930+ Invented Baby Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

A trendy sounding choice--if we had to give it a meaning would be either "three cities" or "town with trees," but since it's a modern invention, you'd have to pick it for its current feel alone. Another option: TRENTON, a real place name.

Timberly emerged on the charts in 1960 as an alternative to Kimberly. It never caught on and has been given to no more than 25 baby girls each year since. These days it may also be seen as an elaboration of Timber, an up-and-coming gender-neutral nature name.

This variant of Zaniah debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2007.

A rare smoosh of Dontae and Octavius, also spelled Dontavious.

If you can add Lynn to a name, someone will and Mae is no exception to the rule. This compound name sits somewhere between the mid-century charm of Marilyn, Jerilyn, and Jocelyn, and the contemporary cool vibes of Jazlynn, Oaklynn, and Emberlynn.

Okay, it's a little bit like Trey, and a little bit like Taylor, but exactly like....trailer?

Rhyett is a respelling of the word name Riot with a name-centric spin combining the popular Rhett and Wyatt. While rising in popularity, Rhyett might prove confusing on spelling and pronunciation, spawning a lifetime of "Riot? Wyatt? How do you spell that, anyway?"

This perfume name, undoubtedly a takeoff on the French word for pretty, has somehow wafted into the girls' lexicon. Too commercial.

A uniquely Puerto Rican choice. Keniel is a modern creation with the appearance of history, thanks to the biblical -iel ending.

One of the most popular of the creative spellings of this name.

A Frenchy name that doesn't exist in France, probably an attempt to create a classy feminine version of John or Johnny by rhyming it with Monet.

A modern mashup of the popular Ky/Kai sound and the trendy -land ending. More than 60 boys were named Kyland in 2022.

Inspired by the Mazda sportscar. 'Nough said.

A clear reference to the Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli, known for his adaptations of Shakespearean plays such as The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet. Zeffirelli was born out of wedlock, meaning he couldn't have either of his parents' surnames. His mother wanted it to be Zeffiretti, meaning "little breezes," taken from Mozart's opera Idomeneo. It was misspelled as Zeffirelli on his birth certificate.

Though not technically a one-person name, since 30 baby boys were named Shemar in 2016, Shemar stems from one specific person, prolific actor Shemar Moore. He has said that his parents came up with it by combining the first three letters of each of their first names, Sherrod and Marilyn.

Many invented names that end in -isha spring from the Arabic Aisha, an important name in the Muslim religion. The Ta- or Te- prefix was especially stylish for both girls and boys in the eighties. This name may also be related to Tanis.

Elaboration of Sophia created for the character Sophitia Alexandra in the video game Soulcalibur.

Torquano Tasso likely invented this name for the magical enchantress who beguiles the crusaders in his celebrated poem Jerusalem Delivered. Armida is also the eponymous heroine of a Handel opera.