Invented Baby Names
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 a 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 Oaklyn. 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.
Along with Miley and Meilani, other invented baby names in the US Top 1000 include Aubrielle, Brylee, Cason, Dalary, Jaxon, Kyler, Nevaeh, and Oaklyn. 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.
Jovie
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Name of the female lead played by charming actress Zooey Deschanel in the movie "Elf," Jovie definitely has a lively, jovial sound and makes a fresh twist on old (and new) favorites like Jody, Josie, and Jolie. May be considered a short form of Jovita, Jovena, and Jovana, all feminine forms of Jove, the Roman king of gods. If you're looking for a cute, friendly, but unusual girl name starting with J, Jovie may be just the ticket.
Enola
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Enola was a precursor of Nevaeh: It's "alone" spelled backwards. But the name Enola is newly in the spotlight thanks to a Netflix film.
Kyler
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"bowman, archer"Description:
A favorite among younger parents, this is one of the names that rose to the surface when Tyler and Kyle started to sink.
Mazikeen
Origin:
Invented nameMeaning:
"harmful spirits"Description:
Neil Gaiman invented this name for a character in his comic book Sandman. It can now be seen on the TV show Lucifer.
Jaxon
Origin:
Spelling variation of JacksonMeaning:
"son of Jack"Description:
Jaxon has been mostly climbing in popularity since it entered the Top 1000 in 1997, proving the point that many parents have decided to rev up the cool factor of Jackson and give it this streamlined spelling. (Though we still prefer the original.) Kristin Cavallari used it for her son. Jaxson is another popular spelling.
Anakin
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, is the antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy. The name Anakin first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. Its meaning is unknown but is thought to be an homage to a friend of George Lucas.
Greyson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of the steward"Description:
Greyson and Grayson, nephews of Jason, are both on the fast track. Gray/Grey makes a nice nickname.
Khaleesi
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Khaleesi is an invented name introduced to the world by inventive and prolific author George R. R. Martin for his wildly popular Game of Thrones series—it's Dothraki for "queen" and is one of the titles of the character Daenerys. It entered the US Top 1000 in 2014.
Draven
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows, this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1995.
Bryson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Brice"Description:
A surname name that can transition to first -- it entered the Top 1000 in 1980 and is now firmly in the Top 100. Actress NeNe Leakes chose it for her son. R&B singer Bryson Tiller's popularity may have played a part in accelerating Bryson's rise.
Daxton
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
More and more parents are turning to this name as a route to the cool nickname Dax.
Alivia
Origin:
Variation of OliviaDescription:
While Alivia may not have achieved the megapopularity of its mother name, it's still a widely used choice. Alivia combines the trendiness of A names with the trendiness of Olivia to create a choice that's slightly off the beaten track -- slightly being the operative word here. Is the distinction the initial A earns you worth a lifetime of explaining, "No, it's Alivia, with an A, not Olivia"? Your call, though ours would be no.
Evolet
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
This name coined for a character in the movie 10,000 BC, feels right on trend right now, given the popularity of Evie, Eva, Evelyn etc. In the movie, the name’s meaning is given as “the promise of life”, but some creative parents have used the alternative spelling Evoleht — “the love” spelt backwards. Other spelling variants that have appeared on the SSA list include Evolette, Evalette, Evalet and Evoleth.
Nevaeh
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
Nevaeh has had phenomenal success since singer Sonny Sandoval introduced the idea of turning Heaven around and using it as a baby name. Especially popular with religious parents, Nevaeh has been in the Top 100 for a decade now, though is off its peak as the spelling spin gets less clever and more familiar.
Wrenley
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
With Wren gaining a lot of popularity recently, it's not surprising to see variants already popping up. Wrenley, which jumps on the Wren bandwagon and adds the trendy "ley" suffix for good measure, was given to thirteen baby girls in the USA in 2014; we haven't seen it pop up anywhere else yet, but we think it's only a matter of time.
Daenerys
Origin:
Literary nameDescription:
Daenerys is yet another girls' name invented by "Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martin that is beginning to gain some traction in real life. Daenerys was used for 67 baby girls in 2013 while one of the character's titles, Khaleesi, was given to 241 baby girls. And the name Arya, also from the hyper-popular series, is one of the fastest growing girls' names in the country.
Cason
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
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.
Morticia
Origin:
Invented nameDescription:
Charles Addams invented the name Morticia for the mother in his cartoon series "The Addams Family." The name comes from the word mortician—very appropriate for this macabre mom.
Oaklyn
Origin:
American invented nameDescription:
Oaklyn is one of the oak-related names moving up the popularity charts, along with sister Oakley. The suffix lyn means lake in Welsh so you can think of this as meaning oak lake. The spelling Oaklynn is also found.
Miley
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
One-time overnight success name, thanks to Hannah Montana actress and singer Miley Cyrus, Miley has fallen quickly from her peak of Number 127 in 2008. For Miley Cyrus, Miley was a childhood nickname (because she was so smiley); Destiny is her real name. Miley is a good lesson in avoiding trendy names. Popular opinion of the source can sour leaving a fresh name looking dated.