Reaver sure sounds like an occupational surname, thanks to its -er ending and similarity to names like Reeve, but it is actually a name invented by science fiction writers.

The first documentation of the use of Reaver was in 1988, as the name of a team of cyborgs in a Marvel comic book. More recently, Reaver was used in the TV show Firefly as the name of a group of cannibalistic humans.

Magnethia was created as a feminine name for the TV show Winx Club. As far as we know, it's never been used as a name for a child of any sex.

Top 100 choice in Puerto Rico that is relatively unknown outside of the territory.

Riggan found fame as the first name of the hero of the Oscar-winning film Birdman, played by Michael Keaton. Riggan has the two-syllable n-ending surname feel so trendy for boys' names today. It may be a variation of Reagan or Regan or it may be a play on the word rigging. Whatever its origin, we bet this is one fictional name that will find wider use in real life.

Podrick Payne is something of a Zelig character in Game of Thrones -- though he's never been all that prominent, he's popped up in many scenes in many different storylines on the show, first as squire to Tyrion Lannister and later to Brienne of Tarth.

Zayvion is an invented name that blends the sound of Xavier with the popular '-on' suffix. This name follows a trend of combining familiar elements to create something distinctive, giving it a modern and unique appeal among contemporary names.

Riler is a spelling spin on another new invented name Ryler, given in the US in 2024 to about 40 babies, about 80 percent of them male. You can think of it as a mashup of the trendy surname-names Tyler and Riley, with Tyler far more popular for boys — about 2000 boys to 130 girls got the name last year — and Riley more popular for girls, given to about 4500 baby girls vs. 1500 boys in this spelling alone.

Damarion is a modern masculine name that has gained modest popularity in recent decades, particularly in the United States. It appears to be a creative variation of names like Damian, Damario, or Damar, possibly influenced by the popular suffix '-arion' found in names like Demarion and Jamarion. The name has a rhythmic, contemporary sound that appeals to parents seeking something distinctive yet accessible. While it doesn't have ancient historical roots, Damarion has established itself as part of the trend toward melodic, multi-syllabic boys' names. It carries a strong, confident quality while remaining approachable, often associated with attributes like strength and individuality.

Like Jaxon, Jaxen is an attempt to switch things up from the more popular Jackson. News flash - Jackson is cooler.

Jacob meets Jakob meets Kobe -- and apparently, parents in 2013 are fans. It rose 153 spots to break into the Top 1000, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names.

This spelling of popular Jalen ranks in the Top 1000 for both girls and boys.

Modern, none-too-classy elaboration of Shawn.

A hybrid of trendy syllables, but less evocative than the original Taylor.

Ryler is one of those names created by marrying two trending sounds, the Ry beginning as in Riley, Rylen, and the literary Ryle, and the er ending, as in hundreds of boys' names trending over the past several years.

Dalton with a B. The original is better.

Khyree appears to be a modern variant spelling of the name Kyrie, which derives from Greek 'kyrios' meaning 'lord' or 'master.' The distinctive spelling with 'Kh' and double 'e' ending represents contemporary phonetic spelling preferences that emerged in the late 20th century. The name gained modest popularity in the United States beginning in the 1990s and continued rising in the early 2000s. The term 'Kyrie eleison' ('Lord, have mercy') is significant in Christian liturgy, which may influence some families' choice of this name. The spelling variation with 'Kh' might reflect phonetic influences from various languages where this sound combination appears. As with many contemporary names, creative spelling variations allow for personalization while maintaining the original pronunciation.

We can't believe we're saying this, but we'd even prefer Arnie or Barney.

A clear reference to the Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli, known for his adaptations of Shakespearean plays such as The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet. Zeffirelli was born out of wedlock, meaning he couldn't have either of his parents' surnames. His mother wanted it to be Zeffiretti, meaning "little breezes," taken from Mozart's opera Idomeneo. It was misspelled as Zeffirelli on his birth certificate.

Dox may sound like a modern invention but it actually has a notable historical bearer. Malagasy poet Jean Verdi Salomon Razakandrainy was known mononymously as Dox, inspired by a nickname he received in art school.

Variations and elaborations of Ace have been popping up all over the place — Ayce recently broke the Top 2000.