Invented Girl Names

Though trendy Arlo is increasingly unisex -- especially since Leighton Meester and Adam Brody gave it to their daughter -- this is a more explicitly female way to spell it. It was one of the fastest-rising girls' names of 2017 and will be among the trendy unique unisex names of the future.

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".

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

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.

Chavelle is used both as a variation of Chevelle, an American name created by Chevrolet for a 1964 car model, and as a variation of Elizabeth.

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

Invented by Swedish author August Strindberg for a 1909 poem of the same name, this quirky choice is rare even in its native land but would make for an extremely eye-catching choice outside it. It may be based on Vellamo, a Finnish sea goddess.

Spelling variant Kailee has never been as popular as the y spelling of the 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.

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).

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.

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."