen, with Germanic roots meaning 'powerful' or 'mighty.' In Finnish, the word 'kallen' relates to 'precious' or 'valuable.' The name gained some recognition through the anime character Kallen Stadtfeld from 'Code Geass.' With its strong consonants and modern sound, Kallen appeals to parents seeking a contemporary name with potential historical connections. Though still uncommon in most English-speaking countries, its familiarity to names like Cullen and Kellan makes it accessible.

Zyion is a modern masculine name that has gained modest popularity in the United States since the early 2000s. It appears to be a creative variation of Zion, which has Hebrew origins meaning 'highest point' or 'Jerusalem.' The name Zion carries biblical significance as a reference to the Promised Land or heaven. Zyion transforms the traditional spelling with a contemporary twist, appealing to parents seeking names with spiritual connections yet distinctive spellings. The 'Z' beginning gives the name a strong, energetic quality, while the overall sound maintains a smooth flow. Zyion represents the modern trend of adapting traditional names with unique spellings.

Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.

Brian meets Riley, this name is more popular for girls. It coincides with the surname Briley, a contracted form of Brierley, which might be an interesting alternative.

Braeden was one of the many -aiden names that we heard everywhere just a few years ago. Now it's fading, along with Aiden, Jayden, and company.

If you're not finding Nemo unusual enough, consider the even more eccentric Emo, which may have been invented by comedian Emo Philips.