Baby Names from Books: 20 Lost Literary Girls’ Names

Ooh, I love Thisbe! I think Ginevra is the full name of Harry Potter’s Ginny Weasley, too.

Ianthe is a favorite of mine and, because I’m looking forward to the Gilbert & Sullivan opera this January that I posted about in the Talk about Names forum (“Names from Ruddigore“), I can’t help but be reminded of the similar-sounding name “Iolanthe” (a character from a G&S opera of the same name).

Iolanthe (pronounced eye-o-lan-thee) is the name of a fairy in this opera (her name seems to suit her!) and also means “violet-flower” like Ianthe.

– Nephele

I have now fallen in love with Lilia! Thank you!
Also, my sister’s name is Alia. My mom always thought she had made it up! I passed this along to her! Thanks for the info!

These names are great, but some of them have some very unfortunate associations. A lot of those characters are not very pleasant people. Tamora in “Titus Andronicus” is a revenge bent murderer and Briony in “Atonement” is a liar who destroys people’s lives. I love literary names, but for me, I’d have to be careful not to name my child after such horrific characters.

My cousin’s toddler is named Lilia and called Lily. It’s a translation of a Finnish family name Lilja that she decided was too difficult in its original version. I’ve seen more than one girl named Prairie listed as survivors among the grandchildren in obituaries that my newspaper has run.

I’ve been digging Persis for a while. Why did Frances stick around and Persis get stuck in the cold, I wonder?

I’d probably pass up the Midsummer Night Dream references, since Thisbe is a man playing a woman’s role (and very silly, too!) and Titania has the unavoidable “tit” at the beginning. (There are several different pronunciations, but our vocal instructor in grad school recommended “tit-TAHN-ya”, so that’s how I’ll always say/hear it now.)

If Fantine is on the list, how about Eponine? I like it better, though Cosette is probably the prettiest female name from Les Miz.

Abby–Ginevra is Ginny’s full name, you’re right!

I love this blog! I’m always looking for new, great literary names! =)

Persis is also mentioned in Paul’s Epistles “Thank our good friend Persis for she has laboured much in the Lord”. Persis is also the name of the chief character in Dare Wright’s “The Little One”, I wonder where SHE got the name from?

I love Briony the most!

Persis is also the name of a minor character in the later Anne of Green Gables series. I’ve loved the name ever since I first read it. Although I grew up in India, the only Indian name in the list of favourite girls’ names I gave my husband before our daughter was born was Kamala — it’s beautiful. Both Ianthe and Iolanthe are possible considerations should we have another daughter in the future. Great list!

Wow, I think you picked out great names, even though I’d agree with Rebecca saying that it might be a little unfortunate to pick out a name connected with an evil character. I think I like Lilia and Ginevra best, even though the latter seems a little out there and may appear too Harry-Pottery… don’t know if I’d ever dare to use it.
By the way: Corinna is quite common here in Germany. I know at least two women with that name.

Ginevra (nn Ginger), Ianthe and Thisbe have all been on my list for a long while now – I adore literary names. Fantine is also on there, but the awkward nicknames deter me from using it.

Some of my other literary favourites are Cosette, Eponine, Undine/Ondine, Pollyanna and Cedric (the latter is from Little Lord Fauntleroy).

I actually really like Prairie! If Meadow’s okay now then why the hell not? It makes me think of Prairie Dawn from Sesame Street playing her little piano.

Fantine’s lovely. I’ve never seen Les Mis but I keep hearing all these fab names from it.

Catriona’s perenially popular in Scotland. I see it all the time.

I thought I should add that where I live (in Western Canada) Meridian is pretty much out of the question as a name since it’s what we call the cement/landscaped medians that divide opposing lanes of traffic.

I really love this blog because I love reading! My favorite literary girl’s name of all time is Meg from Little Women. I also really like Catriona, Clea, Fantine, Ginevra, Kamala, Lilia, Malta, Meridian, Prairie, Tamora, Thisbe, Titania, and Trilby.

I love Thisbe and Briony and Fantine and Tamora.

I have to add my two cents that the character of Briony Tallis is young and confused rather than evil, which is part of why “Atonement” is so compelling. She doesn’t properly understand what is going on and her role in it until the damage is done.

Ah I love literary names! Thanks for the post, and keep ‘em coming!

P.S. I also agree that any evil/destructive character names should be noted as such.

I love names with a meaning and especially poetic names. My name is iolanthe and uncommon here in south africa. Its fascinating to hear these unique names.

My daughters name “Radiant Starshine” is from a science fiction short story.

I loved Alia for years, because of DUNE. And I am so stealing Prairie.

Corinna’s been on my short list for years.

Howzabout Dulcinea, from the Dumas’ Don Quixote?

For example:

This is odd but I’m younger & signed up forthis website just to see I my name was on herrrre! I thought it was so uncommmon & use to hate it but nobody has it & I’ve learned to like it so thanks to everyone who loved it!

& eveyone always asks if my middle names Dawn but it’s actually Ann

i absolutely adore ‘kamala’. ever since i read siddhartha i’ve loved it. besides, molly could work as a more common nickname, no?

Intriguing…undoubtedly food for thought. I hope you don’t mind if I pass this on to a few other friends I know.

Alia’s a pretty sound but I much prefer Aliyah or Aaliyah – and neither of those are actually obscure, one in the top 50 and one in the top 200.

I love Ianthe.

I like Bryony more than Briony, but I like botanicals.

Tamora is pretty but Tamar is a crisper cooler sound to me.