930+ Invented Baby Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

The kind of hybrid name -- it sounds like a blend of the popular Caleb and Colton -- that could catch on despite its lack of pedigree.

Tuff, a corruption of "tough," has been given to approximately 50 baby boys each year for the past few years. Tough, on the other hand, has never charted as a baby name.

A newly hatched cousin of Bree and Brea, with a touch of Bailey and Brynn there too, Brae feels like a name that could catch on. However, a 'bray' is also the sound a donkey makes.

Parents with a penchant for inventing names seem especially enamored of the letter Z, maybe for its counterculture feel and its extra zip.

In Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Kida is a warrior princess from the lost city of Atlantis. Her full name in the film is Kidagakash, which was created for the film. Read more about Kida and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.

Unisex Swahili name rising in popularity. Musician Jelani Aryeh may be an influence.

Minta is an eighteenth century short form of a literary beauty still used in England today, but yet to be discovered by American baby namers. It has a fresh and dainty feel.

This spelling of the Old Testament girls' name feels more energetic and modern than the more traditional Zilla or Zillah -- which is probably why it's been a fast-growing name for years.

This attempt to masculinize Jules has made its way into the Top 1000. We recommend using the more traditional spelling, as this one will likely appear dated in a few years' time.

Kiari is the birth name of rapper Offset, who passed on this attractive name to his daughter as her middle. Indeed, it resembles several more established names associated with both genders, from Kiara to Kyrie to Kai.

With Henley and Kinsley two of the most popular new ley-ending baby names for girls, why not Hensley? We can think of several reasons, but if you like this style of name, Hensley is as attractive as any.

Somehow a "y" got stuck in a glass of apple juice.

The name of Samsung's virtual assistant, which puts Bixby in a category with Siri, Alexa, and Cortana.

The -ayah suffix is ultra hot at the moment, with names like Alayah and Avayah attracting hundreds of parents each year. Kalayah may be building off of those, but it could also be used as a variation of the classic Hawaiian name Kalea.

Quiana might be thought of as the first synthetic name. Quiana was popular in the 1970s and 80s, along with the same-named form of polyester.

This unusual name, created by the singer Brandy for her daughter, uses punctuation in an inventive way -- a trend that takes creative spelling to a new but sometimes confusing level.

Though it's a new name, sounds almost as dated as GARY and DARREN.

Icelyn and its more popular sister Icelynn have been among the fastest-rising girls' names in the US in recent years.