Invented Baby Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Updated Sat May 17 2025
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Invented baby names are the most creative around. Some parents attempt to come up with a cool name by inventing one of their own. They may alter a too-ordinary name, vary a spelling or pronunciation, or cobble together several euphonic but previously unrelated syllables.
This quest to be unique can sometimes backfire — create too cool of a made-up baby name and it might catch on (we’re talking to you, Miley, Meilani, and Maxon).
Along with Miley and Meilani, other invented baby names in the US Top 1000 include Aubrielle, Brylee, Cason, Dalary, Jaxon, Kyler, Nevaeh, and Oaklynn. Names you may not realize were invented include Elianna, Melba, Tevin, and Yalitza.
Many made-up baby names feature on-trend prefixes and suffixes, such as Bray- and Ren-, -ley and -son. The following invented baby names hold some appeal, but fair warning — some of these made-up names have already become mainstream.
The invented names on this list are ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.
RELATED:
- Ophelia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"help"Description:
Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
- Miranda
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"marvelous"Description:
Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest, is still a recommended choice even though its popularity peaked in the 1990's, partially as an antidote to Amanda. But while Amanda now sounds dated, Miranda retains a good measure of its charm.
- Cedric
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"bounty; loved"Description:
Soft yet solid, Cedric was invented by Sir Walter Scott for the noble character of the hero's father in Ivanhoe, presumed to be an altered form of the Saxon name Cerdic ("bounty"), or the Brythonic name Caratacus ("loved"), though surname Sedgewick ("sword place", "place of victory") may have provided inspiration too. A truly literary choice name was later also given to Little Lord Fauntleroy, the long-haired, velvet-suited, and lace-collared boy hero of the Frances Hodgson Burnett book, who became an unwitting symbol of the pampered mama's boy.
- Jessica
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"behold or wealthy"Description:
When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the mid-1980s and 1990s, never sounding quite as trendy as its predecessor, maybe because of its classic Shakespearean pedigree.
- Nyla
Origin:
Arabic, Sanskrit, Irish, modern inventionMeaning:
"winner, one who achieves; hero; cloud; wind, air; dark blue"Description:
Bright, spirited, and playful, Nyla shares sounds with the popular Isla, Lila, Layla, and Delilah, making it feel fresh and in style. A name with a number of possible origins, it made a brief, anomalous appearance on the US charts in 1941, before disappearing again for the next 60 years. It has been back in the US Top 1000 since 2001, and is currently on the rise, given to around 1230 girls each year.
- Cosette
Origin:
French literary nicknameMeaning:
"little thing"Description:
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables. In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some etymologists believe it's a spin on Colette, originally a female short form of Nicolas.
- Abcde
Origin:
American invented nameDescription:
Taken from the first five letters of the alphabet, Abcde is a rare and polarizing invention. It made headlines in 2018, when a Southwest Airlines employee took a photo of five-year-old Abcde Redford's name and posted it on social media, mocking the name.
- Brielle
Origin:
Short form of Gabrielle, French, Cajun, Hebrew, CelticMeaning:
"god is my strength; hunting grounds"Description:
Though it sounds modern, Brielle is, among other things, a traditional Cajun contraction of Gabrielle, and the name of a historic seaport in the Western Netherlands, also known as Brill. Today, it is used more widely as a nickname for Gabrielle and as a stand-alone name that fits in easily with Isabelle, Briana, and Brinley. In a recent year, it appeared in the US Top 200, ranking above the longer form and used nearly four times as often.
- Kayla
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"crown, wreath; fortress; who is like God?"Description:
Kayla is a modern invented name that emerged in the late 1950s. It may have been inspired by the similar sounding Michaela, though it could equally have come about as a combination of the then popular name popular name Kay and the familiar -la suffix.
- Percival
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"one who pierces the valley"Description:
There are several Percivals scattered through the Harry Potter series, which might help transform the old-fangled, fussy image it has accrued. Actually, the original Percival was the one perfectly pure Knight of the Round Table, a worthy hero. The name was invented in the twelfth century by a poet named Chretien de Troyes, for his ideal knight in the poem Percevale, a Knight of King Arthur.
- Wendy
Origin:
English, Celtic, WelshMeaning:
"friend or white"Description:
It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan, which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie supposedly took it from the nickname "fwendy-wendy", that he was called by a young girl acquaintance.
- Kinsley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"king's meadow"Description:
Light and glittery, but with plenty of spirit, Kinsley has risen quickly into the US Top 100. Balanced between preppy and cutesy, it feels like a fresh alternative to Kelly, Kaitlyn, or Kimberly.
- Myra
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"sweet-smelling oil"Description:
As with many grandmother-y names, this choice may be coming back into style.
- Greyson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of the steward"Description:
Greyson and Grayson, nephews of Jason, are both on the fast track. Both variations have made their way all the way up to the Top 100 since 2016. Gray/Grey makes a nice nickname. The name of the child in The Nanny Diaries is Grayer, and actor Tyler Christopher opted for the unusual spelling of Greysun for his son. Some parents are considering Grayson -- or Gracen or Gracyn -- for girls as an androgynous spin on Grace.
- Araminta
Origin:
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, GreekMeaning:
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"Description:
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old Bachelor and then again in 1705 when it was used by architect and playwright Sir John Vanbrugh in his play The Confederacy.
- Jovie
Origin:
Modern inventedMeaning:
"jovial"Description:
Jovie has a lively and cheerful sound and makes a fresh twist on old (and new) favorites like Jody, Josie, and Jolie. It could be considered a short form of Jovita, Jovena, and Jovana - all feminine forms of Jove, the Roman king of gods - but it could equally work as a stand alone name.
- Vanessa
Origin:
Literary invention; also a species of butterflyDescription:
Vanessa was invented by writer Jonathan Swift for a lover named Esther Vanhomrigh—he combined the first syllable of her last name with the initial syllable of her first. Swift used it in the poem Cadenus and Vanessa in 1713. A century later, Johan Christian Fabricius used Vanessa as the name of a genus of butterfly.
- Brayden
Origin:
English or IrishMeaning:
"broad hill or salmon"Description:
Brayden is the top spelling of one of the epidemically popular rhyming cousins of Aiden, hitting the Top 100 in 2005.. It has dipped a bit recently, but is still widely used. Other popular spellings include Braden, Braeden, Braydon, Braiden, Braedon and Bradyn. Take your pick.
- Azari
Origin:
American variation of Azariah or Azhari, Hebrew, MalayMeaning:
"helped by God; shining, brilliant"Description:
Azari is a rising name for both sexes, hitting a bunch of style trends at once — three syllables, strong Z, and an I ending. It's technically an invented name, likely inspired by the fashionable Hebrew name Azariah, or by the Malay Azhari. Given to around 90 boys in a recent year, it is currently three times more popular for girls.
- Lorna
Origin:
English literary nameDescription:
One of those names like Pamela, Vanessa and Wendy, Lorna was invented for a particular literary character--the protagonist of the 1869 novel Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore--and then perpetuated as the name of a shortbread cookie. The author claimed to have based it on the Scottish place-name, Lorn. In baby name limbo for quite some time, it was chosen by Judy Garland for her younger daughter, Lorna Luft. Lorna Simpson is an important contemporary American artist.