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Literary Names (Characters)

  1. Granger

    • Origin:

      English and French surname

    • Meaning:

      "worker of the granary; farmer"

    • Description:

      If you're seeking a solid but underused occupational name with a warm, friendly sound, and an earthy feel, Granger is one to consider. Associated with faming, grain, and the outdoors, it fits in with the likes of Colton, Sawyer, and Cooper, with a hint of classic George about it too.
  2. Alaska

    • Origin:

      Native American

    • Meaning:

      "great land"

    • Description:

      State name Alaska stems from an Aleutian word for the land mass itself. The number of baby girls named Alaska has doubled in the past five years, and is sure to continue increasing as more place names are annexed as baby names. Wilder but as habitable as Dakota or Cheyenne, Alaska is a girls' name choice for the future.
  3. Pippi

    • Origin:

      Norse variation of Philippa

    • Meaning:

      "lover of horses"

    • Description:

      Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical. In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider. Try Pippa instead.
  4. Gale

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games, it has new force for boys.
  5. Huck

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Huckleberry, word name

    • Description:

      Though forever tied to Huck, short for Huckleberry, Finn, this is an undeniably cute short form that may have some life as part of the hipster taste for names like Duke and Bix.
  6. Carlisle

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "from the walled city"

    • Description:

      This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen. Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more widely used for boys than for girls.
  7. Gatsby

    • Origin:

      German surname and literary name

    • Meaning:

      "from Gaddesby"

    • Description:

      Gatsby is one of the most famous literary surnames, borne by the titular character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. The book's Jay Gatsby gussied up his surname from Gatz, whose meaning is given variously as left-handed, cat, God, and person from Gat. As a first name, it's got a lot of energy and that great literary pedigree.
  8. Lolita

    • Origin:

      Spanish, diminutive of Lola and Dolores, Spanish

    • Meaning:

      "lady of sorrows"

    • Description:

      In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it seems that a few parents are prepared to look past this problematic association, seeing this as a offbeat option for those who defy convention. We would recommend thinking seriously about the background of this name before bestowing it on your daughter.
  9. Narcissa

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "daffodil"

    • Description:

      This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa and Daffodil theoretically make perfect names for December babies.
  10. Renesmee

    • Origin:

      Literary invention

    • Description:

      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.
  11. Lisbeth

    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Elizabeth

    • Description:

      Lisbeth is one of the many short forms of Elizabeth that are used on their own. Not only is it the name of the mother of the main character in George Eliot's novel Adam Bede, but it takes on a whole new, powerful image as the heroine of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Lizbeth is another spelling.
  12. Crewe

    • Description:

      Crewe is a masculine name derived from the Old Welsh 'criu' meaning 'ford' or 'crossing.' It originated as a place name in Cheshire, England, where the town of Crewe developed around an important railway junction in the 19th century. As a given name, Crewe represents the growing trend of adopting location names for children. It carries associations of industrial heritage and transportation history while maintaining a distinctly British feel. Though uncommon as a first name, Crewe has seen modest increased usage in recent years, particularly among families seeking short, strong-sounding masculine names with historical connections. Its single-syllable structure and distinctive sound pattern make it a noteworthy alternative to more common place-inspired names.

  13. Othello

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "he has the sound of God"

    • Description:

      Shakespeare's moor has exclusive ownership of this name.
  14. Quimby

    • Origin:

      Variation of Quenby, English

    • Meaning:

      "queen's settlement"

    • Description:

      Virtually never heard in this country, with a quirky quality.
  15. Murry

    • Description:

      Murry as a feminine name represents an unusual gender crossover from what was traditionally a masculine name and surname. Derived from Scottish and Irish origins, Murry (also spelled Murray) originally meant "settlement by the sea" from Gaelic elements. While historically used primarily for boys and as a family name, its adoption as a feminine name reflects the modern trend of repurposing surnames and traditionally male names for girls. The name has a gentle, unpretentious quality with its soft consonants. When used for girls, Murry may be considered a unique alternative to more common names like Mary or Marie, sharing some phonetic similarities while standing apart. As a feminine name, Murry remains quite rare, giving it a distinctive quality for parents seeking uncommon options.

  16. Tris

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Beatrice, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness; blessed"

    • Description:

      In the Divergent series, Tris was used as a short form of Beatrice, but it could also be given as a nickname for names like Tristan, Patricia, or Demetris.
  17. Alianora
    • Aslan
      • Bovary
        • Cimorene