Invented Girl Names

A nouveau take on Mabry, an English and Irish surname that derives from Mayberry. Undoubtedly, some parents are using Maebry as an invented name, a combination of the stylish name Mae and versatile syllable "bry."

An elaboration on popular Ava which was chosen by YouTubers the Banks family in 2019, and subsequently became the fastest rising girl name of the following year.

Timberly emerged on the charts in 1960 as an alternative to Kimberly. It never caught on and has been given to no more than 25 baby girls each year since. These days it may also be seen as an elaboration of Timber, an up-and-coming gender-neutral nature name.

This variant of Zaniah debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2007.

If you can add Lynn to a name, someone will and Mae is no exception to the rule. This compound name sits somewhere between the mid-century charm of Marilyn, Jerilyn, and Jocelyn, and the contemporary cool vibes of Jazlynn, Oaklynn, and Emberlynn.

This perfume name, undoubtedly a takeoff on the French word for pretty, has somehow wafted into the girls' lexicon. Too commercial.

A Frenchy name that doesn't exist in France, probably an attempt to create a classy feminine version of John or Johnny by rhyming it with Monet.

Inspired by the Mazda sportscar. 'Nough said.

Many invented names that end in -isha spring from the Arabic Aisha, an important name in the Muslim religion. The Ta- or Te- prefix was especially stylish for both girls and boys in the eighties. This name may also be related to Tanis.

Elaboration of Sophia created for the character Sophitia Alexandra in the video game Soulcalibur.

Torquano Tasso likely invented this name for the magical enchantress who beguiles the crusaders in his celebrated poem Jerusalem Delivered. Armida is also the eponymous heroine of a Handel opera.

Sirje is a uniquely Estonian name of unconfirmed origins, although the story goes that it was created and offered up by Julius Mägiste, a linguist, in 1929. He derived it from the word sinisirje, meaning "blue-feathered" and tied to a mythical bird creature in the Kalevipoeg, Estonia's national epic. Eugen Kapp used Sirje for one of the characters in his 1945 opera Tasuleegid, which roughly translates to "The Flames of Fame."

The Social Security Lists show this name 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). Either way, it has a willowy sweetness that deserves a comeback.

Is Evalynn an alternative spelling for the popular Evelyn or is it a smoosh name blending Eva and Lynn? It could be either, so the choice is yours.

Trapped somewhere in the nether region between Haddie and Catie, with the added confusion of sounding like someone who works on a golf course. Caddie Woodlawn was a TV heroine of the Old West in the 1980s. Caddie had its moment, but we don't see it becoming one of the more popular girl names starting with C.

Rising star Nailah Blackman is a Trinidadian singer.

Iyana is a new name with a New Age feel that's been on the popularity charts since 2000, related to cousins Aiyana and Ayanna.

Lynlee — in which two popular suffixes meet to become one trendy name — has been rising up the US stats since 2000s. While it has yet to reach the popularity levels of Everly or Raelyn, and while it is still lagging behind more recently popular choices, Lakelynn and Whitley, it was given to 125 girls in 2023, twice the number born in 2010.