Literary Baby Names Inspired by Authors

Lionel is yet another traditional boy's name entering the girls' column--at least once-- via prizewinning novelist Lionel (born Margaret Ann) Shriver.

The surname of father-son British writers Kingsley and Martin could work very well as a first, though its Amy connection makes it sound a tad feminine.

A name that feels slightly whimsical and arty, but vintage too, Meridel is associated with the American writer, Meridel Le Sueur (1900-1996). She may have been named after her mother, Marian Lucy, known as Mary Del.

Chosen by novelist Anne Brontë as her pseudonym when she first began to publish her work in the mid-19th century, this buttoned-up and strong sounding surname-name could make an interesting literary choice.

Kuchena is an African name rarely used in English-speaking countries. Kuchenga Shenjé is an Afro-British journalist and author of The Library Thief.