Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names · Popular Names and Name Trends
Invented Baby Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Across 47 pages
of 47
Maylin
Variation of May of Mei-Lin, English, Chinese
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; beautiful jade"
Maylin is following in the footsteps of Maelynn and Maelyn — two modern invented Mae and Lynn compounds that are on the rise. Maylin could also be considered an Anglicized spelling variation of…
Maylone
French, modern invented name
Parents outside France may not know this name, but it slipped into the French Top 100 after Insta-celebrity couple Jessica and Thibault Garcia gave it to their son in 2019. It helps that it sounds…
Maz
Diminutive of Mazikeen, Mazarine, invented name, French
"harmful spirits; blue"
An unusual nickname for unusual names — Mazikeen, a name invented by Neil Gaiman for his Sandman comics, and Mazarine, a French color name.
Mazikeen
Invented name
"harmful spirits"
Neil Gaiman invented this name for a character in his comic book Sandman . It can now be seen on the TV show Lucifer . The name was inspired by the Hebrew term Mazzikin , which refers to sinister…
Mekhi
Derivation and meaning unknown
Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.
Melba
Modern invented name
Australian opera singer Nellie Melba—self-named for her hometown of Melbourne—inspired this now-dated name more associated today with a peach dessert and dietetic toast.
Melinda
English combination name
"beautiful honey"
In the eighteenth century there was a poetic fad for names with the 'inda' sound, and, along with Belinda, Clarinda, Dorinda and Florinda, Melinda was one of those created at that time. It came into…
Melor
Celtic
"iron man"
Melor is the name of a Breton saint who in legend was also a prince, suggesting he was the son of a Cornish king (Mylor is the Cornish variation of the name). Melor was said to have a foot and hand…
Menna
Welsh, meaning unknown
Menna is used regularly in Wales in modern times. Its origins are uncertain: perhaps created by a poet, or possibly connected with the Menai Strait that separates the island of Anglesey from mainland…
Merise
Modern invented name
Metaria
Invented name
"metal"
Metaria was created for Queen Metaria of the Sailor Moon franchise. Her name is derived from the word "metal" — all Sailor Moon villains have metal or mineral names.
Miata
Modern invented name
Inspired by the Mazda sportscar. 'Nough said.
Mickalene
American invented name
Borne by Mickalene Thomas, an American artist primarily known for her photographs and paintings embellished with rhinestones and enamel.
Milvi
Estonian diminutive of Miranda, Latin
"marvelous"
The Estonian writer Mats Tõnisson created Milvi as a nickname for Miranda. It's also connected to the Estonian word miilama , meaning "glow" or "burn slowly".
Minea
Finnish feminization of Minos, Greek
"king"
The Finnish writer Mika Waltari invented the name Minea from the Greek Minos for a character in his 1945 novel The Egyptian . It's become a popular Finnish name in the 21st century.
Minta
English, diminutive of Araminta, invented hybrid name
Minta is an eighteenth century short form of a literary beauty still used in England today, but yet to be discovered by American baby namers. It has a fresh and dainty feel. Virtually unheard today,…
Mistelle
Modern invented name
Mistelle is a modern invention combining Misty with the evergreen feminine suffix 'elle'. This name is occasionally seen in Australia.
Moby
Literary and nickname name
Moby, the nickname of musician Richard Melville Hall, was thanks to his ancestor Herman Melville, creator of the infamous whale. You can imagine calling a child Moby as a cute nickname in honor of a…
Montel
Modern invented name
A number of parents took up the name of the TV talk show host in the early nineties, but it now seems to have lost momentum.
Moonee
Fictional invented name, variation of Moony
"moon, moon-like"
A name invented for the 2017 movie The Florida Project , recently chosen by influencers and content creators Ellie and Ella for their daughter in 2026.