Invented Girl Names

Lyja was created as a name for the Marvel Comics superhero in 1984. Her name has not caught on, but its similarity to names like Lila and Leah makes it a plausible choice, although pronunciation could be an issue (we would say LYE-uh).

Adding that B to Randall transforms a pretty boyish surname choice into a 21st century spin on Brandy.

Fanciful feminissima name created by L. Frank Baum for a character in The Patchwork Girl of Oz.

Lady Aurex is a character in L. Frank Baum's Glinda of Oz, a sequel to The Wizard of Oz.

Icylinn Goodman is a Gen-Z social media starlet whose previously one-of-a-kind name appeared on the charts in 2021. Ice-themed names have never been cooler (literally) — that year saw the rise of names such as Icelynn, Icy, and Ice itself.

Though newly created, has a dated feel.

Harleth is a name which probably stems from combining the oh-so-trendy Harlow with the evergreen Elizabeth. However, literary parents may also remember the beautiful but difficult character Gwendolen Harleth from George Eliot's Daniel Deronda. Harleth has a fashionable edge to it, being associated with rising supermodel Harleth Kuusik.

The name of a regular (if not central) character on Amazon's Catastrophe vaguely recalls Melanie, Melissa and Sandra.

She looked like a model but she was really an evil many-tentacled monster in Men in Black: your child will never forgive you if you choose this name. And neither will we.

Looks very much like it lost its first initial.

The Estonian equivalent of Annelise, combining Ene (an Estonian form of Anna or Hendrika) with Eliisabet.

Part Hadley, part Madeline, Madley is an invented smoosh name for our times. Of course, it sounds like madly so that may put some parents off, though for others the intense meaning may be a good thing. Madley also sounds a little like Melody and a bit like medley, appealing musical associations.

Cloris is bad enough without shortening. Consider FLOR instead, a beautiful Spanish name.

Esmerlinda appears to be a blended name, combining "Esmeralda" and "Linda".

It may have been made up for a futuristic television show, but this name would not be out of place among such present-day trendies as Kayla and Taylor.

Kincső was invented in the 19th century by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for his book A jövő század regénye, "The Novel of the Next Century." It's still a Top 100 choice in Hungary, where it peaked in 2007.