Invented Boy Names

Invented Boy Names

Invented boy names start off as totally unique, but the best among them spread like wildfire (just ask Jax, Jamir, and Jiraiya).

In addition to Jax and Jamir, other invented boy names in the US Top 1000 include Kashton, Braylen, Kason, Kyler, Raylan, Jamari, Zaiden, and Dax.

Some made-up boy names are so well-established, you may not even know they were invented. Among the most surprising: Cedric, Percival, and Kyrie.

Many trending invented boy names come from video games and fantasy media, such as Star Wars' Kylo and Anakin, Naruto's Jiraiya, and Game of Thrones' Renly and Rhaegar.

Many celebrities have given their sons invented names in recent years, including Anne Hathaway's son Jonathan Rosebanks, Kat Von D's son Leafar, and Adam Rodriguez's baby Bridgemont.

Many made-up boy names are a combination of trendy prefixes and suffixes, such as Bray-, Ja-, -son, and -den.

Below, see our entire collection of invented names for boys, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Invented Baby Names

Unique Names

Boy Names

  1. Cedric
    • Origin:

      Celtic
    • Meaning:

      "bounty"
    • Description:

      Cedric was invented by Sir Walter Scott for the noble character of the hero's father in Ivanhoe, presumed to be an altered form of the Saxon name Cerdic. The name was later also given to Little Lord Fauntleroy, the long-haired, velvet-suited, and lace-collared boy hero of the Frances Hodgson Burnett book, who became an unwitting symbol of the pampered mama's boy.
  2. Percival
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "one who pierces the valley"
    • Description:

      There are several Percivals scattered through the Harry Potter series, which might help transform the old-fangled, fussy image it has accrued. Actually, the original Percival was the one perfectly pure Knight of the Round Table, a worthy hero. The name was invented in the twelfth century by a poet named Chretien de Troyes, for his ideal knight in the poem Percevale, a Knight of King Arthur.
  3. Jax
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name, English
    • Meaning:

      "God is Gracious"
    • Description:

      With its cool -X ending, Jax is an update on the classic nickname Jack, likely inspired by the rise of Jackson. It garnered attention in the US thanks to the game, Mortal Kombat II back in the '90s, and was pushed up the charts when it was used in the show Sons of Anarchy, in which Jackson "Jax" Teller is the central character.
  4. Kayden
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      This member of the aden/ayden extended family is a popular choice not only in the US but across the pond in England, Wales and Scotland as well. Angie Everhart has a son named Kayden Bobby.
  5. Rylan
    • Origin:

      English and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "Rye land"
    • Description:

      Parents seeking alternatives to popular Ryan have flocked to this soundalike name, which peaked at #146 in 2011. Blending in elements of Nolan and Riley too, it remains in the US Top 500, and is given to around 850 babies each year.
  6. Kyler
    • Origin:

      Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "victory of the people"
    • Description:

      Kyler was once a creative solution for 90s parents who enjoyed the sounds of Kyle and Tyler but didn't want to use anything so popular. Now a well-established name on the US charts, it is given to more than 1000 babies every year.
  7. Jaziel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God apportions"
    • Description:

      Jaziel and spelling variation Jahziel are unique baby names from the Bible—he was the son of Nephtali and a grandson of Jacob and Leah—that are being rediscovered by a new generation of parents in search of names that are both unusual and traditional. And that middle z adds zest and cool. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015.
  8. Atreyu
    • Origin:

      Literary invention
    • Meaning:

      "son of all"
    • Description:

      German author Michael Ende created the name Atreyu for the protagonist of his 1979 novel The Neverending Story. In the original German translation of the book, the hero was Atréju — Atreyu is the Anglicized variation. Atreyu was orphaned as an infant and raised by his village — his name is said to mean "son of all" in the local language.
  9. Axton
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "sword stone"
    • Description:

      Macho to the max. But with the rise of x as a fashionable letter anywhere it appears in a name, ala Jaxson or Maxon, we may be hearing more of Axton.
  10. Jaxon
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Jackson
    • Meaning:

      "son of Jack"
    • Description:

      Jaxon has been mostly climbing in popularity since it entered the Top 1000 in 1997, proving that many parents have decided to rev up the cool factor of Jackson by giving it this streamlined spelling. (Though we still prefer the original.)
  11. Jaxx
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name, English
    • Meaning:

      "God is Gracious"
    • Description:

      Unusual letters like X and Z are often considered badass and cool, so by that logic, does having two Xs in one name make it next level awesome? This seems to have been the thinking of the parents to nearly 3000 babies named Jaxx in America since the spelling first came into use in the 90s.
  12. Draven
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows, this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1995.
  13. Azari
    • Origin:

      American variation of Azariah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "helped by God"
    • Description:

      Azari is a rising name for both sexes, hitting a bunch of style trends at once — three syllables, strong Z, and an I ending. It's technically an invented name, likely inspired by the fashionable Hebrew name Azariah.
  14. Anakin
    • Origin:

      American invented name
    • Description:

      Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, is the antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy. The name Anakin first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. Its meaning is unknown but is thought to be an homage to a friend of George Lucas.
  15. Greyson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of the steward"
    • Description:

      Greyson and Grayson, nephews of Jason, are both on the fast track. Both variations have made their way all the way up to the Top 100 since 2016. Gray/Grey makes a nice nickname. The name of the child in The Nanny Diaries is Grayer, and actor Tyler Christopher opted for the unusual spelling of Greysun for his son. Some parents are considering Grayson -- or Gracen or Gracyn -- for girls as an androgynous spin on Grace.
  16. Kylo
    • Origin:

      Variation of Kyle, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "narrow spit of land"
    • Description:

      The original Kyle has sparked many variations, including Kylie, Kyler, and Kylo, after Kylo Ren, the villain played by Adam Driver in the seventh Star Wars movie, released in December 2015.
  17. Kaden
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Kayden, modern invented name
    • Meaning:

      "round or barrel"
    • Description:

      A popular member of the -ayden family, Kaden ranks alongside Kaiden, Kayden, Kasen, Kade, Caiden, Cade, and Caden in the US Top 1000. A 90s invention that took off in the 2000s, Kaden is concise and modern, with its popular K initial.
  18. Brayden
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Irish surname Braden
    • Meaning:

      "salmon"
    • Description:

      Brayden is the top spelling of one of the epidemically popular rhyming cousins of Aiden, hitting the Top 100 in 2005.. It has dipped a bit recently, but is still widely used. Other popular spellings include Braden, Braeden, Braydon, Braiden, Braedon and Bradyn. Take your pick.
  19. Kyren
    • Origin:

      Persian; Irish
    • Meaning:

      "king, ruler; little dark one"
    • Description:

      One of the fastest-rising boy names of 2023, and a newcomer to the US Top 1000, parents are likely drawn to the name because of easily accessible short form, Ky. Possibly a variation of Irish Kieran of Persian Cyrus, Kyren has a cool, modern sound.
  20. Bryson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Brice"
    • Description:

      A surname name that can transition to first -- it entered the Top 1000 in 1980 and is now firmly in the Top 100. Actress NeNe Leakes chose it for her son. R&B singer Bryson Tiller's popularity may have played a part in accelerating Bryson's rise.