250+ compound names for babies
Updated Wed Jul 03 2024
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Compound names are formed by combining two separate names together in order to create a brand new one. Also known as combined names or smoosh names, these portmanteau monikers aim to bring out the best of both names.
There are of course the classics - combination names that are so well-used that they might not even be thought of as smoosh names anymore. Well-established girls names such as Marianne, Annabelle, Rosemarie, Marilyn, and Mariella might fall under this category. There are some compound names that are simply two names stuck together with no extra cutting or merging. There are many Italian names for boys that fall under this category, such as Giancarlo and Leoluca, along with several classic feeling names for girls, like Annabeth or Ruthanne. Other combination names require a little more blending and chopping to become a new name, such as the African American Jamarion, a blend of James and Marion, or the French Lilou, created from Lilie and Louise. Smoosh names are more prevalent among girls, though many of them are made of similar parts. On-trend sounds like Belle, Lynn, Beth, Marie, Elle, Ella and Ann are added to the beginning or end of many names, in order to create something contemporary but familiar. Some combination names come from literature, such as Belphoebe and Samwise, while others come together to make bold word names, like Seabrook and Rosegold. From clunky and vintage Ethelmary to contemporary Skylette, we've collected together some of the best and some of the newest compound names for babies, ordered below by their popularity on Nameberry.
- Rosemary
Origin:
Latin or EnglishMeaning:
"dew of the sea, or rosemary (herb)"Description:
Despite appearances, Rosemary is not a "smoosh" name, not even a traditional one. The name derives from two Latin terms "Ros" meaning ‘dew’ and "Marinus" "meaning "of the sea". The plant was termed ‘dew of the sea’ due to its salty texture and its ability to thrive in coastal climes. Only after the Middle Ages did the English names of Rose and Mary become interchanged with the name Rosmarinus and give us the modern name we use today.
- Bowen
Origin:
Welsh, ChineseMeaning:
"son of Owen; wave of writing, wave of literature"Description:
Bowen is a Celtic surname representing two separate Celtic strains, one Welsh and one Irish, and entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011.
- Annabelle
Origin:
Combination of Anna and Belle or French form of AmabelMeaning:
"loving"Description:
This is a charming name that rose steeply along with other-belle names, such as Isabelle, until the horror film Annabelle and its sequels knocked it out of favor. Made famous by the Edgar Allen Poe poem Annabel Lee. Annabelle is saucy and stylish, a tad upscale, has a sense of humor, is melodious and lively, but is unfortunately off its peak.
- Lior
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"I have a light"Description:
Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar," though it's really lee-OR, with a long e sound and emphasis on the second syllable.
- Luella
Origin:
Spelling variation of LouellaMeaning:
"battle famous fairy maiden"Description:
Luella is a sleeker spelling variant of the girls' name Louella and is now more popular than the original. Sweet, but lively, it was a popular name in the the early 19th century, but fell out of favor in the 50s. Now, after a 60 year absence, it's back in the charts, in the US and the UK.
- Marisol
Origin:
Spanish, contracted form of Maria de la SoledadMeaning:
"Mary of Solitude"Description:
Marisol is a favorite Spanish name for girls, and an excellent candidate to cross the culture line, a la Soledad and Paz.
- Kyler
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"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.
- Finlo
Origin:
ManxMeaning:
"fair Lugh"Description:
Finlo is a name from the Isle of Man, deriving from that island's pagan sun god, Lugh. Given the popularity of all Finn names right now, Finlo could be a great alternative for people who love the "Fin" sound but want a more unusual name.
- Marilyn
Origin:
English, combination of Mary and LynnMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + lake"Description:
For a name that was in the Top 20 for a whole decade – the 1930's – Marilyn has attained the status of almost a one-person name. Just say the name Marilyn, and most people will know who you mean. Yet strangely enough, though Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jean and renamed in tribute to earlier star Marilyn Miller) was the sex symbol of her generation, very little stardust adhered to her name. In fact, when Mariah Carey wished to honor the star in her daughter's name, she chose to call her Monroe rather than Marilyn.
- Brooklyn
Origin:
Place-name from DutchMeaning:
"marshland"Description:
Extreme makeover: Brooklyn has gone from jokey Borough Boy name in the 1990s to a leading girls' name starting with B. The status of New York's Brooklyn as hipster heaven is ironic as few bona fide Brooklyn hipsters would choose this name.
- Marianne
Origin:
French combination of Marie and AnneMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"Description:
A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne, named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen.
- Mariana
Origin:
Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, RomanianMeaning:
"related to the god Mars"Description:
Mariana is that unusual name that is more than the sum of its parts. While Mary or Maria and Ana or Anna are both perfectly nice classic names, Mariana achieves a lyrical elegance that transcends them.
- Lilou
Origin:
Occitan pet form of French LilianeMeaning:
"lily"Description:
Lilou is a charming, rarely heard import. Occitan is a language spoken in Provence, in the south of France, in which the suffix "ou" denotes a pet form — thus, Lilou as a short form of Liliane or its Occitan form Liliana or Liliano. Its popularity in France--where it's currently Number 12--can be traced to the 1997 film The Fifth Element.
- Rylo
Origin:
Compound name blending Ryan and Milo, ScottishMeaning:
"rye clearing + soldier; rye meadow"Description:
With cool, on-trend sounds and a hint of Star Wars about it, Rylo is an up-and-coming name that has only seen notable use since 2016. It can be considered a Scottish diminutive of Ryland and an Irish surname, but also a compound name made up of Ryan and Milo. Given to nearly 130 babies in 2023, it has been rising in use every year since the mid 2010s.
- Melinda
Origin:
English combination nameMeaning:
"beautiful honey"Description:
In the eighteenth century there was a poetic fad for names with the 'inda' sound, and, along with Belinda, Clarinda, Dorinda and Florinda, Melinda was one of those created at that time. It came into non-literary use in the 1840's, peaking in the U.S. in the late 1960s and 1970s: Melinda was a Top 100 name from 1967 to 1980. It began to fade as nickname Mindy ascended. Nowadays, however, Melinda feels more contemporary than cousins Melissa, Mindy, Belinda and Linda.
- Thorfinn
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"Finn of Thor"Description:
An ancient Norse name that is still in regular use in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. A famous historical bearer is Thorfinn Sigurdsson (or Thorfinn the Mighty), an 11th century Earl of Orkney.
- Raelynn
Origin:
Modern invented nameDescription:
What do you get when you cross two out-of-style, mid-century favorites together?
- Mariel
Origin:
Dutch diminutive of MaryMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"Description:
Mariel Hemingway popularized this attractive and unusual variation of Mary. It's a fairly recent form, emerging in the twentieth century. Other variations include Marielle and Mariella, which is found in Italy.
- Kamari
Origin:
Variation Qamar, ArabicMeaning:
"moonlight"Description:
A melodic name, popular among the African-American community, where it joins sound-alikes Amari, Jamari, and Damari. It ultimately derives from the Arabic Qamar, meaning "moon", and is also used by Swahili speakers and those from Comoros and Somalia. It could also be considered a Greek place name, from a coastal village in Santorini.
- Kamari
Origin:
Variation Qamar, ArabicMeaning:
"moonlight"Description:
A melodic name, popular among the African-American community, where it joins sound-alikes Amari, Jamari, and Damari. It ultimately derives from the Arabic Qamar, meaning "moon", and is also used by Swahili speakers and those from Comoros and Somalia. It could also be considered a Greek place name, from a coastal village in Santorini.