Invented Boy Names

A Scottish word name and a short form of Brayden, Brae has a gentle but solid feel to it. However, a 'bray' is also the sound a donkey makes.

A rare smoosh of Dontae and Octavius, also spelled Dontavious.

Another of the many -aiden names. Several spellings have charted in the US Top 1000 in recent years, but now most of the -aidens are fading. Braiden is no exception, dropping down the charts each year since its peak at Number 468 in 2010.

Okay, it's a little bit like Trey, and a little bit like Taylor, but exactly like....trailer?

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.

Invented in 1939 as the name of Marvel Comics character Namor the Sub-Mariner. Bill Everett, the creator, decided on Namor after writing noble, dignified names in reverse—Namor is Roman spelled backwards.

One of the new two-syllable boys' names with more style than substance.

Americanization of Trevor that is catching on, as are other versions Trevion and Trevin.

Name with an Asian feel, thanks to a Japanese city and Imari porcelain.

With the trendiness of both X and Z, this spelling has it all. However, there's no real need for the added letter, unless you're looking for extra Scrabble points.

The name of a minor character in Game of Thrones, Balon Greyjoy, the ancient lord of the Iron Islands and father to lead character Theon Greyjoy.

This contemporary combo name burst onto the scene in tandem with the megasuccess of then-child singer Tevin Campbell in 1989, but has been losing its footing since the start of the millennium.

The popular -ley suffix can be credited for this name's use in recent years. We're not loving that it sounds as trendy and of-the-moment as it is.

Kaylor is a faux surname name. It doesn't have an occupational meaning, unlike soundalike names Taylor ("tailor") and Baylor ("one who delivers goods"). It may be considered an Anglicization of surnames such as Keillor or Kohler, but its use typically arises from a combination of the names Kay and Taylor.

Eddard is a spin on Edward created by author George R.R. Martin for the Game of Thrones series. Eddard, usually known as Ned, Stark was the wise and good King of the North whose shocking murder at the end of the first season of the TV show set off years of chaos. While Eddard as a name may have more earthly ties than Sansa or Daenerys, it's linked firmly to the Game of Thrones franchise and will peg you as a fan.

The invented name Xael debuted on the charts for boys in 2010. It is primarily used among Spanish-speaking families.

Could be an interesting alternative to London, now that that one is firmly on the girl's side.

Londo Mollari is a character from the TV show Babylon 5.

The American appetite for new names ending in the letters "yn" knows no bounds. This one, a close relative of popular Jaxson, was among the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017.

Just because Nicolas Cage gave his son Superman's birth name, Kal-el, that doesn't give you permission to use the name of Superman's father.

Istredd is the name of sorceress Yennefer's former lover in The Witcher series, created by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Some sources theorize that the name is related to the Scandinavian royal name Astrid.