250+ compound names for babies

If one Italian name won't do.

Adarius is an invented name combination name, created from the A- prefix - or from Adam - and the name Darius. This could give it the meaning, "man possessing goodness". This name is most common in the African American community.

Babies recorded as Novarae in the US data (there were 15 of them in 2022) may spell their names Nova Rae or Nova-Rae in real life – spaces and punctuation aren't recorded. Either way, it's a cool modern compound name with a futuristic feel.

Popular in France in the mid-20th-century, Lysiane is a sweet but sharp compound name blending the French Lys and the classic Anne.

You could either see this as a smoosh of Cara + Lena (or any name ending in -lena), or a variation on Carolina. Either way, it's a pretty, melodious name that first appeared on the US charts in 2008, and has been used sparingly ever since.

Olivander is a new and rising smoosh names for boys, a mashup of Oliver and Alexander. While it sidesteps the popularity of those two classic boy names, the result is not really better than the sum of its parts.

Variant of Maribel or Maribelle

Also spelled Silvander, this poetic and woodsy name was used in various works of literature throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Deriving from the Roman and Biblical name Silvanus, Sylvander could also be considered a compound name, blending together Sylvester or Sylvan with Anders or Alexander.

Adamarie is an unusual compound name, combining Ad- names like Ada, Adele, Adelaide, and Adeline, all sharing the meaning "noble", with Marie, meaning "drop in the sea; beloved". This name feels a little like Adelaide, Emery, Adamina, and Adelyn at the same time. With a hint of both vintage and modern vibes, this name has a pleasing combined meaning.

Kaylor is a faux surname name. It doesn't have an occupational meaning, unlike soundalike names Taylor ("tailor") and Baylor ("one who delivers goods"). It may be considered an Anglicization of surnames such as Keillor or Kohler, but its use typically arises from a combination of the names Kay and Taylor.

German combo name borne by German Green politician Annalena Baerbock.

As modern "smoosh" names go, Starlynn is not bad. Over the past two years nearly 40 American girls have been given this name. There may be some confusion with the name Starling (a type of bird), but that shouldn't be too difficult to overcome. Beware, however, its similarity in sound to Russian dictator, Stalin.

A charmingly vintage combination of Lou and Ellen with a lot of flair, Louellen is a sweet name that shares sounds with Louella and Elowen.

More distinctive than Grace and more creative than Presley, Graceland is a contemporary name that could catch on with parents searching for a unique honorific.

Southern-style smoosh name. If you want to go this route, we suggest Lily-Mae or Lily Mae.

Lilimae Clements was a character on the 1980s soap opera Knots Landing

Parents wanting to move beyond Jason and Mason, not to mention Taylor, have created Tayson. But like many smoosh baby names, this choice is less than the sum of its parts.

A combination name with a hint of fairy-tale magic to it, without being too fantastical. Given to 3 girls in the UK in 2022 and more than 40 in the US, it falls just slightly behind its sister name, Bellarose.

A widely used name in medieval Europe that's been almost completely forgotten. Blanche still reads as old lady-ish, and the frilly "-fleur" doesn't make it feel younger. But it could be a striking, not to say iconic, choice for a bold parent, especially if they had some sort of connection to white flowers or the Middle Ages.

This newer sounding coalition of Jennifer and Vanessa is gaining in popularity, though it's still quite rare. Only 15 baby girls were named Jenessa last year.