Names That Mean Musical

The literal meaning of Adagio is 'at ease.' Adagio's use for a slow musical passage or ballet is contradicted by its lively sound and feel.

Cadenza takes the popular CADENCE and gives it a more operatic flourish.

Could be seen as extravagantly ecstatic for a baby name, though feel free to rhapsodize about your little girl, whatever her name.

A daring middle name possibility for classical concertgoers. Alternatives are Wolfgang and Amadeus.

Raga is musical, yes, but that 'rag' syllable worries us.

Makes SONATA even more feminine and musical

Chord may be considered a variation of the cowboy-cool name Cord, or an independent musical name. Actor Chord Overstreet, of Glee fame, introduced this name to many American parents.

It's usually preceded by the letter 'A'--as in 'a capella'--singing without accompaniment, and probably has never been used as a girl's name, but in this anything-goes naming climate, we're putting it out there as a possibility.

Toccata is delicate and musical yes, but still somehow unappealing.

Unusual, rhythmic, castanet-clicking. Alternative: FANDANGO.

Musical name with a modern, name-like spelling influenced by Stephanie. Chris Brown has a daughter named Lovely Symphani.

Cool word name for boys evocative of rock and roll. Julia Stiles named her son Strummer in 2017.

Mandolin may seem like an outlandish choice for a name, but since BANJO has been used as a baby name, all the instruments in the band seem to be auditioning for a place on birth certificates. This one comes with a real name nickname, MANDY.

Riff is the name of the leader of the Jets in West Side Story, drawn from the musical word for a repeated phrase in a song. Riff is a jaunty sounding name but a tragic character.

The name of an ascending sequence of musical notes in Hindustani classical music, meaning "rising, evolving".

Light and delicate musical name would make an unusual choice.

The name of an ascending sequence of musical notes in Hindustani classical music, meaning "rising, evolving".