Invented Girl Names

Cardi B is the stage name of the rapper born Belcalis Almanzar. The name Cardi originated as a short form of Bacardi, a nickname the musician got because her sister is named Hennessy, after the cognac. The B, she says, stands for a range of things, depending on the day, including Belcalis and Bacardi. Cardi is one invented name that's found instant fame and could go much further. For now, it's definitely one of the most talked-about girl names starting with C.

Traditionally a boys' name in Malaysia, a notable bearer being Olympian Jalani Sidek, Jalani's popularity for girls in the US is likely due to its similarity in sound to the likes of Leilani, Kalani, and Jamari. In this case, it could combine the ja suffix with Hawaiian lani to make a name that means "the sky", "the heavens" or "the supplanter of the heavens", if you take Ja as a nod to a James. Alternatively, it might be a spelling variation on the Arabic name Jilani, borne by a 12th century Persian Sufi scholar and is used in Somalia and among the African American community.

Modern variant spelling of Anniston

The misspelling that created an indelibly one-person name.

Made famous by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose parents fashioned her name from a musical term meaning "with sweetness".

When British beauty Laura Hollin morphed into supermodel Agyness Deyn, she created a name few others would want to adopt.

The Social Security Lists show Willodean and all its variant spellings to have been used throughout the 1920s and 30s especially in Southern states. There are a few theories on its origins (an invented name created to honor William/Willard and a a female name ending in "-dine", or it may be an Anglicization of a Native American name).

Leica is a camera brand that made the news years ago when a photographer gave it to his daughter. It has never charted as a baby name in the US but is definitely a plausible (and attractive) choice for the daughter of a photography lover.

Queen Nehelenia is a villain in the Sailor Moon anime franchise. Her name is likely a reference to both the mineral nepheline — as many Sailor Moon characters are named after minerals — and Nehalennia, a German or Celtic goddess.

Jaslene, a reality show-related name via former America's Next Top Model winner Jaslene Gonzalez, a smoosh of Jasmine and the 'ene' ending, has dropped from Number 599 in 2007 to 976 in 2010.

On one hand, this may be a twist on the unisex Emery, to make it more obviously feminine - and to make it stand out from Emery, Emory, and Emerie, which all rank in the US Top 600.

Lynn is a particularly popular suffix for combination names, dating from the days of Marilyn through Katelynn to today's Ashlyn and Brooklyn and, right, Skylynn (or Skylyn or Skylinn or Skylynne). Skylynn is probably more influenced by the trendy Skylar than by word name Sky, but Skylar itself is a variation on the Dutch Schuyler.

Chibiusa was created as a name for the Sailor Moon franchise. It's the nickname of Purinsesu Usagi Sumōru Redi Sereniti (Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity). Usagi, which is also her mother's name, means "rabbit of the moon."

Hot R & B singer Kelis Rogers's name is a combination of those of her parents' -- Kenneth and Eveliss.