Abbiegayle

Abee

Abeetal

As soon as a name becomes mega-popular, parents start to look for spelling variations to set their child apart.  This is one of the less graceful ones.

Adecyn

Adorabelle

An early day name worthy of consideration today for someone seeking a truly unusual name. 

Afternoon

Similar to Malaysia, except completely invented.

Alaysia

Alleeceea

Amalfried

Abcde

Alphabet

Apple

Ashtynleigh

Bald

The name of a minor character in Game of Thrones, Balon Greyjoy, the ancient lord of the Iron Islands and father to lead character Theon Greyjoy.

Balon

Bamboo is a plant name that you might want to save for the zoo's name-the-panda contest.  It was used for a starbaby in 2000, though, the rapper Big Boi.

Bamboo

Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid. 

Bart

Battina

Bentlea

BloodRayne is a series of action-adventure video games, but the heroine's name is actually Rayne, a much more usable appellation for a non-vampire, non-animated child.

We hope no-one uses this for their child.

Bloodrayne

Bobo was the name of one of the most famous clowns in American circus history, who performed from the 1920s until the 1970s. But that's not the only reason this makes a less-than-optimal nickname.

Bobo

This upbeat, friendly surname name has appeared on television's Battlestar Galactica a handful of cartoons, and on a literary note, a character in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Sports fans might think of Boomer Esiason, the NFL quarterback turned color commentator. He's not the only athlete to answer to the upbeat nickname.
 
But the reason the name makes the Nameberry database is Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, who chose the name for his son in 2016.
 
Boomer may have had a chance at mainstream baby name success, but it became a popular term for people of the Baby Boomer generation in the late 2010s. If you use the name for your child, expect a lot of "OK Boomer" jokes.

Boomer

Adding that B to Randall transforms a pretty boyish surname choice into a 21st century spin on Brandy. 

Brandall

The alcohol-laced member of the Randy-Candy-Mandy sorority of 1970s to 80s nickname names; now pretty much on the wagon. 

Brandy

Combines the prefix of Brayden and the trendy -lee suffix, and has the marks of the popular Bailey.

Braylee

Barbaey

Beejay

Blandyn

Brantlay

Britini

Chosen by the late Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa for their youngest daughter, there is renewed interest in Italian isola name Capri.

Capri

With the popular 'ash' sound and a contemporary feel, Cash is a widely used name in the US. Used occasionally before the 2000s, Cash really took off in 2003, following the death of American musical legend, Johnny Cash. 
 
Cash could be considered an old occupational name, derived from the Latin capsa, meaning someone who makes boxes. It also, and perhaps more obviously, is an English word for money, giving it a slightly celebrity-name vibe, along the lines of Saint, Sir, and Legendary. 
 An alternative origin for the name could be as a derivative of the Roman names, Cassius and Cassian, which are sometimes pronounced as "cash-us" or "cash-un". This could lend the name some additional history, along with the meaning "empty" "hollow" or "vain" (and therefore, maybe just a touch of irony).
 Celebrities including Annabeth Gish, Joshua Morrow, John Rich, Finola Hughes and Russell Young, have used Cash for their sons, and as of 2023, it is a Top 200 choice in the US.
 Until 2021, Cash was always the preferred spelling, however in more recent years, the variation Kash has ranked slightly higher. Given to over 1100 babies each year, Cash has seen a slightly decline, but nevertheless, remains in style.

Cash

Clia could be seen as a variation of Clea (probably another invented literary name), or the creation of L. Frank Baum for a mermaid Princess character in one of his Oz books. Offers a similar choice to Cleo vs Clio.

Clia

Corky

Yes, there are lots of kids out there named Princess, Duke, Earl, and King – but you don't necessarily want yours to be one of them.

Countess

Daenerys is yet another girls' name invented by "Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martin that is beginning to gain some traction in real life. Daenerys was used for 67 baby girls in 2013 while one of the character's titles, Khaleesi, was given to 241 baby girls. And the name Arya, also from the hyper-popular series, is one of the fastest growing <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' names</a> in the country.

Daenerys

Daffy

Dick was a once-common short form of Richard; replaced by Rick or Richie, and finally by the full name itself.   Rude meaning -- make that two rude meanings -- pretty much knocks this one out of consideration.

Dick

Once a birth order name, now might work as a cool x-ending nickname. But be warned that it sounds very close to an unfortunate slang term.

Dome

Donald has been used for centuries in Scotland, where the Macdonald clan is one of the most ancient and where there have been six early Scottish kings by that name. Donald was a Top 20 name throughout most of the early twentieth century. But first there was the quacking Donald Duck, introduced in 1934, to affect its image, and then there was The Donald Trump, leaving it drained of much baby appeal. Trump's surprising run to the presidency didn't save Donald's decline on the baby name charts; it fell 47 spots between 2015 and 2016, from 441 to 488, and is now a less popular name than it's been since records have been kept.
 Aside from Donald Sutherland, most contemporary real and fictive Donalds go by nicknames--as in Donny Osmond, Donnie Wahlberg, Don Rickles and Don Draper. More promising and more authentically Celtic sounding is Donal, which is quite commonly used in Ireland, or surname cousins Donnelly or Donovan.

Donald

A sweet French word name possibility, but with unsavory teasing potential. 

Douce

Elixyvett is part Elizabeth, part Alexis, part Yvette -- and a total mess.  Few people go to such lengths to make a name different. Aren't you glad? 

Elixyvett

Another culture's version of the month-naming tradition: this is the sixth month of the Jewish calendar.

Elul

The name of Beethoven's third symphony, and too close to the word erotica. 

Eroica

Maybe if you're planning to have only one child -- and iffy even then. 

Favorite

Frostine, best known in the U.S. as the name of the Candyland queen, is newly fashionable in France and is certainly a choice that any little girl the world over would love. Fanciful, if over-the-top, but a perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">name for a winter baby girl</a>.

Frostine

Talk about pressure!  Too much name for any little girl to bear.

Goddess

Goku is the name of the protagonist of the popular "Dragon Ball" manga series, which was turned into a live action film.  The character of Goku is reportedly based on Sun Wukong, the hero of the Chinese legend Journey to the West.



Goku

Grande

Makeup artist to the stars Gucci Westman has made this Italian fashion name a first. 

Gucci

Gypsy, long associated with the intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and the musical that was made about her life, was used by Drea de Matteo and Shooter Jennings as the middle name of their daughter Alabama. Be aware, however, that the word gypsy is now considered an ethnic slur when used for the Romani, or Roma, people.

Gypsy

Among the children named Heaven are the daughters of TV personality Brooke Burke and rap singer Lil' Mo, who also has a daughter named God'iss Love. Some parents have taken to using Nevaeh instead—Heaven spelled backwards. 

Heaven

Heavynlie

Hooker

Hetlir

Ikonyque

Jansen is an intriguing way to honor an ancestral John; Jantzen is a brand of swimwear.

Jantzen

Jayme

Jaymz

Jessamy and big sister Jessamine are all but unknown in the U.S., but make distinctive alternatives to overexposed Jessica, Jessie, and Jasmine.

Jessamy

Jeorgyna

Jerslee

Kalyb

Kindle is riding on the coattails of Kendall and co with its on-trend sounds. As a word, it has an inspirational meaning, but its secondary modern-day meaning — as an Amazon brand of tablets — gives it a branded quality.

Kindle

Kaeddryn

Kaedee

Kira

Laidy

Maysyn

Pretty sound, provocative meaning, but a little over-the-top. 

Mystery

McKaeylee

Miangelle

Not unless you want your son to grow up to be just like a wacky Jack Black character.

Nacho

Nevaeh: an already bold word name with the unusual twist of being spelled backwards; a nightmare for those who love traditional, classic names; a divisive option on name forums across the internet; and a spelling and pronunciation that aren’t quite intuitive at first glance. 
Nevaeh has a lot stacked against it, and yet it’s maintained a surprising level of popularity and unexpected longevity in recent years. 
Given to just a tiny handful of babies before the 2000’s, Neveah shot up the US charts in 2001, after singer Sonny Sandoval from the rock group P.O.D used it for his daughter. He introduced the name during an MTV appearance, with the explanation that it was heaven spelled backward. 
An edgy, celebrity-style choice, fitting for the daughter of a rockstar – but what was it about Nevaeh that made it catch on in the non-celeb world and what has kept it in the US Top 100 since 2004? 
Perhaps it’s simply the heavenly meaning, made more discreet and name-y by spelling it in reverse. 
Perhaps it’s the fact that visually, it bears resemblance to classic Biblical names, such as Hannah, Leah, or Sarah, while also feeling new and on trend. 
Maybe it’s the popular end sound or the similarity it bears to other favorites – both from the 2000’s and from now. Reminiscent of Savannah, Ava, Avery, Delilah, Aaliyah, and Kayla, it feels less surprising perhaps, that Nevaeh appealed in 2001 and holds sway now. 
Alternatively, Neveah may have been brought to people’s attention because it was so often discussed on forums across the internet. As a result, it likely showed up in searches when parents were looking for baby names and they might have just liked the sound of it. 
Whatever the reasons, Neveah certainly caught parents’ eyes and its popularity spread across other English-speaking countries, including Canada, Australia, and the UK. 
In the last decade Nevaeh has seen a steady decline in use, and while it is still given to over 2000 babies in the US each year, newer favorites such as Nova, Luna, Ayla, and Aurora have pushed it back. 
What the future holds for Nevaeh is uncertain then, but its rise to fame demonstrates the power of a pop culture association and the possibility of modern, invented names to become mainstream.

Nevaeh

Our kids laughed when they saw this name. Enough said. 

Nimrod

Nannsay

The singer known as Pink (born Alecia) brought this hue onto the name-possibility palette, especially as a middle choice. Could Pink be the next Blue?

Pink

Prissy

Patriot

Pimpson

Queeto

Quirkleigh

Race

Invented by author Stephenie Meyer for the Twilight series for the half-human, half-vampire daughter of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, it's an amalgamtion of the names of Bella's mother Renee and Edward's adoptive mother Esme. Much to our surprise, some people are trying this at home.

Renesmee

Demi and Bruce made waves when they named their now-grown firstborn after novelist Rumer Godden; a possible downside is its connection with the word rumor. English author Godden was actually born Margaret, with Rumer (a family surname) as her middle name

Rumer

Safiyah

Projects the sleek and playful image of the aquatic mammal, plus that of the striking British-born Brazilian/Nigerian/Afro-Caribbean singer (born Sealhenry). 

Seal

Selphie Tilmitt is a character in the popular video game Final Fantasy VIII.  An orphan like the other main characters, she's described as upbeat, friendly, and energetic....though she wields a mean nunchuk.  Given the name's resemblance to the photo term "selfie," this one is off the table, even for enthusiastic gamers.

Selphie

Starla

Summerlynn

Shrek

Stalin

Not your typical jovial Irish surname; but has a dark, craggy appeal, and Tag as a nickname.

Taggart

Like Ed, Eddie and Teddy, Ted is rarely used as an independent name – in the US, at least. In the UK, Eddie ranks just outside the Top 200, Teddy ranks just outside the Top 30, and Ted is a Top 200 pick. 
With Theodore rising, Ted may have new life among parents who don't want to use the short form Theo. And TV's Ted Lasso makes it a quintessential nice guy name.

Mexican national drink, not to be served as a name to a baby.

Tequila

Thomasine

This name of the bright orange flower found in Asia has been used occasionally in English-speaking countries. A notable namesake is Tiger Lily, the Native American princess from Peter Pan. Read more about Tiger Lily and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Tigerlily

NotADadJustAWriter's list "Dump these names in the trash" of 107 great name ideas: Abbiegayle - Younique!

Dump these names in the trash

I don't have a problem with made up names or different spellings or name combos in general, but you have to put more than two seconds thought into it.