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.

Invented Baby Names

The newly-styled Maxon takes its cue from Jaxon, another elaboration of a classic name on the rise.  Maxon is not bad, as invented names go, yet it's hard for us to advocate for Maxon over Maxwell, Maxfield, Maximus, or just plain Max.

Maxon

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.

Miley

Meilani may sound like a Hawaiian name, kind of a mashup of Leilani and Melanie, but it's actually an invention by that style-maven JWoww, AKA Jenni Farley of Jersey Shore, who used it for her daughter. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015.

Meilani

Pop princess Amerie is half Korean, half African-American.  Her name may relate to Amelia, Emily, Emery, or Amory, though there's no exact equivalent among historical names.  But doubtless there will be more Ameries, starting now.

Amerie

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.

Cason

Whether you think of it as Cale with a K, or a pet form of Kalen or Kaleb, this is just the kind of short, synthetic name finding a lot of favor now, but remember -- it's also the name of a vegetable. 

Kale

With the sprightly "Ren" and "Wren" currently in fashion, and "ley" a productive suffix to create new names, this combination was inevitable, and is chirpy and appealing. Renley has been on the US charts for girls since 2012, and for boys since 2013. It probably got a boost from the Game of Thrones character Renly Baratheon, albeit with a slightly different spelling.

Renley

Everson is a modern invention — an elaboration of the on-trend Ever prefix. The rise of similar names Emerson and Everly likely influenced parents of young Eversons to create this alternative.

Everson

Vanellope is a Disney creation, given to the protagonist of "Wreck it Ralph" and now a character on Sugar Rush. She is energetic, tomboyish and very sassy.

Vanellope

Renly Baratheon was a fairly minor character in A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO's Game of Thrones, mostly remembered as the one of the show's few prominent LGBT characters. He played a major part in season 2 of the show, when he challenged the Lannisters and his older brother Stannis for control of the Iron Throne. Despite the relative insignificance of the character, Renly has actually started to gain a bit of traction as a boys' name, thanks to its fresh, upbeat sound. A respectable 29 baby boys were named Renly in 2016 -- up from ZERO before the show premiered.

Renly

The full name of baseball great Ty Cobb and now the name of a popular board game, this name gained popularity due to its fashionable sounds – a combination of Tyrone and Cyrus. But it is also found in the King James Bible as a place name, the city of Tyre in modern-day Lebanon, whose name derives from the Phonecian word for "rock".

Tyrus

Cute but slight mix of stylish sounds Cam and Bree, chosen by Rick Schroder for his daughter. 

Cambrie

Actor Terrence Howard and wife Miranda created this name for their son inspired by the Chinese mythological creature called the Qilin, a good omen predicting the arrival of a sage or ruler.  Pronunciation is like the Irish name Kieran.

Qirin

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.

Morticia

Kyan is a quintessential twenty-first-century name, a twist on the twentieth-century standard Ryan. Kyan is used by the grooming guru on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Kyan Douglas (born Eddie), and increasing numbers of parents. 

Kyan

An English place and surname with a fierce natural meaning. Loxley is a village and river name from Yorkshire, England, famous for being the purported birthplace of Robin Hood. Loxley Chase was an extensive historic forest bordering Sherwood Forest in the Middle Ages.

 Sharing sounds with cool names from Lily to Lux to Paisley, Loxley is a highly unusual option that packs a modern style punch.

Loxley

Two Zells of note: conservative southern senator Zell Miller, and video-game character Zell, a hero of "Final Fantasy." 

Zell

Tippi is best known as the nickname of actress Tippi Hedren, star of Hitchcock's "The Birds" and "Marnie."  Hedren's real name was Nathalie Kay; her father dubbed her Tippi.  Although the name will inevitably be reminiscent of Hedren, it could make a cute short form for a name such as Tiffany or Philippa.

Tippi

The kind of hybrid name -- it sounds like a blend of the popular Caleb and Colton -- that could catch on despite its lack of pedigree. 

Calton

Australian writer Wendy Orr put this name on the map with her hit Nim's Island" series of children's books, about a smart young girl who lives on an island in the South Pacific. Abigail Breslin played Nim in a 2008 film adaptation of the book. Gamers will know Nim as the name of an abstract mathematical name a bit like Mancala, while fans of '80s animated films may associate it with Ratatouille precursor The Secret of Nimh.

Invented 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.