Invented Boy Names

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.

A contemporary reconfiguration of Tyler, although perhaps too close to Tylenol to warrant greater popularity.

Rhaegar Targaryen is one of the most glamorous, noble characters in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series... even though he's been dead over a decade when the books begin. The reader first learns about him through Robert and Ned, both enemies, who paint a distorted picture of this striking man.

Kyaire was among the fastest-rising boy names of 2023, and a newcomer to the US Top 1000. Rising amongst African American parents, it is speculated that Kyaire was inspired by modern spiritual choice Kyrie, or West African place name Zaire (and more directly, its even higher ranking spelling variation, Zyaire).

Kal-El is Superman's Kryptonian name, invented by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the birth name of the superhero. Some theorize that it relates to Hebrew characters with the meaning "voice of God", while others give the meaning as "son" or "Earth one".

Rylen is the more-unusual spelling variation of Rylan and the even more popular Ryland. It also takes a cue from the long-trendy surname-name Riley and adds the newly-trendy n ending.

Hamish spinoff created by author Suzanne Collins for her trilogy The Hunger Games.

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.

Once strictly a surname--Chasen's was an old Hollywood hangout--it's now catching on as a first name, both as an elaboration of the popular CHASE, and in following the pattern of popular two-syllable boys' names.

A meeting of two trends — compound names a la Myking and Alegend and money-related -illion names such as Million and Billion.

Samuel Beckett, inspired by the French surname Godeau, created the name Godot for his play, Waiting for Godot.

Americans tend to pronounce Godot with the emphasis on the second syllable, but Beckett has said this is incorrect. The correct pronunciation is GOD-oh, with the first syllable stressed.

This very nouveau-sounding combination of Rhett and Riot was one of the fastest-rising boys names of 2017.

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

Brixton, a formerly rough but now cool-and-gentrified area of London, is also gaining notice as a baby name, especially for boys. About 20 baby girls were given the name in the US in the most recent year, vs. about 300 baby boys. Its similarity to the trendy Braxton and the x in the middle place help make it appealing to contemporary parents.

Tuff, a corruption of "tough," has been given to approximately 50 baby boys each year for the past few years. Tough, on the other hand, has never charted as a baby name.

Braxley is an invented name — a combination of two hot syllables — and therefore has no official meaning. It could, however, be interpreted to mean "Brock's field" from each of its elements.

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.