250+ compound names for babies

The most famous Marykate spells her name Mary-Kate -- Mary-Kate Olsen. While this compound name has a distinctly midcentury ring, it also carries a certain Catholic girl charm.

George R.R. Martin named lovable Game of Thrones character Samwell Tarly, Jon Snow's closest friend in the Night's Watch, after Samwise Gamgee, Frodo's companion in The Lord of the Rings. Both characters are earthy, kind and rotund.

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.

A gentle old-fashioned compound name that has never been epidemically popular, but is now almost unused.

A gentle old-fashioned compound name that has never been epidemically popular, but is now almost unused.

Gwenora teeters on the line between unique gem and modern invention. But it's not a smoosh name fashioned from Gwen and Nora but an old Cornish form of Guinevere, like its much more famous sister Jennifer.

A modern smoosh name that combines two of the most fashionable name sounds of the moment.

Vivienna could be viewed as a Viviana variant or a combination of the names Vivian and Vienna.

Variant of Hannelore

Claribel improves on its mother name Clarabelle by distancing itself from the clown and the cow.

An Old English name that went out of style in the 11th century, but has been brought back into style, perhaps by Edrick Lee, the Australian Rugby player. Given to 84 boys in 2023, Edrick is sometimes used as a smoosh name of Edward and Patrick or Edward and Frederick, and its spelling variant, Edric, has been used by George R.R. Martin in his A Song of Fire and Ice series.

Sky has been a trending sound in recent years, from Skylar to Skye to Skyla. Skylette is a new one in recent years, combining the celestial first syllable with the fashionable "-ette" ending.

Sweet and retro, Cherilyn peaked in 1972, when Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) rose to fame. Possibly not quite ready for a comeback, though perhaps fun nickname Cherry might swing it.

Mietta is either a diminutive of Mia (which in the tradition of many Romance language diminutives is longer than the original) or a "smoosh" name combining Mia and Etta. As combined names go it is elegant and fresh, and avoids the sensation of having been made up.

Adaluna is the ultra-stylish smoosh name that nobody's caught onto yet. It's a one-of-a-kind compromise if you're deciding between Ada or Adeline and Luna. But despite its modern appearance, Adaluna has ancient roots. The Roman name for England's River Lune was Adaluna, probably due to its crescent-like shape. The similar name Adeluna is believed to be a variation of Adelina.

Short and sharp but endearing too, Ruthanne is a combination of two classic names. Briefly popular in the 40s, Ruthanne is still given to around 15 girls each year - and, with Ruthie back on the charts, perhaps it will gain more attention. Ruth-Anne Cunningham, known as RuthAnne, is an Irish singer and songwriter who has worked with JoJo and Britney Spears.

Leodore is a modern English combination of Leo, meaning "lion", and Theodore, meaning "gift of god".

Leodore is a modern English combination of Leo, meaning "lion", and Theodore, meaning "gift of god".