Top 20 made-up baby names as parents want a 'unique'…

Top 20 made-up baby names as parents want a 'unique' choice

'Made-up' names for babies are rising in popularity, with parents choosing the likes of Wrenlow, Maevery, Elisobelle and Jaspin - so they have a ''unique'' identity on social media.

According to a survey of 1,772 parents, seven per cent have already chosen a unique name for their child, while a further two thirds (65 per cent) are thinking about doing so in the future.

Nine in 10 (94 per cent) think made-up baby names are becoming more common, with ones such as Faelina, Evabeth, Brigham and Tovin also set to soar on the yearly name charts, Wales Online reports.

According to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), around 60,000 different names are registered each year.

And the choice of names is growing quickly as more parents select one-off monikers. The poll also found 72 per cent believe a unique name will help their child stand out in life, with one in 50 even choosing made-up names so their child can be easily found on social media sites.

And a third of those surveyed think one-off names will make their child feel special, although 16 per cent say using made-up names can be seen as parents ‘showing off’.

ChannelMum.com baby name expert SJ Strum said: "Shakespeare invented many names that have stood the test of time like Imogen and Jessica.

"Now the social media boom means we are all writers and publishers, so parents are making up baby names that gives their child a unique start in life."

The study found that a desire for a gender neutral name is leading the phenomenon, with a third of parents making up something which isn’t traditionally male or female. Also popular is taking a name each parent likes and blending it to create a new name, with 10 per cent of couples trying this to prevent arguments over the final name choice.

Meanwhile 13 per cent worry their name is so good that it could become popular and picked by other parents. SJ added: "In the online world, being 'discoverable' by your name is increasingly important and we're seeing more names registered than ever before.

"Maevery, with its strong V and AE sound, is bang on trend with the top two girl names Olivia and Amelia so I think it will become popular. Ranger is a great outdoorsy occupational name and with Hunter being a top riser of last year, hipsters will be looking to Ranger as the new cool name - but with a more plant based ethic."