Invented Boy Names

Aiden has spawned a legion of offshoots used mostly for boys but sometimes for girls too, and Kaidyn is one such name. Though it has been predominantly used on boys in recent years, it was given to girls almost equally in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Davion has only ranked in the US Top 1000 since the early 1990s, and its alternate spelling Davian is a more recent entry, first entering the charts in 2004. Their apparent connection to more common names Dave and Damian presumably provided the avenue for their success; however, both names are trending downward with no expected resurgence in the coming years.

Kayson is one of several variations of the boys' name Cason, a favorite of the 2010s when it appeared in many different forms, from the Casen to Kaisen to Cayson. Likely inspired by the popular Mason and Jason, the name is also a place name and surname, derived from the English town Cawston .

Daylen is a D-starting spin on the trendy Jaylen. Day is an appealing nickname.

Soan is a variation of Sohan, an invented French name that may be related to the masculine Jean. Both names rank in France’s Top 100, with the original Sohan pulling slightly ahead. The Soan version was popularized by a French singer Julien Decroix, who performs by the name Soan. He won the 2009 season of a music competition called Nouvelle Star.

We normally think of Cat and Kat as girls names -- nicknames, essentially, for Catherine and Katherine. But actor Katt Williams, Emmy-nominated for his role in Atlanta, presents the intriguing possibility of it working for a boy as well. He was originally born Micah, and so far, U.S. parents haven't shown much love for Katt as a whole name -- but with unique unisex names drawn from nature on the rise, we wouldn't be surprised to see it catch on.

On the other hand, Zarren is an improvement on Darren.

In the Top 1,000 since 1996, a less expected alternative to Omar.

Roronoa was created for the pirate-themed anime series One Piece. Roronoa is the Japanese pronunciation of l'Ollonais, the name of notable pirate Francois l'Ollonais. The historical pirate was born Jean-David Nau in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. His adopted surname is derived from his hometown.

Enough parents have appreciated this combinations of the sounds from Brayden and Jaylen to make it a widely used name. Its most noted bearer is former football player Braylon Edwards.

Cason's entire raison d'etre: It's a rhyming variation on the popular Jason, Mason and Brayson. Casen, Kasen and Kason also have crept into the Top 1000 in recent years.

DeShawn or Deshawn is the more popular variation, but Dashawn charted from the late 1980s until 2010, which means it's on its way to becoming a Dad Name. Traditionally, the De or Da prefix means "son of", so this name means "son of Shawn", with Shawn a variation of John.

Single-named R&B singer Jaheim could inspire others to pick up on this unusual name.

More neo than Neo, this is a name heard in the Power Rangers film title Power Rangers Zeo.

This modern mash up of Kendrick and Hendrix felt almost bound to happen. Perfect for parents wanting something cool and contemporary but also familiar, Kendrix has in fact been quietly used since the 70s. Given to around 110 babies in 2023, the increased popularity of the name is likely owing to rock musician Jimi Hendrix, rapper Kendrick Lamar, and (female) Power Ranger, Kendrix Morgan.

Kai is the it syllable of the moment, spawning this Kai - Jason hybrid. Kaisen made the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, along with similar name Kaizen.

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.

Jaquan is a contemporary masculine name that emerged in the United States in the late 20th century. The name appears to combine elements of the popular prefix 'Ja-' (found in names like Jamal and Jabari) with possibly 'Quan,' which may derive from Arabic or other sources meaning 'strength' or 'power.' Another theory suggests influence from the name Juan (Spanish form of John). Jaquan experienced particular popularity in the 1990s, when it entered the U.S. Social Security Administration's top 1000 names list. Its usage patterns show regional variations across different communities in America. The name represents the modern naming trend of creating distinctive combinations that often blend sounds from various linguistic traditions. While fairly uncommon in most regions, Jaquan carries a strong, contemporary sound with a rhythmic quality.

A Slovene choice that periodically appears at the bottom of Slovenia's Top 100. It first appeared on the Slovenian charts in 2011, when parents started using Nal for its on-trend sounds. However, Nal has no etymological roots in Slovene.

We've had Jackson, Jaxcon and Jaxon, and now we have Jaxton.